The potential benefits of taking vitamin D supplements may be affected by your weight and height, new research suggests. The study found that overweight and obese people taking these supplements experienced a smaller increase of vitamin levels and other related markers relative to those with a lower body mass index.
The study is a reanalysis of the VITAL trial, a large-scale project that tested whether proactively taking vitamin D or marine omega-3 supplements could reduce older people’s risk of developing cancer and cardiovascular disease. The randomized, placebo-controlled trial was led by researchers from the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Massachusetts, which is affiliated with Harvard University. It overall found no significant effect from either type of supplementation on these outcomes. But some data also indicated that vitamin D supplementation was associated with benefits in those with a BMI lower than 25 (BMI between 18.5 to 25 is considered “normal”), specifically a smaller risk of developing cancer and autoimmune disease, as well as a lower cancer mortality.
To better understand this link, some of the same researchers decided to study blood samples taken from over 16,000 volunteers over the age of 50 involved in the trial. These samples allowed them to look at people’s total vitamin D levels as well as other biomarkers of vitamin D, like metabolic byproducts and calcium, before the study began. About 2,700 of these volunteers also came back for follow-up blood tests two years later.
The team found that people’s levels of vitamin D and these biomarkers generally increased following supplementation, no matter their BMI. But this increase was significantly less pronounced in those with a BMI over 25, the threshold for overweight and obesity. This dampening effect was also seen in people who had low levels of vitamin D at baseline, meaning those who would experience the greatest benefit from supplementation. The team’s findings were published Tuesday in JAMA Network Open.
“We observed striking differences after two years, indicating a blunted response to vitamin D supplementation with higher BMI,” said study author Deirdre Tobias, an associate epidemiologist in Brigham’s Division of Preventive Medicine, in a statement from Harvard. “This may have implications clinically and potentially explain some of the observed differences in the effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation by obesity status.”
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As for why this may be happening, the researchers point to two possible theories. It’s possible, for instance, that higher levels of body fat may allow more vitamin D—a fat-soluble vitamin—to be pulled away from a person’s blood circulation and stored away. Obesity-related liver problems might also make it harder for people to metabolize vitamin D as effectively.
This is only one study, however, and more research will be needed to confirm the patterns seen here. But the authors say that their findings might eventually lead to a reevaluation of the positives and negatives of vitamin D supplementation and how to improve its use for people across the board. People with higher BMI, for example, may need higher doses of vitamin D to achieve the same benefits seen in those with lower body weight.
Diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the United States in 2019 based on 87,647 death certificates in which diabetes was listed as the underlying cause of death, according to the American Diabetes Association. In 2019, 37.3 million Americans, or 11.3 percent of the population, had diabetes.
The latest survey by the International Diabetes Union found one in four diabetic patients interviewed reported they did not receive adequate information on the disease. As a result, many patients failed to care for complications properly, which seriously hindered their daily life.
Diabetes Causes Peripheral Neuropathy
Diabetic patients are often unaware of the relationship between peripheral neuropathy and diabetes. Hence, they may misinterpret sensations of physical paralysis as part of aging. Since symptoms of diabetes are not always apparent in the early phases, by the time some patients seek medical treatment, the disease may have progressed substantially.
Endocrine and Diabetes Specialist Practitioner Dr. Tsang Man-wo at United Christian Hospital points out that diabetes is the prominent cause of peripheral neuropathy. The nerve fibers in the surrounding nervous system are damaged, causing peripheral nerve injuries or microvascular dysfunction due to elevated blood sugar levels.
Peripheral neuropathy can lead to multiple health risks, including sensory loss, muscle atrophy, and shakiness, increasing the risk of injury and making everyday activities a challenge. Diabetic patients are prone to other severe health conditions, such as skin ulcers and diabetes mellitus foot-induced amputation.
How to Prevent Peripheral Neuropathy?
Tsang suggests the best way to prevent lesions or further deterioration by diabetes is to control blood sugar levels. In addition to blood sugar control, patients should maintain normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels, avoid smoking and consuming alcohol, and exercise regularly.
Moreover, patients should take sufficient vitamins B1, B6, and B12 for more effective maintenance of the health of blood vessels and nervous systems.
