13, June 2014

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….!!!