05 March 2012
Daily supplementation of vitamin D3 may decrease the risk of cardiovascular diseases by improving the lipid profile of the blood and reducing the body fat mass in overweight and obese women, suggests a new Iranian study.
In the randomized controlled trial, 77 overweight and obese women with an average age of 38 were randomly assigned to receive either a daily vitamin D3 dose of 1,000 International Units (25 micrograms) or placebo for 12 weeks (1). An analysis of blood samples showed that HDL - cholesterol levels increased in the vitamin D group, but decreased in the placebo group. Total LDL - cholesterol concentrations were high in both groups, but in the vitamin group, LDL-cholesterol particles have less atherosclerosis promoting properties. In addition, vitamin D supple-mentation was associated with a significant reduction in body fat mass, compared with placebo.
Past studies have found high rates of vitamin D deficiency in obese populations and have linked low vitamin D levels to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes (2). However, the mechanisms by which obesity and its related illnesses are connected to vitamin D deficiency are not fully known.
24 March 2010
Reducing intakes of saturated fats in the diet and consuming polyunsaturated fats instead may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease up to 19 percent, according to a new study.
22 January 2014
A new international study reports that a moderate fish intake during pregnancy seems to be associated with a lower risk of preterm birth and a small increase in birth weight.
20 February 2012
According to a newly published literature review, magnesium supplements may offer small but clinically significant reductions in blood pressure.
