Lack of vitamin D is linked to an increased risk of virus infections, respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, dementia, cancer, and osteoporosis. However, the official recommendations for vitamin D intake are way too low, according to two new studies that were presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions in Philadelphia in 2023. In addition, a German study of athletes has shown that it is better to take individually tailored vitamin D supplements to optimize blood levels of the nutrient instead of using a “one-size-fits-all” solution.

Fetuses and children need various nutrients, including vitamin B12, to support the development of the body and brain. According to a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it is crucial to breastfeed the child for a period of at least six months to make sure it gets enough vitamin B12 from the mother’s milk. Most people get enough B12 from animal food sources. However, in countries and populations where people primarily consume plant-based diets, vitamin B12 deficiencies are common. The scientists behind the new study therefore recommend more focus on this specific area and recommend that pregnant and breastfeeding women take vitamin B12 as a supplement in case they don’t get enough from their diet.

The number of older people is increasing rapidly, which means more and more people suffer from different types of dementia. Vitamin D supplementation may help prevent dementia or delay its progression, according to a population study that is published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring. It is important to have optimal blood levels of the nutrient throughout life, simply because it often takes years for dementia to develop, and because vitamin D has many different functions that are relevant for brain health.

In connection with tissue lesions, vitamin B12 boosts cellular reprogramming to speed up the healing process. This was shown in a Spanish study of mice with ulcerous colitis (bleeding inflammation in the colon). Based on this, the researchers assume that vitamin B12 supplementation may be useful for speeding up the regeneration of damage intestinal tissue. They mention that vitamin B12 may also help reduce the type of complicated inflammation that is seen with ulcerous colitis, and which contributes to the destruction of the intestinal mucosa. In this connection, it is important to remember that vegan diets lack vitamin B12, and that weak stomach acid and the ageing process can also inhibit the absorption of the nutrient.

- atherosclerosis, and early death

Cholesterol is an essential compound with many different functions. However, it can also turn into a potentially dangerous substance if it oxidizes and is embedded in the blood vessel walls. This oxidative process is what eventually leads to atherosclerosis. The trace element selenium protects against atherosclerosis because of its antioxidant properties and because of other mechanisms, according to a review article published in Biomedicine. This is highly relevant in our part of the world where cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death, and where selenium deficiency is so widespread.

Migraine headaches, a problem that affects far more women than men, is one of the diseases that costs most sick days, and there is no medical treatment that can cure the underlying cause. What we eat appears to play a major role, which is because foods such as matured cheese, chocolate, caffeinated beverages, red wine, and monosodium glutamate (MSG) can trigger migraines and headaches. Also, eating an unbalanced diet that is low in specific nutrients such as magnesium, B vitamins, and Q10 can disrupt certain metabolic processes, thereby setting off an attack. This was seen in a new study that is published in Frontiers in Nutrition.

Red hair is thought to be a natural part of human evolution in the northern regions, where there is less sunshine. According to a Czech study that is published in Experimental Dermatology, redheads produce more vitamin D than people with other hair colors. Also, redhaired women live longer than women with other hair colors, according to a Swedish study that is published in PLoS One.

Q10 is important for cellular energy turnover, and it is also a powerful antioxidant that protects cells and the circulatory system. We synthesize most of our own coenzyme Q10. According to a new in vitro study that is published in Scientific Reports, commonly used medical drugs such as the bisphosphonates, alendronate and zoledronate, for treating osteoporosis block the body’s Q10 synthesis, thereby impairing the energy production in cells, the antioxidant defense, and other metabolic processes. Earlier research has shown that cholesterol-lowering statins lower the endogenous Q10 synthesis, causing side effects such as tiredness, aching muscles, and impotence. It may therefore be a good idea for patients on this type of medication to take a Q10 supplement to prevent or mitigate the adverse effects.

Inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are becoming more and more common, even among young people. Diet, gut flora, and immune defense play a major role. Also, patients with inflammatory bowel disease seem to have lower blood levels of vitamin D, which is linked to the chronic inflammatory state and the progression of the disease. This was demonstrated in a study that was published recently in the science journal Medicine.