Vitamin B1 deficiency impacts the heart and feet, damages nerves, and likely causes beriberi, also known as thiamine deficiency. The lack of vitamin B6 affects the blood and brain, signaling transduction of the nervous system. Vitamin B12 deficiency impacts the blood and nervous system regeneration, or worse, causes scurvy, malignant anemia, sensory loss, and dementia.
Metformin is a common drug for treating diabetes. However, the higher the dosage and prolonged use, especially for three years or more, may affect vitamin B12 absorption in the intestines, resulting in peripheral neuralgia.
Tsang says that by increasing the intake of B vitamins specifically for the nervous system, such as B1, B6, and B12, the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy can be relieved and prevented.
The doctor suggests that whenever patients encounter numbness in the limbs, particularly diabetics, they should not overlook the possibility of peripheral neuropathy and mistake it for arthritis or sciatica.
While it’s important to get as many nutrients as possible into your daily diet, we’re all bound to run into gaps and deficiencies sometimes. That’s where supplements come in. Supplements are a fantastic way to ensure your body is getting everything it needs to function properly and stay as healthy as possible. However, it’s important to note that not all supplements are created equally. In fact, there’s one kind of vitamin that experts say you should skip altogether. Believe it or not, it’s a multivitamin—especially the gummy kind.
To get down to the bottom of things and learn exactly why you may want to consider leaving those One-A-Days on the shelf next time you’re at the pharmacy, we spoke to holistic physician Sony Sherpa, MD. She told us that multivitamins typically don’t offer enough nutrients to make a difference, and gummy varieties are difficult for your body to absorb properly. Learn more below!
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Gummy multivitamins
For those of us who are always looking for shortcuts, gummy vitamins seem like the perfect solution to supplements. They’re supposed to give us all the vitamins and minerals we need—and they taste so good, we’d eat them like candy if we could. However, dear reader, we’re sad to tell you that many health experts agree on one thing about these delicious supplements: they’re virtually useless when it comes to health benefits. That’s right: neither multivitamins nor gummy vitamins are the most effective way to get your nutrients. When combined, they’re pretty much a waste of money for a few reasons. We’ll dive into exactly why below.
Downsides of multivitamins
While a multivitamin may sound like a great way to meet your daily quota for all of the important vitamins and nutrients your body needs to thrive, Dr. Sherpa warns that this isn’t necessarily the case. If you think it sounds too good to be true, you’re probably right. This is because this variety of supplement offers a small portion of the vitamins you need.
“Essentially, the vitamin contents of multivitamin tablets are greatly reduced because these supplements are manufactured in very large quantities,” Dr. Sherpa explains. “This allows for the inclusion of a small amount of each vitamin, rather than producing tablets with larger concentrations of only one or two vitamins. Consequently, multivitamins often do not contain nearly enough of any given vitamin to have a noticeable effect on our health.” So while you may feel like you’re providing your body with ample fuel, you might be hardly giving it anything useful at all.
Downsides of gummy vitamins
If multivitamins are somewhat useless on their own, they’re even less worth your money when they come in gummy form. As fun (and tasty) as gummy vitamins can be, Dr. Sherpa says they likely won’t do your health much good due to the fact that they offer low amounts of the vitamins you need.
“One major factor is that these types of vitamins typically contain lower quantities of vitamins and minerals since they are designed for children or young adults who typically require smaller doses of these nutrients ,” she explains.
But it isn’t just the low vitamin content of these supplements that makes them a poor choice. Dr. Sherpa says they’re also difficult for your body to absorb, thanks to all that sugar that makes them taste so good: “Gummy vitamins often have poor absorption rates due to their high sugar content, which can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb and utilize these nutrients. As a result, gummy vitamins may not be as effective at meeting our vitamin and mineral needs as other supplements,” she tells us. Say it ain’t so! Guess it’s time to invest in some big girl supplements and say goodbye to our candy-flavored fantasies.
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What is the best way to get vitamins?
So, if multivitamins and gummy vitamins aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, how should you get your daily dose of vitamins and minerals? Unfortunately there’s no easy shortcut. Dr. Sherpa says the most effective way to get nutrients is always straight from the food you eat. “The best way to ensure that we get the proper amount of vitamins and minerals is to focus on a healthy, well balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains,” she notes.
However, this doesn’t mean that all supplements are a waste of money. If you find you’re missing certain vitamins and minerals from your diet, the right one can really come in handy—just don’t rely on them for everything. “Supplements are there to fill any gaps in our diet and help us to stay healthy, but they should not be the sole source of these nutrients,” Dr. Sherpa explains.
