http://www.medindia.net/healthnews/Rickets-news.asp Medindia largest health website in india. en-us Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved. Fri, 25 May 2012 07:04:55 GMT http://www.medindia.net/news/mothers-low-vitamin-d-levels-linked-to-childrens-body-fat-101701-1.htm Children are more likely to have more body fat during childhood if their mother has low levels of Vitamin D during pregnancy, researchers have found. Low vitamin D status has been linked to obesity in adults and children, but little is known about how variation in a mother's status affects the body composition of her child. Low vitamin D status is common among young women in the UK, and although women are recommended to take an additional 10 (and) #956;g/day of vitamin D in pregnancy, supplementation is currently not routine....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/mothers-low-vitamin-d-levels-linked-to-childrens-body-fat-101701-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/low-vitamin-d-levels-worsen-lupus-101041-1.htm Vitamin D deficiency worsens lupus, reveals an Australian study. Known as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), lupus is an autoimmune disease, which prompts an attack on tissues of the body by its own immune system, affecting more than five million people worldwide. It can also lead to kidney disease. Although its cause is unknown, the results can be disastrous as the body stops producing normal antibodies, which becomes instrumental in an attack on healthy tissues. Eric Morand, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/low-vitamin-d-levels-worsen-lupus-101041-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/playing-load-bearing-sports-at-young-age-could-reduce-risk-of-osteoporosis-in-later-life-100939-1.htm A new study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research suggests that play load-bearing sports such as volleyball or basketball for four hours a week could help young men avoid the risk of osteoporosis later in life. The study, the largest scale investigation of its kind, discovered that young men who actively resisted the urge to adopt a "couch-potato" lifestyle in their late twenties seemed to gain the biggest bone benefit. "Men who increased their load-bearing activity from age ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/playing-load-bearing-sports-at-young-age-could-reduce-risk-of-osteoporosis-in-later-life-100939-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/genes-influence-development-of-osteoporosis-and-fracture-risk-study-100915-1.htm The degeneration of bony tissue is termed as bosteoporosis/b. In osteoporosis, the affected bone becomes porous. This bbone disease/b is silent but highly distressing and it generally affects the elderly people. In Australia, about 25 percent of females with hip fracture do not survive more than a year. The mortality is higher for men with same problem. Age also affects the female mortality. It is seen that females above 65 years are more prone to die due to hip fracture than breast cancer....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/genes-influence-development-of-osteoporosis-and-fracture-risk-study-100915-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/vitamin-d-blood-level-determined-by-researchers-for-reducing-major-medical-risks-in-older-adults-100821-1.htm In testing older patients' blood vitamin D levels, the dividing line between enough and not enough is not clear. The threshold amount has become controversial as several scientific societies set different targets. To help resolve this debate, University of Washington researchers conducted an observational study. They wanted to learn how much vitamin D must be circulating in the blood to lower the risk of a major medical event. This category included heart attack, hip fracture, diagnosis of cancer, or death....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/vitamin-d-blood-level-determined-by-researchers-for-reducing-major-medical-risks-in-older-adults-100821-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/vitamin-d-and-osteoporosis-100567-1.htm Vitamin D is a key regulator of serum calcium levels and also plays an important role in keeping bones strong. Calcium is primarily obtained through diet and absorbed through the intestine and into the blood stream. In addition to building bone, calcium is required for a variety of important physiological processes. Vitamin D, which is detected by receptors in bone and intestinal cells, regulates the level of calcium in the blood stream and determines how much should be stored in the skeleton....