| A woman who is lacking vitamin D before she enters | | | | "This is preliminary data so we can't say with |
| menopause may have a higher risk of developing high | | | | certainty that low vitamin D levels are directly linked |
| blood pressure in her later years according to new | | | | to high blood pressure," points out Fiojaune C. Griffin, |
| research presented at the American Heart | | | | MPH who is a doctoral candidate in epidemiology at |
| Association's 63rd High Blood Pressure Research | | | | the University of Michigan. "But this may be another |
| Conference in Chicago. Only recently have | | | | example of how what you do early in life impacts |
| researchers come to recognize that supplementing | | | | your health years later." |
| deficiencies of this vital nutrient may reduce high | | | | You can get vitamin D naturally by being out in the |
| blood pressure. | | | | sun as well as trying to eat more vitamin D rich |
| This current work found vitamin D deficiency before | | | | foods. Still getting enough of this vitamin from foods |
| 45 was linked with a threefold-increased risk of | | | | isn't easy, and is the reason supplements have |
| hypertension at midlife. | | | | become so popular. |
| Vitamin D is the fat soluble nutrient found in oily fish, | | | | Most multivitamins you'll find contain 400 international |
| eggs and vitamin fortified foods like milk, cereals and | | | | units (IU) of the vitamin, but current thinking |
| drinks that we need for strong bones as it helps the | | | | suggests that the real dosage should be far higher, |
| body use the calcium in foods. | | | | maybe as much as ten times higher. The upper limit |
| Once deficiencies in this vitamin were associated with | | | | for vitamin D intake according to the Institute of |
| the bone disease rickets, today's research is showing | | | | Medicine's current standards is 2,000 IUs a day. |
| that having enough of this nutrient is important in | | | | Study co-author and University of Michigan professor |
| protecting you against a variety of health problems. | | | | of epidemiology Mary Fran Sowers, Ph.D. is |
| Not getting enough vitamin D leaves you with lower | | | | suggesting that perhaps the public health message |
| bone mineral density, as well as upping your risk for | | | | about protection from the sun might need to be |
| certain cancers (colon, breast ovarian), arthritis, | | | | modified. Sunscreens of SPF 15 block virtually all |
| diabetes, dementia, infections, multiple sclerosis, | | | | vitamin D synthesis by the skin. If you're older, or a |
| possibly even tuberculosis. | | | | bit overweight or obese, your body is also naturally |
| Estimates by a University of Colorado Denver School | | | | less efficient at making vitamin D from sunlight. |
| of Medicine team suggest that 3 out of every 4 | | | | Exposure during off peak hours, for just ten minutes, |
| Americans has vitamin D levels below what is | | | | is an easy, totally natural way to get the vitamin D |
| believed necessary for optimal health. A lack of | | | | your body needs. "We have recognized for a long |
| exposure to natural sunlight, as well as poor eating | | | | time that it takes very limited sun exposure to get |
| habits are likely to blame for the numbers. | | | | adequate vitamin D," Sowers explains. |
| In this latest work, researchers looked at data from | | | | While there's no general agreement about the right |
| the Michigan Bone Health and Metabolism Study that | | | | amounts of vitamin D, the current Institute of |
| followed 559 Caucasian women in their late 20s, 30s | | | | Medicine recommended intake are currently (and |
| and early 40s for a total of 15 years, beginning back | | | | rightfully according to many experts) under review. |
| in 1992. | | | | New recommendations are due by May 2010. |
| The subject's vitamin D levels were measured in 1993 | | | | If you're a younger woman who wants to reduce |
| soon after the women entered the study, and their | | | | high blood pressure, as well as many other health |
| blood pressure readings were taken each year. At | | | | problems, your best bet is to do what you can to |
| the end of the trial, when the average age of the | | | | keep your vitamin D levels up and keep your eye out |
| participants was 53, about 1 in 4 had been diagnosed | | | | for ongoing research. |
| with high blood pressure. | | | | |