Vitamin D is important. It helps our body absorb vital minerals, like calcium and magnesium. We get some of it from the sun, but often people need more.
That’s when supplements can help. Some studies even suggest that vitamin D might prevent cancer and heart disease.
New Study on Vitamin D
A group of scientists from Brigham and Women’s Hospital did a big study. They used data from many people across the country.
They wanted to see if taking vitamin D or marine omega-3 supplements could lower the risk of cancer, heart disease, or stroke.
The Findings
They found that taking vitamin D supplements helped, but there was a catch. The positive effects were only seen in people with a Body Mass Index (BMI) under 25.
BMI is a measure that tells if a person is underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese. So, the supplements were mainly helpful for people with a lower BMI.
In the study, the team used data from 16,515 participants from the original trial and 2,742 with a follow-up blood sample after two years.
They checked the levels of total and free vitamin D in the body. They also looked at other markers linked to how the body uses vitamin D.
They saw that taking vitamin D supplements increased these markers in people, no matter their weight. But the increase was smaller in people with higher BMIs.
This could be why people with lower BMIs see big benefits (like 30-40% less cancer deaths) from vitamin D supplements. But people with higher BMIs don’t see these benefits.
Personalized Dosing of Vitamin D
This study suggests we might need to personalize the dose of vitamin D supplements based on a person’s weight. This could help more people get the health benefits from vitamin D.
If you’re interested in nutrition, check out studies about the best time to take vitamins to prevent heart disease, and how zinc might reduce COVID-19 infection risk.
And for more info on nutrition, read about how a plant nutrient could help reduce high blood pressure, and how some antioxidants could lower dementia risk.
The study, led by Deirdre K. Tobias, was published in JAMA Network Open. It’s another step towards understanding how our body uses vitamin D, and how we can make the most of its benefits.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies about how Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and the best time to take vitamins to prevent heart disease.
For more information about nutrition, please see recent studies that olive oil may help you live longer, and vitamin D could help lower the risk of autoimmune diseases.
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