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/vitamin-d-and-osteoporosis-100567-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/link-between-early-menopause-and-osteoporosis-risk-100503-1.htm Early menopause significantly increases risk of osteoporosis, fracture in later life, suggests study published in Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The Swedish study looked at the long-term effects of early menopause on mortality, risk of fragility fracture and osteoporosis. In 1977, 390 white north European women aged 48 were recruited in the Malmo Perimenopausal Study, an observational study where women were followed from age 48 onwards. The women were divided into two ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/link-between-early-menopause-and-osteoporosis-risk-100503-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/genes-that-boost-risk-of-osteoporosis-and-fractures-identified-100491-1.htm Genetic variations associated with increased osteoporosis and fracture risk identified. The study is published in Nature Genetics. Osteoporosis is a common and a devastating age-related disease about 50 percent of all who have a hip fracture after age 80 die within one year from the time of injury. The consequences of osteoporosis are therefore well-known, but the causes of the disease are largely unknown. b56 genetic regions for bone density/bIn a groundbreaking international ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/genes-that-boost-risk-of-osteoporosis-and-fractures-identified-100491-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/genetic-regions-linked-to-osteoporosis-and-fractures-100151-1.htm New genetic regions are associated with osteoporosis and fractures, says researcher. Variations in the DNA sequences in these regions confer either risk or protection from the bone-weakening disease. Many, but not all, of the regions encode proteins involved in pathways known to involve bone health. The research shows that osteoporosis results from the combined contributions of dozens, if not hundreds, of genes. It also suggests many new avenues for anti-osteoporosis drug development. "We're ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/genetic-regions-linked-to-osteoporosis-and-fractures-100151-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/vitamin-d-does-not-improve-brainpower-in-kids-study-100011-1.htm Increased levels of vitamin D do not seem to boost kids academic performance, shows research published in the IJournal of Epidemiology and Community Health/I. Some previous research has linked higher levels of the vitamin to enhanced brainpower (cognitive function) in adults. The authors wanted to find out if the same was true of children, and what impact different types of the vitamin - sourced mainly from sunlight (vitamin D3) or from plants (vitamin D2) - might have. They ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/vitamin-d-does-not-improve-brainpower-in-kids-study-100011-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/vitamin-d-and-breast-cancer-risk-99727-1.htm In African American women, variations in vitamin D receptor is associated with an increased breast cancer risk, shows study published in journal Breast Cancer Research. When a team of researchers led by Dr Song Yao and Dr Christine Ambrosone, from Roswell Park Cancer Institute, compared levels of vitamin D in the blood of women with or without breast cancer they found that severe vitamin D deficiency in African American women was almost six times more common than in European American women....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/vitamin-d-and-breast-cancer-risk-99727-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/vitamin-d-helps-the-critically-ill-99700-1.htm Vitamin D improves the well being of patients in the intensive care, say experts. In a six-month study, Amital and his colleagues found that patients with vitamin D deficiency lived an average of 8.9 days less than those who were found to have sufficient vitamin D. Vitamin D levels also co-related with the level of white blood cells which fight disease. The study demonstrated that further research will only validate the efficacy of vitamin D in improving the patient's survival outcomes, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/vitamin-d-helps-the-critically-ill-99700-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/link-between-osteoporosis-drugs-and-risk-of-eye-disease-99644-1.htm Drugs that are used to prevent osteoporosis may boost the risk of eye disease, reveals article in CMAJ. Oral bisphosphonates, the most commonly prescribed class of drugs used to prevent osteoporosis, have been linked to adverse events such as unusual fractures, irregular heartbeat, and esophageal and colon cancer. Some case reports have shown an association between these drugs and anterior uveitis and scleritis, inflammatory eye diseases that can seriously affect vision. Researchers ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/link-between-osteoporosis-drugs-and-risk-of-eye-disease-99644-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/lowered-levels-of-ki67-in-prostate-cancer-cells-supplemented-by-oral-vitamin-d-99614-1.htm Increased levels of calcitriol in prostate tissue observed through elevated oral doses of plain vitamin D. Higher prostate levels of calcitriol, a hormone made from vitamin D, corresponded with lower levels of the proliferation marker Ki67 and increased levels of cancer growth-inhibitory microRNAs in prostate cancer cells, according to data presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2012, held here March 31 - April 4. The results not only point to the mechanisms by which vitamin D affects the rate ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/lowered-levels-of-ki67-in-prostate-cancer-cells-supplemented-by-oral-vitamin-d-99614-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/taking-oral-glucocorticoids-for-3-months-or-longer-can-cause-osteoporosis-99427-1.htm