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Now it's vitamin D in the spotlight

Everyday the evidence keeps mounting against the wholesale taking of vitamins and supplements. Now the efficacy and the necessity for taking Vitamin D, a vitamin I once considered taking, even recommending it in the past, is being debunked.

Vitamin D supplements 'don't ward off ill health': [There is] Little evidence pills lower risk of cancer, strokes or other conditions
......a review of 462 studies involving more than a million adults has concluded that a lack of vitamin D is not a trigger for many common illnesses.

.....................

Lead author Professor Philippe Autier, from the International  Prevention Research Institute  in Lyon, France, said: ‘What this  discrepancy suggests is that decreases in vitamin D levels are a marker of deteriorating health. Ageing and inflammatory processes involved in disease occurrence .... reduce vitamin D concentrations, which would explain why vitamin D deficiency is reported in a wide range of disorders.’

I'm not quite sure I understand the reasoning behind the conclusions here, but I accept it as fact since it's supports my belief that there is no need to supplement your diet with additional vitamins and supplements. Especially those of questionable safety and efficacy.

All I need now is for the next shoe to drop on Iron! I am still taking it, but with much consternation.

Comments

Alan said…
Not sure I agree with your reasoning. You "accept it as fact" because it supports your beliefs. That's not how science works. If something is "proven" it should be accepted as fact whether one disagrees or not?

In this case I tried to read the original paper referred to but have to have a subscription to read it online. I don't accept a paper as proof until I try to tear it apart and fail. I can't tell you how many garbage papers are published even in peer review journals.

This was a metastudy analyzing a number of previous studies on Vit D. Some of those studies did show a positive effect for Vit D.
In any case I'm still taking it (it's cheap).
Marc said…
That comment was meant to be a little "snarky".

Too many people are too ready to accept as fact unsubstantiated claims (sometimes even outright lies) to support claims they've made or in justifying actions taken in response to something they are for or against.

As I am against the taking of vitamins and supplements, for a variety of reasons, I have no problem doing the same. I just chose to do it on a less controversial topic. :)
Alan said…
Sometimes intentional "snarky" doesn't come through in print
Marc said…
I think that's what makes the most effective snark. People will think about it more.

At least IMO
Peggy said…
Several years ago I was having very bad leg and back pain. At that time I was attending the menopausal clinic at the Ottawa General Hospital for my issues and out of couriousity my Dr. Decided to check my levels of vitamin D in my system. To the surprise of the Staff I was almost depleted of D. I was started on 2000 milligrams and within a couple of months all my pain was gone. I have been on D ever since and no pain. This led them to start testing all women and to their surprise there were many women with very low vitamin D in their systems. This led to quite a study. I am a true believer in Vit D. Hope this sheds some light for others and have your levels of D checked. Peggy
I
Marc said…
From the article

But his study – published in The Lancet – did not cast doubt on the supplement’s effect on the bones.

The mineral is known to protect against bone thinning and the bone disorder rickets.

The article was only referring to Vitamin D's effect on disease prevention.

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