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Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Gestational Diabetes

by Paula Gallagher | April 12, 2011

It has been a while since we have had some information on one of our most popular topics, vitamin D, the “sunshine vitamin.” A new study out of Australia has shown that there is a connection between low vitamin D levels and gestational diabetes. Vitamin D is one of the important vitamins during pregnancy; researchers recommend that a pregnant woman should regularly get tested for vitamin D deficiency.

The study involved 147 women at Westmead Hospital’s gestational diabetes clinic. More than 40% of the women had lower than average vitamin D levels at the start of the study. The research was led by Dr. Sue Lynn Lau and Dr. Jenny Gunton from Sydney’s Garvan Institute of Medical Research, with Dr. Neil Athayde and Professor Wah Cheung from Westmead Hospital. The researchers noticed that the women with the worst blood sugar control were also those with the lowest vitamin D levels. The findings are published in the latest issue of the Medical Journal of Australia.

Gestational diabetes carries a whole list of complications including premature labor and birth, blindness, increased risk of both mother and baby developing type 1 or 2 diabetes within 10 years, and a very large birth weight baby (over 12 pounds). Low vitamin D levels can also cause the newborn to have weak bones, which can be broken more easily by a fall during childhood and adulthood.

If you are pregnant or are thinking of becoming pregnant, talk to your doctor about supplementing with vitamin D3.  I am 32 weeks pregnant and I take 2000IU per day.  It is also something you would want to continue after your baby is born.  If you choose to nurse, you will also need to give your infant vitamin D, as well.

Tags: diabetes, osteoporosis, pregnancy, premature birth, vitamin D3
Posted in Health Concerns, Nutritional Supplements |
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New Guideline for Vitamin D Intake: Is It Enough?

by Paula Gallagher | January 7, 2011

An increase in the recommended dietary allowance of vitamin D has been called for in new guidelines issued by the Institute of Medicine.

The new recommendations call for 600 international units (IU) daily, with 800 IU recommended for the elderly. The researchers note, however, that most Americans receive the necessary amount of vitamin D already and that taking more is not necessarily better. These researchers believe that taking more than this has no extra benefit on bones. However, there have been countless studies showing the benefits of vitamin D for decreasing cancer risk and improving the immune system.

Here is Dr. Jerry Teplitz’s view on the new guidelines. While a committee of the National Institute of Standards and Technology reviewed the research on vitamin D and recommended increasing the amount of vitamin D from 400 IU per day to 600 IU per day, there are still questions about how they reached that decision and whether the dose increase is high enough.

Well, it turns out the members of this committee did not include any of the top researchers on vitamin D. This means that those with the most expertise on the subject were not involved in the decision-making process. (more…)

Tags: bone loss, cancer, osteoporosis, vitamin D3
Posted in Health Concerns, Nutritional Supplements |
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S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

by Paula Gallagher | December 6, 2010

If you typically feel the winter blahs or the February blues, then you might be experiencing SAD, or seasonal affective disorder. SAD is a type of depression that affects people in the winter months because of  the darkness from shorter days and grayer skies. It is more common in women than men and in the north than the south.

Symptoms of SAD can be low energy, anxiety attacks, weight gain, sleeping too much, and decreased libido, all of which typically begin in the late fall and alleviate in the spring. But here is the good news. People with SAD often respond very well to light therapy (phototherapy) and vitamin D supplementation as well as other forms of natural medicine. Be sure to talk to your doctor about symptoms you are experiencing, for a proper diagnosis.

Start taking a vitamin D supplement now. Even better, have your levels assessed at your doctor’s office using a simple blood test known as serum 25OHD. Vitamin D3 is now known to be useful for not only bone health, but also immune system health, inflammation, against all forms of cancer, and of course mood.

People with SAD have higher levels of melatonin, the brain chemical that induces sleep. Light therapy is helpful for SAD because full spectrum lighting regulates the production of melatonin. Melatonin regulates daily patterns. Full spectrum light bulbs and light boxes are available. (more…)

Tags: depression, SAD, seasonal affective disorder, vitamin D3
Posted in Health Concerns |
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“D” Public Service Announcement

by Carmen Ugas | October 6, 2010

Are you getting enough Vitamin D3? Have you checked your level? This is done with a simple blood test called 25(OH)D, however, this test is not part of routine exams so you specifically have to ask your doctor for it. Keep in mind that you want your level to be somewhere between 50 and 70, and that if you are at 30 or below, you are seriously deficient and should consider taking an extra high dose for a few weeks. I went through this myself and coach my clients on how to do it, as well.

For some of us, winter is around the corner and we want to be prepared in order to avoid toxic flu shots. But the truth is, no matter where we live, having sufficient stores of vitamin D is something we must always be in control of. Amongst other benefits, this important vitamin builds up our immune system and gives us an overall sense of well-being.

The research being done on vitamin D within the past 5 years is yielding more and more results with regard to its benefits. Unfortunately, more often than not, doctors are not up-to- date with the new information and continue to make recommendations as low as 400IU to 1000IU per day. (more…)

Tags: vitamin D3, vitamin deficiency
Posted in Nutritional Supplements |
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Saving Big Bucks With Vitamin D3

by Paula Gallagher | September 30, 2010

By now, I hope that we have conveyed how important vitamin D is for our overall health. However, according to  a report published in the March 4 issue of Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology, if Northern Europeans were to have adequate vitamin D3 levels, there would be a 17.7% decrease in direct and indirect healthcare costs, saving hundreds of billions of dollars/Euros per year.

The report estimates vitamin D3 supplementation would reduce the incidence of type 1 childhood diabetes by a relative 78%; hip fractures by 26%; all cancer among postmenopausal women by 35%; seasonal flu and common cold incidence by 90%; and overall mortality by 7%. Other studies show mortality rates would be reduced by 10-20%, increasing life expectancy by about 2-3 years.

But it isn’t just Northern Europeans who are deficient in vitamin D3. Americans are also at great risk of vitamin D deficiency. The fear of skin cancer and lack of dietary sources are a couple of reasons that deficiencies are becoming commonplace. This same report states that for every dollar spent on vitamin D supplementation, $20 healthcare dollars would be saved. For more information about how supplementation could save big money, read The Missing Link-In Healthcare Reform.

The previous information was obtained from Bill Sardi’s article A Decade Of Vitamin D Supplementation Would Save $4.4 Trillion Over A Decade; Would Save $1346 Per Person Per Annum.

Tags: healthcare, vitamin D3
Posted in Nutritional Supplements |
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