Senior individuals with low levels of vitamin D are more likely to develop metabolic syndrome, which increases the risk for diabetes and heart diseases.

Researchers from the VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam state that insufficient amounts of vitamin D in seniors may be one of leading causes of metabolic syndrome.

The study involved 1,300 respondents (men and women) over the age of 65. A staggering 50% of all the respondents had vitamin D deficiency. Thirty-five percent of this segment of the respondents of the study had metabolic syndrome.

According to Dr. Marelise Eekhoff, co-author of the metabolic syndrome study, the findings of the study is significant because metabolic syndrome actually predisposes a person to other degenerative conditions like adult-onset/type-2 diabetes and heart problems.

Universal medical problem

In another study published in the medical journal Diabetes in the United States, it was found that 40% of elderly Chinese persons had metabolic syndrome because of the same vitamin deficiency.

In earlier animal studies, it was observed that test animals that had vitamin D deficiency had difficulty in producing and secreting insulin, which is necessary for the breakdown and utilization of blood glucose.

Dr. Eekhoff states that logically, increasing vitamin D in the body through supplementation and proper exposure to natural sunlight can help prevent metabolic syndrome and all of the medical maladies associated with the condition.

Getting enough of the vitamin

The National Academy of Sciences recommends that every person have at least 200 IU of vitamin D everyday to reduce risk of disease and to promote general wellness. For maximum benefits, 800 IU to 1000 IU can be used safely; the upper limit for vitamin D supplementation is 2000 IU everyday.

The following may cause vitamin D deficiency:

1. You don’t get enough vitamin D over a very long period of time (e.g. for years).

2. You don’t go outside to expose yourself to natural sunlight regularly.

3. Darker skins have reduced capacities to produce vitamin D.

4. Your kidneys are unable to help manufacture the vitamin naturally. This problem is more common in seniors than in younger individuals.

5. The digestive tract is unable to absorb available vitamin D in the body.

6. Obesity can also reduce the body’s capacity to use vitamin D, since fat cells leech the available vitamin D. People with a BMI of thirty or higher often have vitamin D deficiency.

Dire consequence of vitamin deficiency

What happens when you don’t have vitamin D? Here are just some of the problems associated with vitamin D deficiency:

1. Vitamin D deficiency, according to recent research, has been linked to higher risk of high blood pressure and other heart-related problems.

2. Vegetarians who shun dairy products and eggs may be at risk for vitamin D deficiency. If you are a vegan, you can easily supplement your diet with vitamin D by taking small amounts of fish liver oils.

3. The most common problem associated with not getting enough vitamin D is rickets, which cause soft bone formation and a deformed skeletal system.

4. Older adults may suffer from cognitive impairment if they lack sufficient vitamin D.

5. Children with low levels of vitamin D are predisposed to severe forms of asthma.

6. The risk for nearly all types of cancer increases with vitamin D deficiency, including breast cancer (according to one US study) and colorectal cancer.

7. Children vitamin D deficiency may suffer from slow growth.

8. According to Michael Holick MD from the Boston Medical Center, extreme vitamin D deficiency predisposes a pregnant woman to deliver via caesarean section (C-section).

9. In a study headed by researchers from the SUNY Upstate Medical University in New York, insufficient amounts of vitamin D in women can cause pelvic floor disorders and urinary incontinence.

10. Persons recovering from post-traumatic brain injury with vitamin D deficiencies are more at risk for chronic fatigue, says a study from Rijnstate Hospital in The Netherlands.

11. According to researchers from the Heart Institute of the Intermountain Medical Center, people with low levels of the vitamin are 77% likelier to die from a stroke.

12. Type 2 diabetics suffering from poor blood glucose control may be suffering from vitamin D deficiency, as well.

Sources:
nutraingredients.com
mayoclinic.com
webmd.com
webmd.com
webmd.com
webmd.com
webmd.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com

A new Finnish study states that people who eat lots of berries will reduce their risk of metabolic syndrome.

Lingonberry, sea buckthorn, bilberry, and black currants may not be berries that you eat every day, but these less common berries pack a huge punch. A recent study has shown that consumption of these berries reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome.

A new study from Finnish scientists has shown that berries are highly linked to the functioning of our liver as well as our risk for metabolic syndrome. Dr. Heikki Kallio and his fellow researchers took women who were approximately age 43 and divided them into two groups.  One group was given a supplement of Lingonberry, sea buckthorn, bilberry, and black currants. In the other group, berries were simply added to the women’s diets as a snack.

The study found that women who took the berry supplement had their ALAT levels decrease by 23%.  ALAT is a well-studied enzyme, which is linked to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease or NAFLAD. It is important to note that NAFLAD has been shown to increase the likelihood of metabolic syndrome.

According to Dr. Kallio and his researchers, “Present study results indicate common northern berries and berry products as an effective component of lifestyle modifications aimed at decreasing development of metabolic syndrome and subsequent complications.”

For those not familiar with metabolic syndrome, it is a condition that puts people at risk for a variety of serious problems like coronary artery disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, more and more people each year are becoming inflicted with metabolic syndrome. One of its symptoms includes weight gain that is centralized in the abdominal area. Those who suffer from metabolic syndrome also tend to become insulin resistant.

In general, the recommended treatment for metabolic syndrome has been to lose weight and exercise. A low fat diet high in fruits and vegetables is recommended. Fish oil has also been shown to be very useful in treating metabolic syndrome. You can read my Fish oil supplement recommendation in this article.

Another healthy food that has been shown to be effective at reducing the symptoms of metabolic syndrome are nuts. Now we can also add berries to this list of foods that help fight this ever-increasing health issue.

Of course, you should be eating as many berries as possible, even if you aren’t worried about metabolic syndrome. Berries provide our bodies with countless benefits, as they are full of antioxidants, minerals, flavonoids and phytochemicals.

Sources:
nutraingredients.com
health.google.com
nutrition.about.com