Glucocorticoids are prescribed to millions of people around the world for a wide variety of inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and inflammatory bowel diseases. Although they are effective and widely used, one of the potentially serious side effects of these medications is glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a serious condition in which bones become thinner and more fragile, making them more likely to break (fracture). Glucocorticoids can cause rapid ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/taking-oral-glucocorticoids-for-3-months-or-longer-can-cause-osteoporosis-99427-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/spending-few-minutes-in-sun-may-help-top-up-vitamin-d-levels-99383-1.htm A British charity organization has recommended that people should spend at least a few minutes every day in the sun in order to top up their vitamin D levels as it reduces the risk of bone loss and rickets in children. Recent figures have revealed that nearly a quarter of the population in Britain has low vitamin D levels, raising the risk of muscle problems and bone loss in adults and rickets in children. While doctors do recommend supplements for those who have low levels of vitamin D, Arthritis ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/spending-few-minutes-in-sun-may-help-top-up-vitamin-d-levels-99383-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-method-holds-promise-for-accurate-assessment-of-osteoporosis-98634-1.htm An ultrasound technique that use laser beams for a rapid and accurate assessment of osteoporosis has been developed by a team led by Professor Jussi Timonen. The research is part of the Photonics and Modern Imaging Techniques Research Programme of the Academy of Finland and involves input by researchers from the Universities of Jyvaskyla, Helsinki and Oulu. There is an evident need for new measuring methods, since fractures caused by osteoporosis signify a considerable public health problem, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-method-holds-promise-for-accurate-assessment-of-osteoporosis-98634-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/vitamin-d-deficiency-connected-to-higher-mortality-among-female-nursing-home-residents-98559-1.htm The majority of institutionalized elderly female patients are vitamin D deficient and there is an inverse association of vitamin D deficiency and mortality, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's IJournal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism/I (JCEM). Recommendations for dietary vitamin D intake in the elderly are higher than any other age group because vitamin D deficiency is extraordinarily prevalent in this population and is considered a causal risk factor for skeletal diseases....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/vitamin-d-deficiency-connected-to-higher-mortality-among-female-nursing-home-residents-98559-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/alzheimers-disease-may-be-treated-by-vitamin-d-98557-1.htm The intracellular mechanisms regulated by vitamin D3 that may help the body clear the brain of amyloid beta have been identified by scientists. The latter is the main component of plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease. The findings revealed that vitamin D3 may activate key genes and cellular signalling networks to help stimulate the immune system to clear the amyloid-beta protein. Previous laboratory work by the team demonstrated that specific types of immune cells in Alzheimer's patients ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/alzheimers-disease-may-be-treated-by-vitamin-d-98557-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/frequent-bone-density-testing-for-women-at-osteoporosis-risk-urged-98313-1.htm Experts have stressed the need for frequent bone density testing for women, who are more at risk of osteoporosis, urging them to avoid lengthy intervals between the tests. Although a recent study suggests that women with normal results on dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans at ages 67 and older may wait up to 15 years for a second test, a Viewpoint article published today in the IJournal of Bone and Mineral Research/I (JBMR) cautions that such a lengthy interval is inappropriate for many adults....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/frequent-bone-density-testing-for-women-at-osteoporosis-risk-urged-98313-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/adherence-to-osteoporosis-medication-regimen-not-improved-by-use-of-telephone-intervention-98212-1.htm A report published Online First by IArchives of Internal Medicine,/I one of the JAMA/Archives journals, says that telephone motivational counseling sessions did not result in significant improvement in adherence to an osteoporosis medication regimen. Osteoporosis and osteopenia are associated with more than 2 million fractures every year in the United States at an estimated cost of (Dollor) 19 billion. Improving adherence to osteoporosis drug regimens is a public health priority because these medications ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/adherence-to-osteoporosis-medication-regimen-not-improved-by-use-of-telephone-intervention-98212-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/osteoporosis-drug-could-help-combat-malaria-98110-1.htm