Do I need to catch more sun and vitamin D?
The western world faces three very notorious killers: heart disease, cancer, and stroke. Just this week Michael Jackson (heart attack??) and Farah Fawcett (cancer) were struck down, and the media is waiting on baited breath for another celebrity to die and fulfill the “rule of threes.” Stroke, we’re looking at you. But what if it didn’t have to be this way? What if there were just a few simple things you could eat or take that would protect you from all three killers?
That’s what the U.S. government is going to find out. The National Institute for Health (NIH) is funding a $20 million dollar study with 20,000 test subjects to explore how vitamin D and fish oil affect health. The Vitamin D and Omega-3 Trial (or VITAL) will be a five year study and will be one of the first to specifically target African Americans as test subjects. With darker skin producing less vitamin D in the body from sun exposure, scientists theorize there may be a link between a vitamin D deficiency and higher rates of stroke, heart disease, and cancer in the Af.Am. community.
Vitamin D and Fish Oil. Not quite the names for a buddy cop movie, but for the last decade, they’ve each been toted as the way to combat the killer diseases of our time. Vitamin D has been inconclusively linked to heart health and cancer prevention, not to mention bone strength. Fish Oil, with high levels of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids is supposed to good for everything from good skin to memory loss. When it comes to preventing stroke, heart attack, or cancer, these two guys seem like the ideal dietary supplements to take.
And in five years, we’ll hopefully know for certain. In the meantime, Dr. JoAnn Manson and Dr. Julie Buring, the heads of VITAL are gearing up for the trials. Starting in January of next year, they will recruit men over the age of 65 and women over 60 to take daily supplements and report on their health. These supplements will be either placebos, vitamin D, or fish oil. While the studies will be centered at Harvard Medical School and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, the subjects will cover the entire U.S. With a relatively huge sampling (20,000 subjects) and double blind methodology, VITAL hopes to once and for all settle the long term benefits, or risks, of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids.
If the tests can conclusively prove the health benefits for these supplements they’ll be a fixture in the diets of all those seeking longevity or immortality, such as Singularity Hub regular Ray Kurzweil. Even if vitamin D and fish-oil aren’t shown to be miracle drugs the VITAL study could still reveal important facts about our health. Terrifying or wonderful surprises come standard with studies this large. For instance, who could have predicted that chemotherapy would help with wrinkles? In five years, we may all be rushing outside to soak up more sun or eating more sushi to prevent cancer. Personally, I’ll be waiting for the day you can get vitamin D from the glow of your computer screen.
Comments
My curiosity with your comment Stacy made me visit the link you shared and read the article. The article is good and I learned a lot. I’m pregnant right now and looks like krill oil is good for infant brain development. Here’s a video of Dr. Mercola about krill oil that I wanted to share as well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj-ZnG3NoZY
They have krill oil made for woman but I need to consult my doctor if she will allow me to take the krill oil supplement. I’m willing to try this one but it still depends on my doctor.
I found this statement at http://krilloil.mercola.com/krill-oil.html and it says
“I formerly recommended that you take fish oil to enhance your intake of omega-3 fats. And high-quality fish oils are certainly great products, with many important health benefits.
But there are drawbacks.
Such as… fish oil is weak in antioxidant content. As you increase your intake of omega-3 essential fatty acids by consuming fish oil, you may actually increase your need for even more antioxidant protection if the fish oil has been exposed to excessive amounts of oxygen or has become rancid.”
So i think, krill oil is way better than fish oil.
I actually strongly have confidence in the old saying that prevention is way much better than remedy, as what you had brought up in your post more people these days these days are in danger of getting the heart stroke and many heart diseases this is exactly why a few specialists recommended individuals to consider dietary supplements that will help to avoid a number of coronary heart illnesses. Fish oil is really a well-known supply of this particular 3 fatty acids that are considered to be great for one’s heart nicely apart from associated with fish oil krill oil is another great supply with this omega-3 essential fatty acids ought to be fact krill oil is method much better supply compared to fish oil. I just stumbled on a site on this short article concerning the assessment of these two health supplement http://www.krilloil.com/
Extremely interesting. Glad I stumbled accross this Vitamin d3 info, certainly heading to bookmark this to refer back again to it later on this is an superb assortment of sites.
You can actually get UVB lamps that generate small levels of vitamin D. It's the treatment for seasonal affective disorder. I've read lots of great studies about vitamin D recently. When research from New Zealand just showed that on a diet, the higher the baseline level of vitamin D, the more weight subjects lost over time.
the other very concerning aspect of the Vital trial is that fish oil contains variable amounts of vitamin A and we know this may counteract the effects of vitamin D. To test two experimental agents at the same time is bad science and they have managed to find possibly the one molecule on the planet that is best not combined with vitamin D to test- stunningly stupid. As someone else said on this board “do they want to fail”
the other very concerning aspect of the Vital trial is that fish oil contains variable amounts of vitamin A and we know this may counteract the effects of vitamin D. To test two experimental agents at the same time is bad science and they have managed to find possibly the one molecule on the planet that is best not combined with vitamin D to test- stunningly stupid. As someone else said on this board “do they want to fail”
I had my cholesterol checked and my triglycerides were 363 and by HDL was down to 40.
Getting old doesn’t have to be hell but after 40 you do have to supplement.
I had my cholesterol checked and my triglycerides were 363 and by HDL was down to 40.
Getting old doesn’t have to be hell but after 40 you do have to supplement.
