Sense of vitamin D pills not confirmed

Researchers question the benefits of vitamin D in the form of nutritional supplements

01/24/2014

Vitamin D plays an important role in the regulation of calcium levels in the blood and in bone formation. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with bone softening (osteomalacia), osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, the metabolic syndrome, and cancers, among others. That is why health experts advise, especially in winter, to take vitamin D as a nutritional supplement. However, New Zealand researchers are questioning the usefulness of vitamin D pills. Their study was hardly able to confirm the widely accepted positive effects of vitamin D supplements.

Need for vitamin D can usually be covered by natural sources
Normally, humans cover most of their vitamin D needs by exposure to the sun's rays. Precursors of the vitamin are formed by the body itself, but only the sunlight leads to the synthesis of vitamin D. In addition, vitamin D is contained in various foods such as oily fish, egg yolk and cheese. Since there is little sun in winter in our latitudes, health experts recommend supplementing the vitamin. There are numerous preparations available for this purpose. Vitamin D is said to reduce the risk of heart failure, broken bones and cancers.

Exactly these effects were investigated by New Zealand researchers led by Mark Bolland from the University of Auckland. Their conclusion: Vitamin D pills have only a small benefit. Accordingly, vitamin D deficiency is not the cause but rather the result of health problems, as the scientists in the journal „The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology "report.

Researchers analyzed 40 scientific trials to see if taking vitamin D supplements reduces the risk of certain diseases by at least 15 percent. As it turned out, only older people benefit from the preparations, and only with regard to the risk of bone fractures. „Our results suggest that vitamin D supplementation with or without calcium may reduce skeletal or non-skeletal effects by a maximum of 15 percent“, the researchers write. The prescription of vitamin D supplements, as currently complies with current practice, should therefore be reconsidered. About one in two adults in the US take vitamin D supplements, according to the researchers. A boom for which there are no sufficient arguments.

If you want to boost your body's own vitamin D production in the winter, you should spend some time outdoors each day, exposing your face and hands to natural light. Experts advise against solarium visits, since the UV radiation is very intense and increases the risk of skin cancer. (Ag)