A chemically altered bone drug could play a key role in fighting malaria, claims study. Unlike similar compounds tested against other parasitic protozoa, the drug readily crosses into the red blood cells of malaria-infected mice and kills the malaria parasite. The drug works at very low concentrations with no observed toxicity to the mouse. The researchers found the drug by screening a library of about 1,000 compounds used in previous efforts to target an important biochemical pathway ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/osteoporosis-drug-could-help-combat-malaria-98110-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/the-benefits-of-vitamin-d-in-reducing-inflammation-98093-1.htm Scientists have found the beneficial effects of Vitamin D in reducing inflammation. Scientists showed in their experiments that low levels of Vitamin D failed to inhibit the inflammatory cascade, while levels considered adequate did inhibit inflammatory signaling. "This study goes beyond previous associations of vitamin D with various health outcomes. It outlines a clear chain of cellular events, from the binding of DNA, through a specific signaling pathway, to the reduction of proteins ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/the-benefits-of-vitamin-d-in-reducing-inflammation-98093-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/lack-of-vitamin-d-during-pregnancy-tied-to-speech-problems-in-kids-97606-1.htm Researchers have found a link between vitamin D deficiency and speech problems in children. Women who suffer from Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy are twice at risk of giving birth to children who may face difficulties with speech. The study, the largest of its kind, looked at Vitamin D concentrations during the pregnancies of more than 740 women, whose children were followed up regularly until 17 years. Andrew Whitehouse, associate professor at the Telethon Institute for Child ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/lack-of-vitamin-d-during-pregnancy-tied-to-speech-problems-in-kids-97606-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/vitamin-d-does-not-reduce-cardiovascular-abnormalities-in-kidney-disease-patients-97545-1.htm Researchers have found that almost a year's treatment with a vitamin D compound did not alleviate key structural and functional cardiovascular abnormalities in patients with kidney disease and heart enlargement. In a paper in the February 15 iJournal of the American Medical Association/i, an international research team reports that daily doses of a vitamin D compound did not reduce enlargement or improve impaired functioning of the heart's main pumping chamber. "Several studies have ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/vitamin-d-does-not-reduce-cardiovascular-abnormalities-in-kidney-disease-patients-97545-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/risk-of-osteoporosis-can-be-reduced-by-exercise-in-early-20s-97498-1.htm New research indicates that physical exercise in the early twenties improves bone development and may reduce the risk of fractures later in life. The study involved more than 800 Swedish men and was carried out at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. The strength of our bones is determined early in life. The more bone mass we put on when young, the smaller the risk of fractures as we grow older. Previous research has shown that exercise before and during puberty is particularly important for bone development....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/risk-of-osteoporosis-can-be-reduced-by-exercise-in-early-20s-97498-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/trauma-patients-generally-have-vitamin-d-deficiency-97316-1.htm About 77 percent of trauma patients had deficient or insufficient levels of vitamin D, new research presented at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) has found. Researchers have linked a lack of vitamin D with muscle weakness, bone fractures, and the inability of bones to fully heal. In a new study, investigators sought to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among orthopaedic trauma patients. Investigators reviewed the medical records ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/trauma-patients-generally-have-vitamin-d-deficiency-97316-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/low-vitamin-d-boosts-wrist-fracture-risk-97263-1.htm Among post menopausal women low levels of vitamin D ups the risk of wrist fractures, also called distal radius fractures (DRF), shows study. Medical records of 104 post menopausal women treated for a DRF, and 107 age-matched control patients with soft tissue disease, were reviewed. Mean vitamin D levels were "significantly" lower in the DRF group of patients. Specifically, 26 percent of the DRF patients were vitamin D insufficient (having vitamin D serum levels between 20 and 32 ng/ml), ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/low-vitamin-d-boosts-wrist-fracture-risk-97263-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/osteoporosis-may-increase-risk-of-heart-failure-97045-1.htm Osteoporosis, or thinning of bones, could increase the risk of heart attacks, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Alberta