As far as the best way to ensure your body is absorbing all the beneficial nutrients you provide it with, she offers some advice: “Along with a healthy diet, it is also important to exercise regularly and avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, as these behaviors can interfere with our ability to absorb and utilize vitamins and minerals. Taking care of your body is a life-long effort, and making good choices about nutrition is a crucial part of that process,” she concludes. Noted!
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While nothing works as dramatically as what is shown in this artist’s concept, there are vitamins and nutrients that help slow the aging process.
Vitamins are sometimes overlooked in the fight against aging compared to the vast variety of creams and serums, but research shows that vitamins are a key part of slowing the aging process.
While topical serums and creams may slow the appearance of aging in areas where they are applied, they cannot fight the aging happening within your body, and some anti-aging ingredients cannot be absorbed through the skin, making topical application pointless. Vitamins, meanwhile, work from the inside out, resulting in both inner and outer health. This does not mean you need to forgo topical solutions — the most powerful anti-aging regimes use both vitamins and topical creams to form a powerful, multi-pronged defense.
Vitamins and supplements help us ensure we are getting the nutrients we need, particularly if we are deficient — and according to experts, many adults do not get enough vitamin D[1] or B12,[2] leading to otherwise preventable age-related disorders and poor health.
However, not all vitamins are equal when it comes to anti-aging. Some vitamins are far more powerful at combatting the effects of age than others. This is why this article ranks the most effective vitamins when it comes to giving yourself a youthful glow, wrinkle-free skin, and a renewed sense of well-being.
If you were to take just one anti-aging supplement, collagen is the top choice.
1. Collagen
Collagen is the king of anti-aging, which is why so many youth rejuvenation treatments focus on renewing or revitalizing collagen production in the body — but you can kick start this process without needles, simply by supplementing collagen into your diet.
Collagen is a protein that helps in the maintenance of skin, and as we age we produce less of it, leading to wrinkles and sagging. It’s believed that collagen production begins slowing as early as our early twenties. However, when our bodies start to slow the production of collagen, we can make sure our levels remain high by supplementing it. Collagen supplements have been shown to improve skin elasticity and reduce wrinkles.[3]
A 12-week study of 72 women showed that regularly taking a supplement that contained 2.5 grams of collagen (along with several other ingredients) significantly improved the appearance of skin elasticity and softness.[4]
If you choose one anti-aging supplement, choose collagen. But why would you choose just one when many others do almost as good a job?
Besides for taking vitamin supplements, you can get Vitamin A in your diet by eating beef liver, eggs, tomatoes, bell peppers, spinach, and carrots.
2. Vitamin A
Vitamin A is the strongest argument for why you should keep going after supplementing with collagen. This powerhouse vitamin prevents and slows the effects of aging on both your insides and outsides.
Vitamin A is also known as retinol, which forms the key ingredient in many anti-aging supplements and serums. Vitamin A is not naturally produced by our bodies, which means it needs to be consumed either by eating foods rich in it or by taking it as a supplement. And there’s plenty of reason to do that, because vitamin A is the gold standard when it comes to anti-aging.
Tretinoin, which is derived from vitamin A, has been proven to boost collagen production and reduce wrinkles. It does this by interfering with the enzymes that break down collagen in the skin’s dermal layer, promoting the creation of new collagen instead.[5]
Vitamin A does not just help your skin; it also helps your insides. It promotes better vision and a stronger immune system, and helps your heart and lungs work properly.[6] Your insides age, too — but you can slow the process with the help of vitamin A.
Getting vitamin D from sun exposure on your skin is one option. Foods with vitamin D include fortified milk, salmon, tuna, and soybeans.
3. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin, as one of the ways we synthesize it is from exposure to sunshine. But vitamin D is also a powerful anti-aging vitamin, extended with longevity and a possible reduction in diseases and illnesses related to aging.[7]
Research has also shown that vitamin D is effective in preventing premature aging by protecting the skin from ultraviolet light, one of the most common causes of wrinkles and lines.[8]
And while vitamin D’s effects on aging have long gone unrecognized, new research is showing that the sunshine vitamin is much more powerful than previously thought, with a 2016 study discovering that vitamin D has the power to extend the median lifespan by 33%.[9]
Vitamin E is essential for health, and is found in almonds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, asparagus, avocado, and mango.
