MNT’s Sunday Supplement: Genetic evidence links vitamin D deficiency to mortality risk in some
Vitamin D is a topic Medical News Today keeps coming back to. We have covered research into the link between vitamin D and the microbiome, the mixed evidence for the health benefits of supplementation, and the debate over its role in protecting people from the symptoms of COVID-19.
This week, MNT reported on a new study that reveals how vitamin D’s protective effect against dying from cancer or cardiovascular disease may be dependent on an individual genetics.
Researchers investigated the effect of a genetic predisposition for higher levels of vitamin D on mortality risk. They found that people who were genetically predisposed to have high levels were 30% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease or die from it — even if they had a deficiency in vitamin D.
This suggests that people who are genetically predisposed to having low levels of vitamin D are the most likely to benefit from supplementation. Previous studies looked at the population as a whole without taking into account the genetic characteristics of individuals. The potential benefit adequate vitamin D levels have on mortality was too small to be detected until now.
To learn more about the role of genetics in vitamin D and the underlying mechanisms that may explain this vitamin’s effect on health, jump to “Vitamin D and mortality risk: Is there a causal link?”
Also, this week we have the latest Honest Nutrition feature on the controversial topic of “clean eating,” news of a study that dishes the dirt on the hormone-disrupting chemicals found in fast food, and a new resource that brings together our most valuable articles on epilepsy and seizures.
We will return with our regular daily newsletter tomorrow. If you have any feedback, comments, or questions about this week’s Sunday Supplement, please get in touch by email.
Tim Snaith
Newsletter Editor, Medical News Today