in Canada. Osteoporosis is commonly found in the elderly and is caused by the reduction of bone mineral density. The researchers observed more than 45,500 adults who had undergone bone mineral density testing and followed up after 10 years. They found that over 1,841 people had suffered from heart failure in recent years, leading the researchers to ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/osteoporosis-may-increase-risk-of-heart-failure-97045-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/vitamin-d-deficiency-can-cause-infertility-97028-1.htm Vitamin D plays a role in human fertility. Deficiency of vitamin D can cause infertility among women and men.Austrian physicians Barbara Obermayer-Pietsch and Elisabeth Lerchbaum found that low levels of vitamin D often lead to too much testosterone, which therefore could increase the risk of infertility among women. Also, when men are given extra vitamin D they produce more testosterone subsequently affecting the semen quality.Researchers said, "It may not be that controlling vitamin D is the ultimate ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/vitamin-d-deficiency-can-cause-infertility-97028-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/elderly-patients-in-germany-suffer-from-vitamin-d-deficiency-97024-1.htm Most of the elderly patients in German rehabilitation hospital were found to be suffering from vitamin D deficiency. Stefan Schilling presents his study results in this week's issue of iDeutsches Arzteblatt International/i (iDtsch Arztebl Int /i2012; 109[3]: 33-8). In order to establish the vitamin D status in geriatric patients in Germany, the researchers measured 25-OH vitamin D in 1578 patients in the geriatric rehabilitation hospital in Trier after they had been examined on admission....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/elderly-patients-in-germany-suffer-from-vitamin-d-deficiency-97024-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/how-often-should-testing-for-osteoporosis-be-done-96837-1.htm bA postmenopausal woman with a normal bone mineral density scan or mild osteopenia may require a repeat scan only after 15 years. However, the interval between testing should be more frequent in case of moderate to advanced osteopenia. These were the suggestions of a recent study/b. Osteoporosis or thinning of the bone often affects postmenopausal women and predisposes them to fractures. The condition progresses from a milder condition called osteopenia to osteoporosis. Osteopenia ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/how-often-should-testing-for-osteoporosis-be-done-96837-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/role-of-vitamin-d-in-postmenopausal-women-96696-1.htm Vitamin D deficiency is common and may affect up to 70% of Europeans. The deficiency is a public health issue which could lead to many diseases, especially osteoporosis. The European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS) announced the position statement on the role of vitamin D in postmenopausal women with summary recommendations. EMAS has risen to the challenge of increasing awareness of vitamin D deficiency to women and health professionals. The position statement describes the implications ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/role-of-vitamin-d-in-postmenopausal-women-96696-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/one-fourth-of-brit-kids-suffer-from-vitamin-d-deficiency-96693-1.htm Around 25 percent of children in Britain is suffering from Vitamin D deficiency, making them prone to develop rickets, finds a study. The shocking finding is now a "major problem" according to consultant pediatrician Dr Benjamin Jacobs from the Royal National Orthopedic Hospital. His research revealed that 74 per cent of parents know nothing about guidelines advising that children under the age of five are given vitamin D supplements. More worryingly, more than half of healthcare professionals lack awareness....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/one-fourth-of-brit-kids-suffer-from-vitamin-d-deficiency-96693-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/vitamin-d-deficiency-may-wrongly-be-interpreted-as-abuse-96685-1.htm A significant number of babies who died due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome suffered from vitamin D deficiency, according to report by two senior pediatric pathologists in Britain. Dr Irene Scheimberg and Dr Marta Cohen suggested that vitamin D deficiency could also lead to injuries and deaths that may be viewed as suspicious and may cause children to be taken away from their parents on suspicions of child abuse. These findings were triggered by a case in 2009 when Dr Scheimberg found that congenital ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/vitamin-d-deficiency-may-wrongly-be-interpreted-as-abuse-96685-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/accurate-test-results-may-be-ensured-by-new-standard-for-vitamin-d-testing-96672-1.htm The development of a much-needed reference material to assure that measurements of vitamin D levels are accurate is being reported by scientists. This report is welcome as it is released at a time of increasing concern about low vitamin D levels in the world's population. The report appears in ACS' journal IAnalytical Chemistry/I. Karen Phinney and colleagues explain that medical research suggests vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency may be even more common than previously thought and a risk factor for more than just bone diseases....