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HowToPreventHeartDisease.com |
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What Amount of Vitamin-D Can Help Prevent Heart Disease? Besides keeping bones strong, there are potential benefits about Vitamin-D that include prevention of heart disease, diabetes and certain risk of cancer, as shown from previous research. But the evidence obtained so far is not conclusive and there is no agreement on the amount of Vitamin-D needed for disease prevention. A recent study by the American Academy of Pediatrics suggested that millions of children should be taking at least 400 units of Vitamin-D supplements on a daily basis. This should include breastfed infants, even those who get some formula, and many teens that drink little or no milk. The recommendations were released on October 13, 2008 at an academy conference in Boston, and were published in the November issue of the academy’s journal, “Pediatrics”. It is known that baby formula does contain Vitamin-D, so infants on formula only generally do not require taking supplements. However, based on the new recommendation by the academy that breastfeeding for at least the first year of life, it is obviously that breast milk is sometimes insufficient. Most commercially available milk does contain Vitamin-D, but most children and teenagers just do not drink enough, at least 4 cups, the daily recommended amount.
In fact, recent studies have also shown that as many children do not get enough Vitamin-D, cases of rickets, a bone disorder often associated with malnourishment in the 1800s, continue to occur. The amount, suggested in the existing guidelines by government, for children and adults up to the age of 50 is 200 units, which is the same as a 2003 academy recommendation. For adults aged 51 to 70 and those aged more than 70, the recommended amount is 400 and 600 units respectively. Vitamin-D is sold in many forms: drops (for young children), capsules and tablets. Vitamin-D is not only available in milk and other fortified foods like cereal, but also found in oily fish such as tuna, mackerel and sardines. While it is rather difficult to obtain sufficiently through diet, the best way to get Vitamin-D is through sunlight because human body makes Vitamin-D when sunshine hits the skin. For normal people, exposing 10 to 15 minutes in the sun without sunscreen for a few times a week can secure enough Vitamin-D. People with dark skin and those in northern, less sunny climates will be required to expose in the sunlight for a longer period of time. But as sunlight is closely linked with skin cancer, it is necessary for people to have Vitamin-D supplements during infancy, childhood and adolescence. Some experts felt that studies that suggesting Vitamin-D may prevent heart disease and other medical disorders have been purely observational without the support of rigorous medical evidences. Yet, many doctors do find the new research compelling and many of them have in fact already started to recommend their patients routine Vitamin-D testing. In the meantime, there are also experts that find the new recommendations safe and conservative and believe that 400 units may not even be sufficient. To these experts, consuming between 800 and 1,000 units on a daily basis would be more effective to help fight diseases. Meanwhile, the Institute of Medicine, a government advisory group that sets dietary standards, is discussing with federal agencies whether the existing recommendations should be changed based on the new research.
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