Posts Tagged vitamin deficiency
Christmas Season Wearing You Down?
Posted by Maureen in Clinical Tests, Wellness on December 21, 2011
This is a busy time of year for many of us. Shopping, decorating, baking, hosting family or traveling to Grandma’s house can really be exhausting! Yes, it’s fun and yes, it’s expected of us to do our part and enjoy the season. I don’t know about you but I’m worn out and I’m just now coming into the home stretch with last minute activities. What are you doing to keep your spirits and your energy up? It’s easy to say “Take some time and give yourself a break,” but it’s easier said than done.
It may be the season for exhaustion, as well as cheer, but sometimes our bodies are trying to send a message. One supplement that could help, offered in many forms, has been called the newest energy booster. Used to lose weight, improve the health of your skin, reduce stress and give you an energy boost, the vitamin B12 could be the answer to your short term overload. Our body’s ability to get enough B12 through diet is limited. It is added to many cereals but is also found naturally in shellfish and meat such as liver and beef, and in dairy products including cheese and eggs. Injections have been found to be the most effective method for providing B12 in a usable form, although it is also available in pill and liquid. Vitamin B12 deficiency can be dangerous if extreme and warning signs are fatigue and muscle weakness. Your waning energy may not be caused by a deficiency but you could find some relief and much needed energy with B12 supplements.
Feeling run down makes the holidays more difficult, a time which some people already find depressing. Look into your options for improving how you face the season: get more rest, look into vitamin B12, and yes, try to take some time for yourself. As soon as I wrap one more gift, I’m off to take a bubble bath!
Written by www.labtestingnow.com
Maybe More Isn’t Better: New Information on Vitamin D
Posted by Maureen in Clinical Tests, Wellness on December 2, 2010
Have you started taking vitamin D supplements based on research that it is a cure-all? Studies indicated that if you didn’t get lots of it you would not only have weak bones and develop osteporosis but contract a host of other health problems including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, severe asthma, and an increased risk of cancer, specifically of the breast, colon, prostate and pancreas. Vitamin D deficiency has also been linked to Type 2 Diabetes and autoimmune diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis and Crohn’s disease. A new report released this week by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) states that there is not enough evidence to support this long list of illnesses.
The report, which reviewed over 1,000 previous studies, concludes that the only definitive benefit of calcium and vitamin D is bone health and that the new levels the IOM developed will provide enough of the nutrients to do that. The IOM indicated that although these health problems may be related and should be researched, the evidence that exists regarding the side effects of too much vitamin D doesn’t outweigh potential benefits. Just as studies in the past found that hormone replacement therapy caused serious negative side effects, the report “challenges the notion that ‘more is better’ “. The new RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) for vitamin D for adults 18-50 is 600 IU and for adults over 50 it is 800 IU. Levels in the blood are measured in nanograms per milileter and acceptable levels for most people are defined as 20ng and 30ng.
Recent studies touting the benefits of megadoses of vitamin D had claimed that adults should have levels over 30 nanograms per milileter to reap the full benefits of the vitamin. However, the upper limits listed in the RDI are not meant to be strived for or the amount that people really need. Large numbers of physicians began conducting vitamin D tests for patients as a matter of course along with other standard physical tests. Although it is important to know that you are getting enough vitamins and minerals, it is just as critical to know that you’re not getting too much of anything instead of pushing the upper limits!
Written by www.labtestingnow.com
An Anti-Aging Pill? Not Yet!
Posted by Maureen in Clinical Tests, Wellness on November 30, 2010
Do you think you know what you are supposed to do to live a long life? Stop smoking, eat less (a LOT less!), eat fruits and vegetables, exercise…but what if there was a drug you could take that would reverse the aging process and allow you to live longer? There isn’t yet, so don’t get too excited, but new research released this week is showing promise in reversing aging in mice. There are quite a few caveats, of course! The mice were genetically engineered to age quickly so that makes direct application to our natural causes of aging trickier. One major potential problem is that the drug could cause cancer. It looks like this could be a balancing act for researchers to figure out how to provide a benefit, longer life, without the tremendous drawback of cancer.
The research is based on telomeres, the small protective caps that are found at the end of chromosomes. Over time, through cell division and oxidative stress (exposure to actual stress and toxins in the environment), our telomeres shorten causing chromosomes to fray and stop replicating. Shortened telomeres is believed to be a natural sign of aging and is linked to many health problems including Alzheimer’s and increased risk of certain types of cancers. The estrogen-based drug used in the study turned on the mice’s dormant telomerase gene which increased the telomere lengths in the animals and their telomerase levels.