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/accurate-test-results-may-be-ensured-by-new-standard-for-vitamin-d-testing-96672-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Link-Between-Vitamin-D-Levels-and-Depression-96515-1.htm Exposure to sunlight can reduce the risk of mental problems among children, suggests study. According to scientists, kids with low levels of vitamin D are more likely to suffer from depression. Those with the highest levels of the '"sunshine vitamin" have a 10 per cent lower risk of developing the mental health problem. The findings come from the Children of the 90s research project run by the University of Bristol, the Daily Mail reported. The study looked at vitamin D levels ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Link-Between-Vitamin-D-Levels-and-Depression-96515-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Regular-Vitamin-D-Intake-may-Help-Prevent-Vision-Loss-96238-1.htm Increasing vitamin D intake could help people avoid age related illnesses, especially the loss of vision, a new study conducted by researchers at the Institute of Ophthalmology at University College London. Researchers conducted the experiment on a group of middle aged mice and found that increasing the intake of vitamin D reduced the levels of toxic protein that has been linked with a number of age related illnesses including loss of vision, Alzheimer's disease and heart diseases. Lead researcher ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Regular-Vitamin-D-Intake-may-Help-Prevent-Vision-Loss-96238-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/High-Doses-of-Vitamin-D-Do-Not-Reduce-COPD-Exacerbations-96211-1.htm High doses of vitamin D has no clear benefit for patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), reveals study. Vitamin D deficiency is present in 60 percent to 75 percent of patients with severe COPD. The researchers studied 182 patients with severe COPD to determine whether supplementation with high doses of vitamin D could reduce the incidence of COPD exacerbations. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either 100,000 IU of vitamin D or placebo every four weeks for one year....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/High-Doses-of-Vitamin-D-Do-Not-Reduce-COPD-Exacerbations-96211-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Low-Vitamin-D-Levels-Among-Europeans-95950-1.htm A recent report on vitamin D supplementation for menopausal women revealed that 70 percent of Europeans have suffered from low levels of vitamin D. In their opinion, the ideal would be to maintain blood levels above 30 ng/ml. Vitamin D is essential to the immune system and processes such as calcium absorption. "We believe that many diseases can be aggravated by a chronic deficiency of vitamin D," states Faustino R. Perez-Lopez, researcher at the University of Zaragoza. In particular, this ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Low-Vitamin-D-Levels-Among-Europeans-95950-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Low-Vitamin-D-Levels-and-Depression-Linked-95756-1.htm A strong link has been identified between low levels of vitamin D and depression. It is believed to be the largest such investigation ever undertaken. Low levels of vitamin D already are associated with a cavalcade of health woes from cardiovascular diseases to neurological ailments. This new study - published in iMayo Clinic Proceedings/i - helps clarify a debate that erupted after smaller studies produced conflicting results about the relationship between vitamin D and depression....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Low-Vitamin-D-Levels-and-Depression-Linked-95756-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Deer-Antlers-Offer-Clues-to-Root-Cause-of-Osteoporosis-95669-1.htm The study of deer antlers inspires a novel theory on osteoporosis. The hypothesis published this month in the iFrontiers of Bioscience/i journal still needs to be confirmed by the scientific community. Through the study of deer antlers, researchers of the Research Institute of Hunting Resources (IREC, joint centre UCLM-CSIC-JCCM) suggest that the origin of osteoporosis could not be directly linked to the lack of calcium but rather to the lack of a mineral essential to calcium absorption....