Re: Now Vitamin D and Dementia

[Guest guest]

Well maybe, or maybe not. A study of only 300 or so people bears repeating with larger numbers of subjects.

On 12/5/09 3:46 PM, " perspect1111 " <perspect1111@...> wrote:

Hi folks:

" 25-Hydroxyvitamin D, dementia, and cerebrovascular pathology in elders receiving home services. "

" Buell JS, Dawson- B, TM, Weiner DE, Dallal GE, Qui WQ, Bergethon P, Rosenberg IH, Folstein MF, Patz S, Bhadelia RA, Tucker KL.

" BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency has potential adverse effects on neurocognitive health and subcortical function. However, no studies have examined the association between vitamin D status, dementia, and cranial MRI indicators of cerebrovascular disease (CVD).

" METHODS: Cross-sectional investigation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], dementia, and MRI measures of CVD in elders receiving home care (aged 65-99 years) from 2003 to 2007.

" RESULTS: Among 318 participants, the mean age was 73.5 +/- 8.1 years, 231 (72.6%) were women, and 109 (34.3%) were black. 25(OH)D concentrations were deficient (<10 ng/mL) in 14.5% and insufficient (10-20 ng/mL) in 44.3% of participants. There were 76 participants (23.9%) with dementia, 41 of which were classified as probable AD.

" Mean 25(OH)D concentrations were lower in subjects with dementia (16.8 vs 20.0 ng/mL, p < 0.01). There was a higher prevalence of dementia among participants with 25(OH)D insufficiency (</=20 ng/mL) (30.5% vs 14.5%, p < 0.01). 25(OH)D deficiency was associated with increased white matter hyperintensity volume (4.9 vs 2.9 mL, p < 0.01), grade (3.0 vs 2.2, p = 0.04), and prevalence of large vessel infarcts (10.1% vs 6.9%, p < 0.01).

" After adjustment for age, race, sex, body mass index, and education, 25(OH)D insufficiency (</=20 ng/mL) was associated with more than twice the odds of all-cause dementia (odds ratio [OR] = 2.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2-4.2), Alzheimer disease (OR = 2.5, 95% CI 1.1-6.1), and stroke (with and without dementia symptoms) (OR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.0-4.0).

" CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency was associated with all-cause dementia, Alzheimer disease, stroke (with and without dementia symptoms), and MRI indicators of cerebrovascular disease. These findings suggest a potential vasculoprotective role of vitamin D. "

PMID: 19940273

Rodney.

[Guest guest]

Hi Francesca:

Good point. You are right.

Rodney.

>

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Hi folks:

> >

> > " 25-Hydroxyvitamin D, dementia, and cerebrovascular pathology in elders

> > receiving home services. "

> >

> > " Buell JS, Dawson- B, TM, Weiner DE, Dallal GE, Qui WQ,

Bergethon

> > P, Rosenberg IH, Folstein MF, Patz S, Bhadelia RA, Tucker KL.

> >

> > " BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency has potential adverse effects on

> > neurocognitive health and subcortical function. However, no studies have

> > examined the association between vitamin D status, dementia, and cranial MRI

> > indicators of cerebrovascular disease (CVD).

> >

> > " METHODS: Cross-sectional investigation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D],

> > dementia, and MRI measures of CVD in elders receiving home care (aged 65-99

> > years) from 2003 to 2007.

> >

> > " RESULTS: Among 318 participants, the mean age was 73.5 +/- 8.1 years, 231

> > (72.6%) were women, and 109 (34.3%) were black. 25(OH)D concentrations were

> > deficient (<10 ng/mL) in 14.5% and insufficient (10-20 ng/mL) in 44.3% of

> > participants. There were 76 participants (23.9%) with dementia, 41 of which

> > were classified as probable AD.

> >

> > " Mean 25(OH)D concentrations were lower in subjects with dementia (16.8 vs

> > 20.0 ng/mL, p < 0.01). There was a higher prevalence of dementia among

> > participants with 25(OH)D insufficiency (</=20 ng/mL) (30.5% vs 14.5%, p <

> > 0.01). 25(OH)D deficiency was associated with increased white matter

> > hyperintensity volume (4.9 vs 2.9 mL, p < 0.01), grade (3.0 vs 2.2, p =

0.04),

> > and prevalence of large vessel infarcts (10.1% vs 6.9%, p < 0.01).

> >

> > " After adjustment for age, race, sex, body mass index, and education,

25(OH)D

> > insufficiency (</=20 ng/mL) was associated with more than twice the odds of

> > all-cause dementia (odds ratio [OR] = 2.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]

> > 1.2-4.2), Alzheimer disease (OR = 2.5, 95% CI 1.1-6.1), and stroke (with and

> > without dementia symptoms) (OR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.0-4.0).

