In late June 2024, I attended a Vitamin D Workshop in Ireland, where Vitamin D experts from around the world gathered.
During my daily commute to the conference, I strolled along the serene River Lee to the venue at University College Cork, where vitamin D scientists and other related professionals shared their research, findings, and observations.
The Vitamin D Workshop 2024 was fascinating and an opportunity to network with other participants. My insights included:
• Vitamin D deficiency induces adipose (fatty) insulin resistance. (Fatty tissue can lead to weight gain).
• Clinical trials indicate that the lower vitamin D levels are, the higher the risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Vitamin D supplementation reduces the risk of progression to diabetes. The lower the body mass index (BMI), the
more effective vitamin D is.
• Sufficient vitamin D lowers the risk of developing prostate cancer.
• The T-cells in the immune system disrupt the pro-inflammatory viral loads, which indicates that vitamin D can
protect against the development of COVID-19.
• One presenter stated that vitamin D can decrease the severity of COVID-19.
• Regarding preconception in males, adequate vitamin D increased live sperm motility. In addition, sufficient
vitamin D is vitally important to pregnant females.
• Higher doses of vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy significantly improve neonatal status.
• Vitamin D is a central player in brain health. A presenter confirmed the association between levels of vitamin
D and autism.
• Regarding mental cognition, vitamin D may improve memory and cognition. Additionally, vitamin D may reduce
amyloid plaque in the brain.
• Rickets, a Victorian bone condition that has undergone a recent resurgence, can be avoided by giving a baby or
toddler a daily dose of vitamin D to attain at least a level of 28 nmol/L.
• Vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol, is less effective than vitamin D3 25(OH)D.
Although the majority of the findings regarding the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation were supportive, a few presentations painted a less than rosy picture with regard to the implementation of a worldwide effort to optimize the many health benefits of vitamin D:
• In late 2010, the Endocrine Society offered guidelines for upper and lower limits to vitamin D supplementation. The daily doses were terribly low. At this workshop – fourteen years later–several members of this organization briefed the society’s latest findings that were vague and largely unhelpful to clinicians. In addition, they did not recommend vitamin D testing!
• Both Europe and Canada are focused on food fortification, yet there are no plans as yet for vitamin K2 enrichment, a fat-soluble vitamin that partners with vitamin D and reduces the risk of developing hypercalcemia (high calcium).
• Low vitamin D levels remain globally widespread.
Well, there you have the highlights. I must say that many of these findings have already been published in the Defend Your Life Vitamin D book series and suggested in the Facebook Vitamin D Wellness group. In other words, most of the research presented during the conference only accentuated the guidelines that we follow in the group on the path to improved health!
Note: My insights are those I noted during the conference and do not constitute any official publications of the Vitamin D Workshop.
Copyright 2024 © Susan Rex Ryan
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