People with
low blood levels of vitamin D twice as likely to die prematurely
Washington: Researchers have found that persons with lower
blood levels of vitamin D were twice as likely to die prematurely as people
with higher blood levels of vitamin D.
The finding was based on a systematic review of 32 previous
studies that included analyses of vitamin D, blood levels and human mortality
rates .
The specific variant of vitamin D assessed was
25-hydroxyvitamin D, the primary form found in blood.
"Three years ago, the Institute
of Medicine (IOM) concluded that having a too-low blood level of vitamin D was
hazardous," Cedric Garland, DrPH, professor in the Department of Family
and Preventive Medicine at University of California, San Diego and lead author
of the study said.
"This study supports that conclusion, but goes one step
further. The 20 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) blood level cutoff assumed
from the IOM report was based solely on the association of low vitamin D with
risk of bone disease. This new finding is based on the association of low
vitamin D with risk of premature death from all causes, not just bone
diseases," Garland said.
Garland said that the blood level amount of vitamin D
associated with about half of the death rate was 30 ng/ml. He noted that two-thirds
of the US population has an estimated blood vitamin D level below 30 ng/ml.
"This study should give the medical community and
public substantial reassurance that vitamin D is safe when used in appropriate
doses up to 4,000 International Units (IU) per day," Heather Hofflich, DO,
professor in the UC San Diego School of Medicine's Department of Medicine said.
"However, it's always wise to consult your physician
when changing your intake of vitamin D and to have your blood level of
25-hydroxy vitamin D checked annually. Daily intakes above 4,000 IU per day may
be appropriate for some patients under medical supervision," she added.
The findings are published in the
American Journal of Public Health.
Source: www.zeenews.india.com
13.06.2014
Soon, a
device to track blood sugar levels 24/7
Washington: Finger pricking to monitor blood sugar levels
could be a thing of the past. An implantable device to track your blood-sugar
levels round-the-clock is the future with the scientists now having developed a
new glucose-sensing protein.
"It is a glucose/galactose
binding protein (GBP) that changes shape when it attaches to glucose," a
research by Sylvia Daunert from University of Miami in the US and colleagues
showed.
The researchers engineered it in such a way that it would be
stable in and out of the body for longer periods to detect levels of glucose
within the range in a diabetic person.
Currently, most patients with diabetes monitor blood-sugar
levels by using a glucose meter.
They prick a finger with a tiny needle to draw blood which
they apply to a test strip inserted into the glucometer.
It provides a reading of the level at that moment. But
glucose levels change throughout the day, so many readings are needed.
That is not always convenient and some people find that
pricking their finger is painful.
As a result, many patients do not test their blood as often
as they should, risking complications such as seizures.
"For more continuous monitoring, some patients use implantable
devices that measure blood-sugar as often as once a minute, but they are
expensive, can only be used for up to a week and are not as reliable as
conventional meters," researchers said.
They, therefore, set out to improve upon these limited options
and they turned to a protein that has already been explored as a good candidate
for use in a continuous glucose monitoring system.
The findings appeared in the journal
ACS Chemical Biology.
Source: www.zeenews.india.com
13.06.2014
Treat everyone with politeness, even those who
are rude to you…..Not because they are not nice because you are nice….!!!
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