Vitamin D Related to Reduced Mortality

by | Aug 16, 2011 | 2011, Cancer, Diabetes, Longevity, Vitamin D - Mortality, Vitamins

Written by Jessica Patella, ND. Increasing blood levels of vitamin D would reduce the mortality rate in the United States by 13.3% in males and 15.3% in females, resulting in an increased life expectancy of 2 years.

Research on vitamin D has skyrocketed in the past 10 years, with thousands of research studies being published each year (1). A recent research paper has made the claim that vitamin D is the most cost-effective way to reduce global mortality rates (1). Could this be true? Possibly, with multiple research studies supporting this statement (1-10). The World Health Organization estimates 61% of male deaths and 65% of female deaths throughout the world are correlated with low blood levels of vitamin D (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) (1). With the top 6 causes of death, (cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory infection, respiratory disease, tuberculosis and diabetes mellitus) related to low vitamin D levels (1).

It was observed in 1979 that the colon cancer mortality rates in the U.S. from 1950-1969 were the lowest in the southwestern states. It was hypothesized at this time vitamin D was important in the reduction of colon cancer (2).  Since then multiple studies of cancer with respect to solar UVB light reducing mortality rate have also been published in Japan (3), China (4), France (5) and Spain (6).

One study of post-menopausal women in Nebraska found a 77% reduction of cancer incidence over 4-years in women taking 1450 mg Calcium plus 1100IU vitamin D per day when compared to placebo (7).

Respiratory infections, such as pneumonia and the flu, kill over 4 million annually according to the World Health Organization. It is thought the flu epidemic is largely seasonal because of the reduction in vitamin D production from reduced sunlight exposure during the winter months (8).

An observational study recommended a vitamin D blood level of 95nmol/l to significantly reduce the risk of respiratory infections (9).

In regards to diabetes mellitus, those with type II diabetes that had a daily intake of greater than 1200 mg of calcium and greater than 800 IU of vitamin D had a 33% lower risk of diabetes than those with an intake of less than 600 mg calcium and less than 400 IU vitamin D (10).

Current research determined increasing blood levels of vitamin D from 54 to 110nmol/l would reduce the mortality rate in the United States by 13.3% in males and 15.3% in females, resulting in an increased life expectancy of 2 years (1).  Across all 6 geographical regions (Africa, Americas, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, Southeast Asia, Western Pacific) the mortality rate would be decreased by 12.3% in males and 12.9% in females (1).

In conclusion, evidence is mounting on the importance of vitamin D supplementation. It is possible vitamin D supplementation may provide a very low cost method of increasing life expectancy across the globe. Although it is important to realize vitamin D is not the only variable in these studies, some included other supplements such as calcium and a single vitamin or supplement should not be considered a “cure-all” for all diseases.  More research needs to be conducted to confirm these results and it is important to note the author of this study receives or has received funding in the past from companies that would benefit from the above research results.(1)

Source: Grant, W. B. “An estimate of the global reduction in mortality rates through doubling vitamin D levels.” European journal of clinical nutrition 65.9 (2011): 1016-1026.

© 2011 Macmillan Publishers Limited All rights reserved

Posted August 16, 2011.

References:

  1. Grant WB. An estimate of the global reduction in mortality rates through doubling vitamin D levels. 2011.  Eur J Clin Nutr.  Doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2011.68.
  2. Garland CF, Garland FC (1980). Do sunlight and vitamin D reduce the likelihood of colon cancer? Int J Epidemiol 9, 227–231.
  3. Mizoue T (2004). Ecological study of solar radiation and cancer mortality in Japan. Health Phys 87, 532–538.
  4. Chen W, et al. (2010). Relationship between cancer mortality/incidence and ambient ultraviolet B irradiance in China. Cancer Causes Control 21, 1701–1709.
  5. Grant WB (2010b). Relation between prediagnostic serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level and incidence of breast, colorectal, and other cancers. J Photochem Photobiol B 101, 130–136.
  6. Grant WB (2007a). An ecologic study of cancer mortality rates in Spain with respect to indices of solar UV irradiance and smoking. Int J Cancer 120, 1123–1127.
  7. Shanafelt TD, et al. (2011). Vitamin D insufficiency and prognosis in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Blood 117, 1492–1498.
  8. Cannell JJ, et al. (2006). Epidemic influenza and vitamin D. Epidemiol Infect 134, 1129–1140.
  9. Sabetta JR, et al. (2010). Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin d and the incidence of acute viral respiratory tract infections in healthy adults. PLoS One 5, e11088.
  10. Pittas et al. (2006). Vitamin D and calcium intake in relation to type 2 diabetes in women. Diabetes Care 29, 650–656.