01 February 2012
US researchers have developed a new standard for vitamin D testing measuring the serum concentrations of different vitamin D metabolites.
Current methods detect levels of a vitamin D metabolite called 25(OH)D. Measuring vitamin D itself does not work because it is rapidly changed into another form in the liver. However, the test methods that do exist do not always agree and produce different results. To help laboratories come up with consistent and accurate methods, researchers developed a Standard Reference Material called SRM 972, which measures different levels of the vitamin D metabolites 25(OH)D2, 25(OH)D3 and 3-epi-25(OH)D3 in human serum (1) – the latter was previously thought to only exist in the blood of infants but was recently found in adults, too.
The researchers commented that the new reference material would provide a mechanism to ensure measurement accuracy and comparability and represent a first step toward standardization of 25(OH)D measurements. Research suggests vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency may be even more common than previously thought and a risk factor for more than just bone diseases. An estimated 50–75% of people in the US may not be getting enough vitamin D. Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to the development of several conditions, including rickets, osteoporosis, some cancers, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease.
11 November 2010
A new review has come to the conclusion that a sufficient intake of lutein, zeaxanthin and omega-3 fatty acids is indispensible for the maintenance of eye health.
12 July 2013
A new study from Japan reports that increased blood vitamin B6 concentrations in men may reduce oxidative stress potentially damaging DNA.
25 November 2013
New data again shows that the highest prevalence of multiple sclerosis can be found in countries with the least amount of days with sun exposure, which is related to the body’s own vitamin D synthesis.
