“Sunshine Vitamin” may add more sunshine to life

Called the “sunshine vitamin” because of its exceptional quality of being produced by the body by just basking in the warm sun, a regular dosage of Vitamin D supplements may also lengthen life, a new European study reports.

The results of the new study published in the September 10 issue of the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, reports a 7 percent lower risk of death for people who take Vitamin D supplements on regular basis compared to those who didn't take the supplement.

The study headed by Philippe Autier of the International Agency for Cancer Research in France in cooperation with Sara Gandini of the European Institute of Oncology in Milan analyzed the results of 18 previously conducted studies involving over 57,000 people consuming an average dose of 528 IU.

Doses of vitamin D in the 18 trials varied from 300 to 2,000 international units (IUs), with most commercially available supplements containing between 400-1,000 IUs.

After a follow-up of almost 6 years, a little over 4,500 participants of the study died. The participants who took Vitamin D supplements on regular basis showed a 7 percent lower risk of death when compared with those who did not take the supplements, researchers found.

Also, the results of blood tests (data available from 9 trials) of subjects who took vitamin D supplements showed 1.4 to 5.2 times higher level of vitamin D in their blood compared to those who did not.

Though the exact reason of the extended living was not clear, researchers believe that the vitamin blocks cancer cells from spreading, instead boosts the immune system.

Technically a hormone, Vitamin D is produced within the body when the skin is exposed to the ultraviolet B (UVB) rays in the sunlight. The basic function of vitamin D is to regulate the levels of calcium and phosphorous in the blood, thus helping to build strong bones and healthy teeth. It’s also believed to strengthen the immune system and possibly prevent some forms of cancer.

As little as 30 minutes of early morning or late afternoon sunlight on the face, hands and arms two or three times a week can supply the entire Vitamin D one needs. In addition, many experts recommend 400-600 IU a day for people over the age of 50 and 800 IU for those over the age of 70. For younger adults, 200-400 IU a day is probably sufficient.