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Deer-Antlers-Offer-Clues-to-Root-Cause-of-Osteoporosis-95669-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Vitamin-D-Fortified-Food-to-Reduce-Prevalence-of-Multiple-Sclerosis-in-Scotland-95287-1.htm International experts are calling for food in Scotland to be fortified with vitamin D, in an attempt to reduce the prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS).MS levels in Scotland are the highest in the world because for almost half a year people in Scotland do not get enough UVB rays from the sun on their skin to make adequate amounts of vitamin D in the body. Vitamin D deficiency is a contributing factor for MS.Professor George Ebers of the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences at Oxford University ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Vitamin-D-Fortified-Food-to-Reduce-Prevalence-of-Multiple-Sclerosis-in-Scotland-95287-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Vitamin-D-is-a-Must-in-Pregnancy-94820-1.htm All pregnant and breastfeeding women must take vitamin D, a coroner in London has urged. Coroner Andrew Walker wrote a letter to Health Secretary Andrew Lansley after he held an inquest last week into the death of a three-month-old boy. In his letter, Walker said that the boy, Milind Agarwal, was taken to the doctor in July with symptoms of a probable viral infection. He was sent home with saline nasal drops. A later telephone consultation with another doctor led to his parents being advised to give him paracetamol....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Vitamin-D-is-a-Must-in-Pregnancy-94820-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Vitamin-D-Deficiency-Ups-Risk-of-Urinary-Incontinence-94628-1.htm Women suffering from vitamin D deficiency are at an increased risk of urinary incontinence, reveals a new study. The study compared vitamin D levels with incidence of various forms of pelvic floor disorder among 1,881 women, with an average age of 48. Those with low levels of vitamin D (characterized as less than 30 nanograms per milliliter, or ng/ml) had a 170 percent increased risk of urinary incontinence, compared to those with higher blood levels. This is because as a hormone, vitamin ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Vitamin-D-Deficiency-Ups-Risk-of-Urinary-Incontinence-94628-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Link-Between-Low-Vitamin-D-Levels-and-Diabetes-Risk-94379-1.htm Low vitamin D levels raise type 2 diabetes risk in obese kids, shows study published in The Endocrine Society's IJournal of Clinical Endocrinology (and) Metabolism (JCEM)/I. High rates of vitamin D deficiency have been found in obese populations and past studies have linked low vitamin D levels to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The mechanisms by which obesity and its comorbidities are related to vitamin D deficiency are not fully known. This new study examined associations ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Link-Between-Low-Vitamin-D-Levels-and-Diabetes-Risk-94379-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Excessive-Amounts-of-Vitamin-D-Linked-to-Start-of-Atrial-Fibrillation-Study-93576-1.htm Unreasonable amount of vitamin D could lead the onset of atrial fibrillation, a dangerous heart condition, states a new research at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute. Former studies have linked Vitamin D deficiency to amplified threats of cardiovascular disease. Researchers at Intermountain Medical Center, the flagship facility for the Intermountain Healthcare system, studied more than 132,000 patients and found the risk of developing atrial fibrillation was two and a half times ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Excessive-Amounts-of-Vitamin-D-Linked-to-Start-of-Atrial-Fibrillation-Study-93576-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Low-Vitamin-D-Levels-Linked-to-Spinal-Cord-Disease-93451-1.htm In a recent study it was found that vitamin D levels are significantly lower in patients with recurrent inflammatory spinal cord disease, shows study published Online First by IArchives of Neurology/I. Vitamin D is a steroid vitamin that promotes the intestinal absorption and metabolism of calcium and phosphorus. In recent years, low levels of vitamin D have been linked to a variety of autoimmune conditions, including multiple sclerosis (MS, a disease of the central nervous system marked ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Low-Vitamin-D-Levels-Linked-to-Spinal-Cord-Disease-93451-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Vitamin-D-and-Lupus-93053-1.htm The effects of vitamin D on the immune system of people with lupus has been examined in a new study for the first time. This study was reported this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Chicago. Systemic lupus erythematosus, also called SLE or lupus, is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect the skin, joints, kidneys, lungs, nervous system, and/or other organs of the body. The most common symptoms include skin rashes and arthritis, often accompanied by fatigue and fever....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Vitamin-D-and-Lupus-93053-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/No-Link-Between-Low-Levels-of-Vitamin-D-and-Risk-of-Chronic-Obstructive-Pulmonary-Disease-92991-1.htm A new study failed to establish any link between low levels of vitamin D and acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) in patients with severe COPD. Previously it was thought that low vitamin D levels might increase the risk of AECOPDs, as vitamin D deficiency is common in patients with COPD and patients with severe COPD are at an increased risk of exacerbations. The large prospective cohort study involved 973 North American patients. Scientists were studying the ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/No-Link-Between-Low-Levels-of-Vitamin-D-and-Risk-of-Chronic-Obstructive-Pulmonary-Disease-92991-1.htm