D deficiency “epidemic”
May 10, 2013
BOSTON University’s Professor
of Medicine, Physiology and
Biophysics, Michael Holick, has
called for routine supplementation
with vitamin D, saying that in many
cases people do not get sufficient
sun exposure to achieve ongoing
healthy levels of the compound.
Speaking at the Bioceuticals
Research Symposium in Sydney
this morning, the energetic Prof
Holick cited research indicating
that increasing vitamin D levels
may improve immune function
and reduce disease risk as well as
supporting healthy bones.
Holick co-authored the study
which found that improving vitamin
D levels could positively impact
the genes associated with cancer,
cardiovascular disease, infectious
diseases and autoimmune diseases.
“For the first time, this study
shows direct evidence that
improving vitamin D levels plays a
large role in improving immunity,”
he said, with the double-blind
randomised pilot trial finding
impacts from supplementation
on genes related to “80 biologic
pathways” linked to diseases.
“While a larger study is necessary
to confirm our observations, the
data demonstrates that improving
vitamin D status can have a
dramatic effect on gene expression
in our immune cells,” he said.
MEANWHILE also at the
Symposium, Dr Nigel Plummer
from the UK cited research which
found women and newborns
who consume probiotics during
pregnancy and infancy may reduce
the risk of allergies by up to 50%.
The Swansea University study
found that for mother-infant pairs
who took a daily dose of probiotics,
there was a lower risk of allergy
when the child was aged two to
pollen, cat hair, cow’s milk and eggs.
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