Vitamin D deficiency leads to earlier death? Study: Consuming less than this dose may increase the risk of death by 36%
Vitamin D is an important nutrient that helps bones and muscles stay healthy. However, at least 60% of the world’s population still has insufficient vitamin D intake; 60-70% of people in Taiwan are vitamin D deficient due to too little exposure to the sun and insufficient outdoor activities. Now research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that vitamin D deficiency may be linked to the risk of premature death.
Vitamin D deficiency leads to earlier death? Study: Below “this dose” the risk of death is 36% higher
The University of South Australia (UniSA) used Mendelian randomization research methods to analyze 307,601 medical records from the UK Biobank. The average age of the participants fell between 37 and 73 years old. During the 14 years of random visits, 18,700 people died. The study further evaluated the data of the subjects who died and found that vitamin D deficiency was significantly associated with premature death in the subjects.
“Subjects with measured vitamin D concentrations below 25 nmol/L had an average risk of premature death of 36% higher than those who consumed 50 nmol/L,” said study author Joshua P. Sutherland. With the increase in D concentration, it was found that the subjects’ risk of death also tended to decrease: the ratio of all causes of death was highest among people with vitamin D levels below 25 nmol/L, and tended to be higher among people with vitamin D levels between 50-75 nmol/L. Stable, and finally in the 75-125 nmol/L population, the mortality rate did not increase further.
Taking large amounts of vitamin D will not be more effective! Experts reveal the timing of taking health care products
Elina Hyppånen, co-author of the study, showed that people who live in sunny areas, are non-smokers, have higher levels of physical activity, have less socioeconomic deprivation, and have lower BMIs have relatively sufficient vitamin D in their bodies. Research supports the 50 nmol/L intake recognized by the National Academy of Medicine (NAM). It is recommended that those with vitamin D levels below 50 nmol/L should actively supplement through exposure to sunlight, mushrooms or dairy products.
Hyppånen also emphasized that if you live in an area that lacks sunlight or cannot obtain vitamin D from food sources, you can take health supplements in moderation. “However, it is not recommended that people use high-dose vitamin D supplements at one time. Many evidences have proven that supplementing with excess vitamin D not only fails to achieve positive effects, but may also disrupt the body’s metabolism.”
How much vitamin D should children and adults take? NIH warns: There are risks in taking doses that are too high and too low
As for how much vitamin D an adult should take to meet the body’s basic needs? The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that either too much or too little vitamin D can easily cause adverse effects on the human body. If it is less than 30 nmol/L, it may cause rickets in infants/children, or osteomalacia in adults; if it is greater than 125 nmol/L, it is related to potential adverse reactions, especially if it is greater than 150 nmol/L.
The U.S. National Institutes of Health states that the vitamin D dosage required by each age group and ethnic group is slightly different. If you do not understand the “daily vitamin D intake”, you can refer to the following suggestions to understand how much vitamin D you should take. :
0-12 months: 10 micrograms (400IU) daily.
1-13 years old: 15 micrograms (600IU) daily.
14-18 years old: 15 micrograms (600IU) daily.
19-50 years old: 15 micrograms (600IU) daily. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should also consume 15 micrograms in moderation.
51-70 years old: 15 micrograms (600IU) daily.
Over 70 years old: 20 micrograms (800IU) daily.
Among them, groups with obvious vitamin D deficiency, such as lactating infants and the elderly, need to supplement with higher doses of vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency in the elderly may be related to higher cancer incidence and mortality, osteoporosis prevalence, cardiovascular mortality and other risks; excessive vitamin D can cause toxicity, leading to hypercalcemia, renal Failure, kidney stones, soft tissue calcification and other diseases. The U.S. National Institutes of Health urges the public to be aware of their vitamin D intake and avoid taking too much or too little to avoid affecting body functions.
Source:
Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Death, New Study Finds
Vitamin D Deficiency Increases Mortality Risk in the UK Biobank
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