Children whose mothers are deficient in vitamin D during pregnancy may grow up with lower-than-normal bone mass, putting them at risk of osteoporosis-related fractures later in life, a study suggests.
Vitamin D – known to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus – may also help in reducing cancer risk, a new study has found.
When used generously and appropriately, sunscreen products and sun avoidance help reduce the severity of many aging skin disorders, including squamous cell cancers. There are certain concerns, however.
Too much cholesterol (ko-LES-ter-ol) in the blood, or high blood cholesterol, can be serious. People with high blood cholesterol have a greater chance of getting heart disease. High blood cholesterol itself does not cause symptoms, so many people are unaware that their cholesterol level is too high.
Vitamin D deficiency is nearly universal in cases of hip fractures, researchers in Scotland reported online in Current Medical Research and Opinion.
Postmenopausal women who have survived early breast cancer face a higher than average risk of osteoporosis, according to a report by Canadian researchers.
Health concerns about fat and cholesterol have prompted many people to become vegetarians, and the nutritional deficiencies that can sometimes result may reveal themselves during dental exams, reports the Academy of General Dentistry.
Based on data reviewed by a consensus conference convened by the American Academy of Dermatology Association (Academy) to examine the relationship between sunlight, tanning booths and vitamin D, renowned medical experts agreed that increasing exposure to either natural or artificial ultraviolet (UV) light should not be recommended as a supplemental source of vitamin D.
Osteoporosis is a disease of bone in which the amount of bone is decreased and the strength of trabecular bone is reduced, cortical bone becomes thin and bones are susceptible to fracture. It is defined according to the bone mineral density (BMD) as measured by DEXA: a BMD of 2.5 standard deviations below the peak bone mass (20 year old person standard) is considered osteoporosis. While treatment modalities are becoming available, prevention is still the most important way to reduce fracture.
Calcium and vitamin D supplements given to elderly, community-dwelling women at high risk of fracture does not appear to reduce their risk, according to the results of a new study published in the British Medical Journal.