Dec 10, 2013

Review of studies: Except for bone health, low Vitamin D doesn't cause disease

The National Library of Medicine's MEDLINE PLUS news line summarizes a large study reviewing the evidence on the link between Vitamin D status and disease.  The reviewers' conclusions:  the association between low vitamin D and all diseases EXCEPT BONE HEALTH means that low Vitamin D is a marker, not the cause of diseases.
Bone health is not nothing, as I found in my own experience.  The question I would ask is this:  If a disease (such as MS) lowers Vitamin D in some fashion (rather than the other way around), does the resulting low level of Vitamin D make for weak bones?  That is, shouldn't we be tested for our vitamin D status and treated for low D on the basis of bone health alone?  
One thing is clear:  all the Vitamin D hype in the past 10 years has brought forth a good deal of research on its value.  Because D supplements are not profitable to drug companies, such research must be sponsored by government or non-profit entities.  There is nothing like controversy to stimulate such research.

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