4. Vitamin E
As we age, our body needs more vitamin E to remain healthy[10] — unsurprising, as vitamin E plays an essential role in regulating our immune system.
As one of the skin’s first layers of defense, vitamin E occurs naturally in our body but is quickly depleted by sun rays. This is not good, as vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals, unstable atoms that damage cells and have been linked to aging.
Vitamin E not only protects the skin from wrinkles and fine lines, but it can also boost collagen production, speeding up cell regeneration and creating new skin growth. Studies have shown that ingesting vitamin E orally as a supplement dramatically increases protection against the breakdown of collagen.[11]
Vitamin E is good for your body as well as your skin. It’s been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease[12] and potentially protect against cognitive decline.[13]
You can get Resveratrol from supplements, or from red wine, peanuts, grapes, blueberries, cranberries, and dark chocolate.
5. Resveratrol
You may have heard of collagen, vitamin A and vitamin D before, but resveratrol is probably new to you. But it’s time to get to know this powerful little antioxidant because it’s one of your most powerful weapons against aging.
Resveratrol is responsible for giving grapes and raspberries their distinctive red color, and it also combats wrinkles and fine lines. While you can certainly get plenty of resveratrol by making berries a staple of your diet, you can much more easily add it to your diet as a supplement.
Exposure to UV light, such as sunlight, is one of the main culprits when it comes to skin aging. But there’s no need to stop enjoying the sunshine. Resveratrol has been found to protect skin from premature aging brought on by UV light.[14] Resveratrol has also been found to increase lifespan.[15] Not bad for such an obscure vitamin.
Dietary sources of zinc include oysters, whole grains, red meat, poultry, beans nuts, crab, and lobster.
6. Zinc
Zinc is an essential trace mineral found in the red blood cells and is involved in many important roles in the human body but our body does not naturally produce zinc. Because of this, we need to obtain zinc through either our diet or supplements.
We need zinc for many things, including synthesizing proteins, regulating our immune system, and healing wounds. But zinc is also a powerful ally in the fight against aging. Zinc deficiencies have been found to speed up the aging process,[16] while significantly reducing the risk of age-related illnesses and infections.[17]
Zinc also plays a key role in protecting against hair loss, a major part of aging for both men and women. As zinc plays an important role in the growth and repair of hair tissue, it’s no surprise that studies have shown that taking zinc supplements can defend against hair loss.[18]
With so many benefits, zinc is well worth adding to your supplement routine.
Turmeric is the plant with the largest amount of curcumin and is a commonly available nutritional supplement.
7. Curcumin
Curcumin’s positive effects on aging have flown under the radar for a long time but new research is bringing this polyphenol into the spotlight. Found in the root of the turmeric plant, curcumin has been found to lead to improvements in both cognition and memory, and is now being investigated as a possible treatment for
Curcumin has also been found to extend the life of a wide variety of organisms, from fruit flies to worms to yeast,[20] leading researchers to question if it can be used for the same purposes in humans.
There are many different causes of aging, from oxidative stress to breakdown of cells to loss of telomere length, and curcumin has been found to positively impact a wide variety of them.[21] However, the jury is still out on how much curcumin finds its way back into the bloodstream when ingested. So despite its multitude of benefits to anti-aging, it finds itself low on the list. Perhaps, with more research, curcumin will climb the ranks.
Sources for selenium include nuts (especially Brazil nuts), seafood, organ meats, and eggs.
8. Selenium
Selenium is a trace mineral that prevents vitamin E deficiencies. It can be obtained through diet or supplements. New research suggests that selenium can play an important role in fighting aging, particular when it comes to age-related disorders and illnesses such as tumors and cardiovascular diseases.[22]
Selenium has also been associated with longer telomeres — caps located on the ends of our chromosomes that decide how quickly our cells age.[23] And older adults with low levels of selenium have been found to have significantly higher rates of death than those with high levels of selenium.[24]
However, research on selenium’s anti-aging benefits is still lacking, and many of the most promising studies are still new. In time, selenium may prove to be an anti-aging superhero, but for now, it remains a background player with promise.
Strong and Effective Weapons
Vitamins are some of our strongest weapons when it comes to fighting anti-aging, but unfortunately sometimes we can’t get the amount we need through diet alone. However, with a good supplement routine, we can fight the symptoms of aging, whether it’s wrinkles and fine lines, skin sagging, cognitive decline, or poor physical health.
