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For years, doctors and nutritionists have debated on how much vitamin D we need.
Now a new study finds that older women who don't get enough of the vitamin, may be heavier than those who do. Here's Edgar Treiguts with today's Health Minute.
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THEY CALL IT THE "SUNSHINE VITAMIN". THAT'S BECAUSE MOST OF US GET OUR VITAMIN D FROM THE SUN. IT HELPS MAINTAIN OUR BONES AND MUSCLES, AND KEEPS OUR CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM IN CHECK.
VITAMIN D CAN ALSO BE FOUND IN MILK PRODUCTS, FATTY FISH AND FORTIFIED ITEMS SUCH AS CEREALS AND JUICES. BUT EVEN WITH ALL THESE SOURCES, PRIOR RESEARCH HAS FOUND THAT WOMEN, ESPECIALLY OLDER WOMEN, ARE NOT GETTING ENOUGH VITAMIN D.
NOW A NEW STUDY OUT PUBLISHED BY KAISER PERMANENTE FINDS ELDERLY WOMEN WITH INSUFFICIENT LEVELS OF VITAMIN D GAINED MORE WEIGHT THAN THOSE WHO DID NOT LACK THE VITAMIN. THE STUDY, PUBLISHED ONLINE IN THE RECENT ISSUE OF THE JOURNAL OF WOMEN'S HEALTH, LOOKED AT MORE THE 46-HUNDRED WOMEN OVER THE AGE OF 65 FOR A FOUR AND ONE-HALF YEAR PERIOD. RESEARCHERS FOUND THOSE WITH LOW LEVELS OF VITAMIN D IN THEIR BLOOD GAINED ABOUT TWO POUNDS MORE THAN THOSE WITH ADEQUATE LEVELS OF THE VITAMIN.
DOCTORS SAY EVEN A TWO POUND GAIN CAN ADD UP OVER TIME. RESEARCHERS FOUND NEARLY 80 PERCENT OF THOSE IN THE STUDY HAD INSUFFICIENT LEVELS OF VITAMIN D. BECAUSE THE VITAMIN'S MAIN SOURCE IS SUNLIGHT, THE INVESTIGATORS SAY THOSE LACKING IN IT MAY NOT SPEND ENOUGH TIME OUTDOORS, AND MAY ALSO HAVE A POOR DIET.
FOR TODAY'S HEALTH MINUTE, I'M EDGAR TREIGUTS.
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