Don’t wait for the miracle pill, it will be quite a while before this is ready for prime time. In the meantime, do all the boring stuff you know you should and take antioxidants supplements including vitamins C, E, B12 and A (beta-carotene) which have been shown to increase your telomerase levels. A test is available that can measure your telomere lengths and a micronutrient test could also provide valuable information about your body’s ability to utilize antioxidants. Time to get off your butt! Eat right, exercise, keep busy in retirement, if you do retire, and take care of what you’ve got. They may not figure this out in time to reverse your aging so take care of it yourself!
Written by www.labtestingnow.com
New Research Finds a Link Between Calcium Supplements and Heart Attack
Posted by Maureen in Clinical Tests, Wellness on July 30, 2010
A recent study which rolled up the results of other previously conducted trials has led researchers to conclude that the use of calcium supplements to prevent and treat osteoporosis may need to be reassessed. The research, published online in the BMJ, noted that people taking calcium supplements had between 27 and 31 percent highter risk of heart attack than study subjects taking a placebo. The author of the study, Dr Ian Reid, a professor of Medicine at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, said that “Calcium supplements (without coadministered vitamin D) are associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction.” When taken with vitamin D or when the calcium is taken in through foods and naturally occuring sources there doesn’t appear to be an increased risk.
Getting enough vitamin D is critical to your overall health for many reasons and looks now that it is even more so if you are taking calcium supplements. Monitoring your nutrient levels and tracking your risk for a cardiac event may help you to determine whether you should discontinue taking calcium supplements. Dr. Reid indicated that although more research is needed, the medical community may want to reconsider it’s recommendations to older people to take supplements to prevent the bone loss caused by osteoporosis. As always, take a look at your specific medical needs and consult your doctor to discuss next steps in light of these findings. Having tests done before you see your doctor can prepare you for a conversation about your calcium needs.
Written by www.labtestingnow.com
Genes Play a Role in Vitamin D Deficiency
Posted by Maureen in Clinical Tests, Wellness on July 7, 2010
Researchers believe that as many as half of all adults are deficient in this critical vitamin and the lack of sufficient vitamin D may increase some types of cancer, the risk of diabetes and poor skeletomuscular health. A study conducted by a consortium of doctors and printed in The Lancet identifies 4 genes that may play a role in a person’s susceptability to vitamin D deficiency. The new research may provide insight into why supplements may be not be effective in some people but further study is needed to explore this issue. The genes involved include those that control cholesterol and the management and movement of vitamin D in the body. The more genes affected, the higher the risk of vitamin D deficiency.
Because of the many diseases and disorders caused by a lack of vitamin D, it is important to know whether you are getting enough vitamin D in your diet and whether your body is maintaining an appropriate level of the vitamin. A simple blood test can help you monitor this and a conversation with your doctor can help you identify the right foods or supplements to increase vitamin D in your system. 10 minutes of sun exposure per day is enough for most people or consuming specific foods can provide vitamin D including fish, shrimp and eggs. The research will probably not change recommendations for supplementation at this time because the response to supplements was not specifically studied.
Written by www.labtestingnow.com
A Diabetes Medication May Cause B12 Deficiency
Researchers have long thought that a popular medication used to control blood sugar levels in Type 2 Diabetes, Metformin, could be causing B12 deficiency in some patients, but this was based on short term studies. A recent study followed 380 Type 2 diabetes patients for 4.3 years and found that the patients’ B12 levels dropped significantly while on the medication, confirming the theory. B12 is necessary for the body to produce red blood cells. Without this critical vitamin, Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia will develop due to low red blood cell count. Symptoms include diarrhea or constipation, fatigue, loss of appetite, pale skin, problems concentrating, difficulty breathing, swollen, red tongue or bleeding gums and even, in long term deficiency nerve damage or dementia.
This new research highlights the need for Type 2 diabetes patients to have their B12 levels monitored, either through an Anemia Panel or with a MicroNutrient test. The deficiency can easily be corrected with B12 supplements and eating a diet with a lot of foods containing B12 like meat, poultry, shellfish, eggs and dairy products. If you are currently taking Metformin for Type 2 diabetes you should take action; get tested now to prevent long term damage to your body.
Written by www.labtestingnow.com
CDC H1N1 Flu Updates:- Press Briefing Transcript: Dr. Thomas Frieden's Remarks at the 2010 Influenza Workshop for Journalists
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- MMWR: Regional Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccination Campaign -- Skokie, Illinois, October 16--December 31, 2009
- UPDATE: 2009 H1N1 Flu International Situation Update