Not all vitamins are useful when it comes to combating aging, and some vitamins might not confer the particular anti-aging benefits we are specifically looking for. This is why it’s important to stay educated on the newest research on which vitamins fight what. However, when we come armed with knowledge, vitamins can be a powerful anti-aging tool indeed.
References:
Goodwill, Alicia M. et al: “A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of The Effect of Low Vitamin D on Cognition”, October 2017, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28758188/
Hoffman, Richard: “Micronutrient deficiencies in the elderly – could ready meals be part of the solution?”, January 12 2017, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5465850/
Lupu, Mihaela-Adi et al: “Beneficial effects of food supplements based on hydrolyzed collagen for skin care (Review)”, July 2020, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7271718/
Bolke, Liana et al: “A Collagen Supplement Improves Skin Hydration, Elasticity, Roughness, and Density: Results of a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Blind Study”, October 17 2019, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6835901/
Zasada, Malwina et al: “Retinoids: active molecules influencing skin structure formation in cosmetic and dermatological treatments”, August 30 2019, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6791161/
“Vitamin A and Carotenoids”, May 11 2022, ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-Consumer
Meehan, Meghan et al: “The Role of Vitamin D in the Aging Adult”, December 2014, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4399494/
Reichrath, Jörg: “Unraveling of hidden secrets: The role of vitamin D in skin aging”, July 1 2012, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583884/
Mark, Karla A. et al: “Vitamin D Promotes Protein Homeostasis and Longevity via the Stress Response Pathway Genes skn-1, ire-1, and xbp-1”, October 25 2016, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27783938/
Meydani, Nikbin Simin et al: “Perspective: Should Vitamin E Recommendations for Older Adults Be Increased?”, August 11 2018, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6140432/
Schagen, Silke K. et al: “Discovering the link between nutrition and skin aging”, July 1 2012, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583891/
Emami, Mohammed Reza et al: “Effect of vitamin E supplementation on blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis”, July 2019, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30846828/
Browne, Declan et al: “Vitamin E and Alzheimer’s disease: what do we know so far?”, 2019, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6645610/
Petruk, Ganna et al: “Antioxidants from Plants Protect against Skin Photoaging”, August 2 2018, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6098906/
Li Juan et al: “A comparative study of anti-aging properties and mechanism: resveratrol and caloric restriction”, September 12 2017, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5630366/
Vitamins A, C, B and zinc are nutrients that Americans typically get enough of through their diet.
Nutrition experts said Americans should try to get all nutrients from food rather than through supplements.
Taking additional vitamin C and zinc will likely not prevent a cold, and excess amounts get peed out.
The supplement industry is exploding, but nutrition experts don’t recommend getting your vitamins and minerals from pills.
Supplement sales reached a record-breaking $55 billion in sales in 2020, and the industry has recorded huge gains since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Emma Laing, a clinical professor at the University of Georgia and a registered dietitian, said most healthy adults get their nutrients through food rather than supplements, as food offers biochemicals and fiber that don’t come from a pill.
“Foods like whole grains, vegetables, and legumes are generally considered affordable foods that are also nutrient-rich,” Laing told Insider. “It would be difficult to manufacture a supplement that would mimic the exact nutrient profile of these foods and yield the same health benefits.”
Plus, Americans may not realize they are getting enough vitamins and minerals through their diet already. Insider spoke with three dietitians to understand which vitamins and minerals Americans are typically eating enough of through their diet, making supplements unnecessary.
Though Americans typically get enough vitamins A, C, B and
zinc
through the Western diet, experts said people should strive to get every nutrient through a balanced diet. People with deficiencies diagnosed by a doctor, or those who have limited diets due to food allergy or intolerance, could require supplements, per Laing.
Vitamin C supplements might reduce the severity or length of a cold, but overtaking supplements won’t help
In 2018, the US Food and Drug Administration stopped requiring sellers to label the daily value of vitamin C and vitamin A on nutrition labels because of how rare deficiencies of these vitamins are. The two nutrients are found in a variety of fruits and vegetables, and it doesn’t take much to get your daily requirement: just one orange has most vitamin C you need for the day, per Medical News Today.