> >

> > " CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency was associated with

> > all-cause dementia, Alzheimer disease, stroke (with and without dementia

> > symptoms), and MRI indicators of cerebrovascular disease. These findings

> > suggest a potential vasculoprotective role of vitamin D. "

> >

> > PMID: 19940273

> >

> > Rodney.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

More importantly, case-control studies are not nearly as reliable as prospective studies or randomized control studies. Elderly subjects forget to take supplements and get less sunlight.-- Aalt Pater

Hi folks:"25-Hydroxyvitamin D, dementia, and cerebrovascular pathology in elders receiving home services.""Buell JS, Dawson- B, TM, Weiner DE, Dallal GE, Qui WQ, Bergethon P, Rosenberg IH, Folstein MF, Patz S, Bhadelia RA, Tucker KL."BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency has potential adverse effects on neurocognitive health and subcortical function. However, no studies have examined the association between vitamin D status, dementia, and cranial MRI indicators of cerebrovascular disease (CVD)."METHODS: Cross-sectional investigation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], dementia, and MRI measures of CVD in elders receiving home care (aged 65-99 years) from 2003 to 2007."RESULTS: Among 318 participants, the mean age was 73.5 +/- 8.1 years, 231 (72.6%) were women, and 109

(34.3%) were black. 25(OH)D concentrations were deficient (<10 ng/mL) in 14.5% and insufficient (10-20 ng/mL) in 44.3% of participants. There were 76 participants (23.9%) with dementia, 41 of which were classified as probable AD."Mean 25(OH)D concentrations were lower in subjects with dementia (16.8 vs 20.0 ng/mL, p < 0.01). There was a higher prevalence of dementia among participants with 25(OH)D insufficiency (</=20 ng/mL) (30.5% vs 14.5%, p < 0.01). 25(OH)D deficiency was associated with increased white matter hyperintensity volume (4.9 vs 2.9 mL, p < 0.01), grade (3.0 vs 2.2, p = 0.04), and prevalence of large vessel infarcts (10.1% vs 6.9%, p < 0.01)."After adjustment for age, race, sex, body mass index, and education, 25(OH)D insufficiency (</=20 ng/mL) was associated with more than twice the odds of all-cause dementia (odds ratio [OR] = 2.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2-4.2), Alzheimer disease (OR =

2.5, 95% CI 1.1-6.1), and stroke (with and without dementia symptoms) (OR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.0-4.0). "CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency was associated with all-cause dementia, Alzheimer disease, stroke (with and without dementia symptoms), and MRI indicators of cerebrovascular disease. These findings suggest a potential vasculoprotective role of vitamin D."PMID: 19940273Rodney.

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[Guest guest]

Here's an article from Cleveland Clinic on Vitamin D:

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Home › Publications › Be Well eNews › December 2009 › Vitamin D: Are You D-Pleted?

Learn why the 'sunshine vitamin' is so important to your health.

Unless

you live in the tropics, you probably need more D, a vitamin produced

in the skin by ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight. Grey skies, weak

winter sun, sunscreen use and an indoor lifestyle mean that most of us

are lacking in this essential vitamin.

“Most blood tests we order for vitamin D show that levels are low or moderately low,†says Strasburg, MD,

a family practitioner at Cleveland Clinic Solon Family Health Center.

“Many adults are at risk for vitamin D deficiency, since the ability to

produce and utilize the vitamin decreases with age.â€

A key role in your health

Too little vitamin D may result in serious health problems. “Vitamin

D is important to bone health. It is vital for normal calcium

absorption and critical in treating osteoporosis. In children, lack of

vitamin D causes rickets,†says Bruce Long, MD, a Cleveland Clinic rheumatologist with a special interest in the vitamin.

Vitamin D is also thought to play a role in preventing cancer, heart

attacks, strokes and diabetes, and may help preserve thinking and

memory. The vitamin also appears to prevent hypertension during

pregnancy, calm the pain of arthritis, and increase muscle strength and

coordination. It may even help prevent and treat multiple sclerosis.

How to get your D

Fifteen minutes of afternoon summer sun daily on unprotected arms

and legs will give you what you need. “You need strong, direct

sunlight,†says Dr. Strasburg. So most of us should leave off the

sunscreen for 15 minutes — and then apply it to prevent skin cancer.

However, if you are at risk for skin cancer or have a history of

skin cancer, you’ll need alternative sources of vitamin D. You can get

some vitamin D by taking multivitamins or calcium supplements with D.

The vitamin is found in fatty fish, egg yolks and beef liver, and is

added to yogurt and other calcium-fortified products. These include

milk, cereal, bread and some brands of orange juice.

Most of us need supplementation

Even with these measures it’s hard to ingest enough vitamin D to

meet the recommended daily allowance, which will soon increase to 800

international units per day. “That’s why most doctors in northern Ohio

recommend vitamin D supplements,†says Dr. Strasburg.

A simple blood test will let you know if your vitamin D levels are

normal. If your levels are low, your doctor will prescribe vitamin D

and recheck levels in about three months. If they are still low, your

dose will be increased; if they’re too high, it will be lowered.

1,000-5,000 units a day typical

“Generally, our patients take 1,000 to 5,000 units of vitamin D3

(available over the counter in 400, 800, 1,000 and 2,000 units) once a

day. Some who require high doses may choose to take 50,000 units of

vitamin D2 (a prescription drug) once or twice a week,†says Dr. Long.

“D2 and D3 are both effective, but those bothered by taking too many

capsules often choose vitamin D2.â€

Having bariatric surgery or untreated celiac disease usually means

you need higher doses of D because less of the vitamin is reabsorbed

through the digestive tract. Also, with aging, we make less vitamin D3

in our skin and may need higher doses.

Once vitamin D levels are normal, doses are adjusted to avoid

potential toxicity. “One study found toxic levels of vitamin D among

individuals taking 40,000 units daily for five months. However, no

toxicity was found among those taking 10,000 units daily for five

months, and taking 1,000 units daily is safe,†says Dr. Long.