If you are interested in vitamin D you should take a look at http://www.vitaminD3world.com The site has good summaries of the data and offers a new preparation of vitamin D in a micro-pill formulation. The pills have been formulated with cellulose which absorbs water very quickly. This ensures that the pill breaks up very quickly to provide for maximum absorption. The micro pill is tiny and tasteless. Many vitamin D pills on the market have very poor dissolution properties resulting in poor absorption.
The site also offers to supply customers with a free supply of 400IU for their children and it also has a good newsletter.
best regards
Toby Lee
If you are interested in vitamin D you should take a look at http://www.vitaminD3world.com The site has good summaries of the data and offers a new preparation of vitamin D in a micro-pill formulation. The pills have been formulated with cellulose which absorbs water very quickly. This ensures that the pill breaks up very quickly to provide for maximum absorption. The micro pill is tiny and tasteless. Many vitamin D pills on the market have very poor dissolution properties resulting in poor absorption.
The site also offers to supply customers with a free supply of 400IU for their children and it also has a good newsletter.
best regards
Toby Lee
Why would any study of D3 (chloecalciferol) be restricted to only 2000 i.u. per day? This amount is insufficent to maintain a blood level of activated D3 of 50 ng/ml. The EXPERTS (those who have spent decades studying D3) recommend at least 5000 i.u. and even more in the fall and winter.
Anyone who has supplemented with D3 knows of the difference this compound makes in EVERY aspect of normal life. Simply stated when I supplemented with D3 within 48 hours EVERYTHING in my body felt better. After 3 months my resting pulse when from 72 to 61. BP-always healthy- dropped 5/3. Joint pain: Gone. Blues: Gone. Muscle strength: up 15-18%. Gums stopped bleeding. Cholestreol dropped from 210 to 167 and I eat anything and everything loaded with such stuff.
Vitamin D3 supplementation is the single most important health issue in the U.S. and for that matter the world outside of the tropics
PERIOD!
Within 5 years activated D3 will be recognized as this generation’s miracle drug equal or exceeding antibiotics in theraputic value. I already know this to be factual based on irrefutable reports of “grey ” studies yet to be released – pending peer review.
Everyone needs to supplement D3 and do so immediately. 50 ng/ml serum concentration gives virtual immunity to EVERYTHING that kills the modern man.
I agree. I was stunned when I last had my cholesterol and HDL checked. After 2 years on vitamin D the levels are now almost too good to be true. Have also modified my diet as well but do not believe diet alone could have resulted in such levels.
Why would any study of D3 (chloecalciferol) be restricted to only 2000 i.u. per day? This amount is insufficent to maintain a blood level of activated D3 of 50 ng/ml. The EXPERTS (those who have spent decades studying D3) recommend at least 5000 i.u. and even more in the fall and winter.
Anyone who has supplemented with D3 knows of the difference this compound makes in EVERY aspect of normal life. Simply stated when I supplemented with D3 within 48 hours EVERYTHING in my body felt better. After 3 months my resting pulse when from 72 to 61. BP-always healthy- dropped 5/3. Joint pain: Gone. Blues: Gone. Muscle strength: up 15-18%. Gums stopped bleeding. Cholestreol dropped from 210 to 167 and I eat anything and everything loaded with such stuff.
Vitamin D3 supplementation is the single most important health issue in the U.S. and for that matter the world outside of the tropics
PERIOD!
Within 5 years activated D3 will be recognized as this generation’s miracle drug equal or exceeding antibiotics in theraputic value. I already know this to be factual based on irrefutable reports of “grey ” studies yet to be released – pending peer review.
Everyone needs to supplement D3 and do so immediately. 50 ng/ml serum concentration gives virtual immunity to EVERYTHING that kills the modern man.
I agree. I was stunned when I last had my cholesterol and HDL checked. After 2 years on vitamin D the levels are now almost too good to be true. Have also modified my diet as well but do not believe diet alone could have resulted in such levels.
Omega 3 oils from fish are different to those from flax. Fish oils contain DHA and EPA while flax contains alpha -linolenic acid. If you are vegetarian get the omega 3 oils derived from algae (which is where the fish get the oils) from not from flax.
Oddly this trial will use 2000IU a day, a value already shown to be to low for some illnesses. The greatest effect on MS was seen at 14000IU a day and after a year there was no signs of any overdose. Do they want it to fail.
Omega 3 oils from fish are different to those from flax. Fish oils contain DHA and EPA while flax contains alpha -linolenic acid. If you are vegetarian get the omega 3 oils derived from algae (which is where the fish get the oils) from not from flax.
Oddly this trial will use 2000IU a day, a value already shown to be to low for some illnesses. The greatest effect on MS was seen at 14000IU a day and after a year there was no signs of any overdose. Do they want it to fail.
I think June has just been a bad month to be a celebrity. 5 dead, and the month isn’t over.
I think June has just been a bad month to be a celebrity. 5 dead, and the month isn’t over.
David Carradine was first in this particular celeb-trinity, surely? He was death by masturbation and Mickey J. OD’d – I don’t think even a swimming pool full of fish oil could have prevented those deaths…
David Carradine was first in this particular celeb-trinity, surely? He was death by masturbation and Mickey J. OD’d – I don’t think even a swimming pool full of fish oil could have prevented those deaths…
I hope they clarify the difference between Omega-3 from flaxseed oil versus fish. No mercury in flaxseed, no issues with overfishing. Is it the same stuff ??
I hope they clarify the difference between Omega-3 from flaxseed oil versus fish. No mercury in flaxseed, no issues with overfishing. Is it the same stuff ??
Nope. The third death was BILLY MAYS.
Nope. The third death was BILLY MAYS.
Third celebrity deeath already happened: ed mcmahon.
Third celebrity deeath already happened: ed mcmahon.