Because of vitamin C’s immune boosting properties, some people take the supplement to prevent colds. Kirstin Vollrath, a registered dietitian and professor at the University of Houston, said taking vitamin C and zinc together at the start of a cold might reduce its symptoms or length, but won’t stop the virus. A 2013 review of placebo-controlled trials did not find evidence vitamin C supplementation prevents colds.
“Our bodies are much more sophisticated than we give them credit for,” Vollrath said. “Your body knows how much vitamin C it needs, and once it’s got enough to be able to function, the rest of it is going to be excreted mostly through urine.”
Most Americans are getting enough vitamin A — but supplements are causing overdoses
Like with vitamin C, the FDA stopped requiring food manufacturers to label the daily percentage of vitamin A due to the rarity of deficiencies.
Vollrath said though globally vitamin A deficiency is a common cause for blindness, the average Western diet contains enough of the nutrient.
In fact, Vollrath said Americans are more likely to over do it on vitamin A. Vitamin A toxicity occurs usually when taking too many supplements and can cause nausea, headaches, and blurred vision.
“When people think about vitamins, it’s never more is better,” Vollrath said. “We always need enough, and sometimes more is harmful.”
Typical American diets contain enough vitamin B, excluding B12
There are several different types of vitamin B, including thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), and cobalamin (B12). Vitamin B helps convert food into energy, boosts immunity, and assists in making new cells, according to Harvard Medical School.
Michelle Averill, the associate director of the University of Washington’s Graduate Coordinated Program in Dietetics, said generally Americans are “doing fine” with getting enough vitamin B, particularly if they are eating grains fortified with the nutrient. Averill said research has indicated there is “very little benefit” from taking vitamin B supplements.
Vitamin B12 is a different story, Averill said, as vegetarians and vegans might not get enough of the nutrient since it’s found primarily in animal products. Vitamin B12 deficiencies can cause anemia, sensory problems, and nerve damage.
Adults typically get enough zinc, and taking the mineral won’t stop a cold
Averill said young kids can benefit from getting more zinc, but the deficiencies of the mineral should not concern most adults.
“We’re not really that deficient in it,” Averill said. “There’s very little evidence to suggest that you could take it and prevent things.
She said many people have tried taking zinc supplements to prevent or minimize a cold. A recent analysis of 28 controlled trials found zinc had a moderate to no effect on easing the symptoms of a cold, though it can shorten the duration of symptoms.
But according to Averill, zinc has to be in the body before exposure to the virus to have the best results. Plus, taking zinc supplements through nasal sprays can lead to permanent loss of smell, according to Mayo Clinic.
Some populations may still require supplements for health
Though most healthy Americans wouldn’t benefit from supplements like vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B, and zinc, Laing said there are groups of people who may require it. The groups include people with a deficiency diagnosed by a doctor, those with limited diets due to food allergy or intolerance, infants, and people planning for pregnancy or who are pregnant. Certain health conditions and medicines may require supplementation as well, according to Laing.
Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is superior to vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) when it comes to health effects and should be the favoured form for fortified foods and supplements say researchers from the Universities of Surrey and Brighton.
In their study, published in Frontiers in Immunology , the researchers set out to investigate the effect of vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 supplementation on the activity of human genes.
The study involved 97 participants selected for transcriptome analysis and was built on a previous study, in which participants had been randomised to receive either 15 μg (600 IU) vitamin D2 or 15 μg vitamin D3 daily supplementation within fortified foods, or to a placebo group for a period of 12 weeks during UK wintertime (October to March). Analysis took place at baseline and at 12 weeks after the start of treatment, with serum measurements of total 25(OH)D, 25(OH)D2, and 25(OH)D3 determined from fasting blood samples at baseline, week 6, and week 12. Of the 97 participants, aged 20-64 years and living in Surrey, 67 were white European and 30 were South Asian.
Research Showed How Vitamin D3 Boosted the Immune System
Two types of vitamin D do not have the same effect, the authors explained. The research enabled them to identify how vitamin D3 had a modifying effect on the immune system that could fortify the body against bacterial and viral diseases, including COVID-19.
Gene expression associated with type I and type II interferon activity, critical to the body’s innate response to bacterial and viral infections, differed following supplementation with vitamin D2 and vitamin D3, they said. Only vitamin D3 had a stimulatory effect. Following vitamin D3 supplementation, the majority of changes in gene expression reflected a down-regulation in the activity of genes “potentially shifting the immune system to a more tolerogenic status”.
