Healthy living
Medicines and supplements
Vitamin D supplements may boost life expectancy
Taking vitamin D supplements may help to prolong your life, according a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine
Researchers looked at 18 different studies involving over 57,000 people. What they found was that those who took vitamin D supplements everyday were significantly less likely to die over a six-year period than those who did not take the supplement.
Previous research has shown that people who don't get enough vitamin D are more prone to a number of diseases including heart disease, cancer, diabetes and osteoporosis. This latest study goes beyond that suggesting that taking vitamin D supplements may reduce the risk of dying from any cause.
‘Intake of ordinary doses of vitamin D supplements seems to be associated with decreases in total mortality rates,’ said the authors, Philippe Autier of the International Agency for Cancer Research in France and Sara Gandini of the European Institute of Oncology in Milan.
The team found that over a six-year period, subjects who took a vitamin D supplement were seven per cent less likely to die than those who shunned the vitamin. Although they were unable to pinpoint the exact cause of these extra health benefits, they think that vitamin D may boost the immune system and prevent the spread of cancerous cells.
Most of our vitamin D comes from sunshine, so even a healthy and well balanced diet is unlikely to provide enough. Vitamin D is made under the skin when you expose yourself to the sunlight. This is why it is sometimes known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’.
Vitamin D has a number of important functions. It helps regulate the amount of calcium in the body and is essential for maintaining healthy bones. It is also thought to protect against heart disease and multiple sclerosis, and have anti-cancer properties.
There are very few foods that contain vitamin D naturally. It can be found in reasonable quantities in oily fish such as salmon, sardines and trout. Cod liver oil is another rich source and there are small amounts in eggs and meat.
Some foods like breakfast cereals, margarine and milk have vitamin D added.
The Foods Standards Agency does not recommend a specific daily dose of vitamin D unless you are elderly, pregnant, of Asian origin, get little sun exposure or eat no meat or oily fish, please check their website for specific recommendations. It is important not to take too much as this could have harmful effects, including damaging the bones.
‘There is a new focus on vitamin D for many other health conditions other than bone health. This study supports the use of supplements in older people but it is important to stick to the recommended dose on the label,’ said Ursula Arens, spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association.
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Information on this site is for interest only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult your own doctor about any specific health concerns.
