04th Oct 2011
Could more vitamin D increase your lifespan?
Filed under: Product Information,Research
Vitamin D-sensitive diseases causes more than half of global deaths. Based on existing research, researcher WB Grant estimated that by doubling the blood levels of vitamin D, the total life span could be increased by an average of 2 years, making Vitamin D supplementation the most cost-effective method to reduce global mortality.
Research on vitamin D has virtually exploded over the past decade. Now vitamin D is no longer just about the regulation of calcium in the body, but about many different areas, with nearly every cell in the body having a vitamin D receptor.
Human and economic benefits
The types of disease that are susceptible to the body’s vitamin D levels are cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory infections, tuberculosis and diabetes. Additionally Alzheimer’s disease, falls, meningitis, Parkinson’s disease, maternal sepsis, maternal hypertension and multiple sclerosis account for a further 2-3 percent of global deaths. A doubling of blood vitamin D content of 54 to 110 nmol / l is estimated to reduce mortality by approx. 20%. Also society’s economic burden from these diseases is estimated to be reduced by approx. 10%!
The value 54 nmol / l which is used in this study is an average value calculated on the basis of a meta-analysis of vitamin D content in the blood of people worldwide.
The reduction in all-cause mortality rates range from 7.6% for African females to 17.3% for European females. Reductions for males average 0.6% lower than for females. The estimated increase in life expectancy is 2 years for all regions.
Researchers are generally cautious in their recommendations and usually complete their articles to recommend more research before they dare to recommend their findings put into practice. In this case, Dr. Grant believes that such reservations are unnecessary and will only delay the acceptance of such approach. The reason is that vitamin D is not medicine but a natural, inexpensive product necessary for optimal health.
There have been studies concluding that vitamin D only benefits the bones and that blood levels at 50 nmol / l is sufficient. These studies have however been severely criticized for being inadequate.
2-3 ordinary Bio-Vitamin D3 D-Pearls a day
Dr. Grant mentions several possible methods for raising blood levels of vitamin D. There is food fortification, but this has to be adapted to individual communities. You can also encourage people to get more sunlight on their skin, possibly from tanning beds, and finally vitamin D in the form of supplements can be made more accessible. (In practice, it only requires e.g. 2-3 capsules of 20 ug Bio-Vitamin D3 D-Pearls a day. Ed. Note).
Ref.
Grant WB. An estimate of the global reduction in mortality rates through doubling vitamin D levels. Eur J Clin Nutr 2011. E-pub. ahead of print.
About Bio-Vitamin D3 800IU D-Pearls
Pharma Nord produces Bio-Vitamin D3 D-Pearls which are 800IU (20mcg) vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) dissolved in cold pressed olive oil to improve absorption. Bio-Vitamin D3 800IU D-Pearls come in hygienic blister packs and are manufactured to strict Danish pharmaceutical standards.