Prof Colin Smith, lead-author of the study from the University of Surrey, who began this work while at the University of Brighton, said: “We have shown that vitamin D3 appears to stimulate the type I interferon signalling system in the body – a key part of the immune system that provides a first line of defence against bacteria and viruses. Thus, a healthy vitamin D3 status may help prevent viruses and bacteria from gaining a foothold in the body.”
COVID Has Contributed to Vitamin D Deficiency
Foods like some breakfast cereals, yoghurts, and bread, are fortified with vitamin D, but few naturally contain the vitamin. Many people have insufficient levels of vitamin D3 because they live in locations where sunlight is limited in the winter, such as the UK. The COVID-19 pandemic response has also limited people’s natural exposure to the sun due to people spending more time in their homes. The British Nutrition Foundation has highlighted that the National Diet and Nutrition Survey reported in October 2021 that about 1 in 6 adults in the UK had low vitamin D blood levels. Furthermore, 49% of British adults were unaware of the Government’s recommendation to consider taking vitamin D supplements during the autumn and winter months.
“Our study suggests that it is important that people take a vitamin D3 supplement, or suitably fortified foods, especially in the winter months,” said Prof Smith.
The researchers acknowledged that their ability to detect differences in the effects of vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 may have been negatively impacted by the relatively low statistical power; by the inclusion of two different ethnic groups among the 97 participants, and by the limited number of participants. They pointed out that, therefore, “the biological interpretation of our findings should be considered as preliminary, requiring independent verification.”
Prof Susan Lanham-New, co-author of the study and head of the department of nutritional sciences at the University of Surrey, said: “While we found that vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 do not have the same effect on gene activity within humans, the lack of impact we found when looking at vitamin D2 means that a larger study is urgently required to clarify the differences in the effects.
“However, these results show that vitamin D3 should be the favoured form for fortified foods and supplements,” she concluded.
In a perfect world, we’d all have access to a balanced, nutrient-dense diet that’s chock-full of healthy fats, fruits, vegetables, adequate protein and fiber — and theoretically, shouldn’t have to take additional vitamin supplements in order to strengthen our immune system
However, not only do most of us fail to hit these daily nutrition goals, but we may have situations — like physical stress or inflammatory health issues — when we need more of certain nutrients than what we’re getting from food.
As an immunologist and functional medicine doctor, I always say that you cannot supplement yourself out of bad health or replace a poor diet with vitamins, but you can fill in the gaps to give yourself that extra leg up.
Below are the four supplements that I take every day and often recommend to my patients. Trust me: Your body will thank you.
1. Vitamin C
Since humans cannot manufacture vitamin C and it’s not stored it in the body, it needs to be constantly replenished.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and strengthens our immune system cells. It gets used up rapidly during infection and when we are under tremendous stress. It also speeds wound-healing and is great for your skin.
Supplemental vitamin C has been found in studies to lower the severity and duration of a cold, and in early studies may lessen the severity of hospitalized Covid patients’ symptoms.
A good dose to start with is 500 milligrams twice daily for maximum absorption.
2. Vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiency is a worldwide issue, which is a problem because this superstar vitamin modulates so many aspects of our immune function. It makes our innate immune system more efficient in killing bacteria and viruses, and can reduce the frequency of upper respiratory infections.
Low vitamin D has also been correlated with a higher incidence of autoimmune disease like multiple sclerosis. Because vitamin D isn’t found readily in many foods (save for fatty fish, cod liver and fortified foods), most people benefit from vitamin supplementation, especially in the winter months or if they don’t spend much time outdoors on a regular basis.
I suggest starting with 1,000 to 2,000 international units per day, taken with a meal.
3. Zinc
The World Health Organization reports that between 17% and 30% of the world population has a zinc deficiency, potentially affecting health outcomes.
Zinc is a trace mineral with crucial effects on the effectiveness of the cells and cytokines of our innate and adaptive immune systems. Zinc aids in fighting viruses, protects us from free radical damage to our cells, and has been shown to shorten the duration of a cold when given as a supplement.
Zinc is found at high levels in oysters, beef and crab, and in lower amounts in legumes, tofu, pumpkin seeds, cashews and other nuts and seeds. I recommend adding in 15 to 30 milligrams of zinc daily, especially during the fall and winter months and at the first signs of cold or flu.
4. Curcumin
This substance is the main active ingredient in turmeric root and has been shown to bestow multiple health benefits.
In fact, there are more than 120 human clinical trials showing the effectiveness of curcumin in treating diseases ranging from autoimmunity to Alzheimer’s disease.
The magic of curcumin is how it decreases inflammation at multiple levels in the body, not only helping with symptom relief from pain and arthritis but also blocking inflammatory cytokines driving autoimmune disease, heart disease and diabetes.
It also improves the health of our gut bacteria, which adds to our overall immune health. Because curcumin is not absorbed well and one would have to eat copious amounts of turmeric root to have significant benefits, I recommend supplementing with 1,000 milligrams per day with food.
Dr. Heather Modayis a board-certified allergist, immunologist and functional medicine physician. She is also the author of “The Immunotype Breakthrough: Your Personalized Plan to Balance Your Immune System, Optimize Health, and Build Lifelong Resilience.” Follow her on Instagram @theimmunityMD and Facebook.
The key to improving our overall health is by eating nutrient- and mineral-rich foods. Vitamins and minerals play an important role in maintaining our health and wellness.
Having said that, a woman’s body goes through a multitude of changes, physical, mental and hormonal, which makes them subject to specific nutrient needs. For instance, a teen girls requirement for nutrients and minerals may differ from that of a breastfeeding or a menopausal women. Some may require supplementation, while others may have a sufficient amount of nutrients in their bodies already.
However, it is essential that you get your daily dose of vitamins and minerals at all costs. Here’s a list of the most important vitamins and minerals women should take on an everyday basis.
Also read: Signs you should STOP taking Vitamin D supplements
How to tell which vitamins you’re deficient in – the simple taste test
The symptoms for these deficiencies will be quite discrete, so you’ll need to get tested to find out if you’re deficient.
Catherine Sharman, accredited Nutritional Therapist, Functional Medicine Practitioner, and Founder of Après Food has developed a Health Check kit that allows you to determine your personal need for minerals in a simple and reproducible home test.
All you have to do is take a liquid mineral taste test, a stomach acid test and a pH acid/alkaline balance test.
The liquid mineral taste test involves sipping on nine different liquids in test tubes, marking down whether they taste ‘sweet or pleasant’, ‘like water or slightly furry’, or ‘metallic or you just don’t like it’ to figure out YOUR personal need for nine different minerals.
Your results will tell you whether or not you’re deficient, have a slight deficiency or are sufficient.
The Delta variant has continued to spread throughout the U.S., prompting the public to look for the best ways to prevent themselves from getting the highly transmissible strain of the coronavirus.
Health organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) advise people to get vaccinated against COVID as their first line of defense.
But many people have searched for alternative means of protection not recommended by health officials, including the horse dewormer drug ivermectin, the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, and even vitamins.
Many people take nutritional supplements such as vitamin C or zinc to boost their immune systems.
But according to the Mayo Clinic, “these supplements are unlikely to affect your immune function or prevent you from getting sick.”
Dr. Sandra Adams, a professor of biology and virologist at Montclair State University, added that vitamins cannot boost a significant enough immune response to prevent you from getting COVID “or any of its variants.”
“Vitamins cannot prevent infection from the Delta variant,” Adams told NJ.com Thursday in an email. “Vitamins cannot interfere with any stage in the replication of the SARS-CoV-2 virus or any of its variants, nor would vitamins be sufficient to boost the immune response to prevent the onset of illness.”
The Delta variant is currently responsible for 99% of all COVID cases, according to the CDC.
Davidson Harmer, professor of Global Health and Medicine at Boston University Schools of Public Health and Medicine, has spent decades researching the interactions between nutrition and infection and how micronutrients are important for immune function.
Harmer told Newsweek while taking vitamins and minerals is important for maintaining immune function, there is no evidence that taking vitamins will protect an individual from catching COVID-19.
“There is evidence that vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased risk of becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2 [The virus that causes COVID-19], Harmer told Newsweek. “However, the limited studies that have evaluated vitamin D supplements to try to avoid infection have not shown any benefit.”
Related stories about the Delta variant and COVID:
When can kids under 12 get vaccinated against COVID?
The Delta variant symptoms to look out for if you are fully vaccinated
Unvaccinated people 11 times more likely to die from COVID, CDC says
Is it safe to get a flu shot and a COVID vaccine at the same time?
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Katherine Rodriguez can be reached at krodriguez@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips.
