Vitamin D & Breast Cancer 50% - 70% risk reductions - authoritative must watch videos

[R.B.]

Global indeed ! No wonder Professor Holick is a little acerbic in his vitamin D video above !

Arab pre-term infants often have less than 10 ng of vitamin D - 2010
High Prevalence of moderately severe vitamin D deficiency in Pre-Term Infants

Received: 25-Nov-2009, revised: 17-May-2010, accepted: 16-Jun-2010
Original Article: Clinical Investigation
Adekunle Dawodu, MBBS, FRCPCH1, Ravi Nath, FRCPCH2
1Global Health Center, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
2Department of Pediatrics, Al-Ain Hospital, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
Adekunle Dawodu, MD
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
3333 Burnet Avenue, MLC 2048
Cincinnati, OH 45229 adekunle.dawodu@cchmc.org

Abstract
Background: The recommended dose of vitamin D (vD) supplementation of preterm infants is based on data from populations in which severe vD deficiency is uncommon and may be inadequate for infants in high risk population. However, data on vD status of preterm infants in high risk populations, such as Middle Eastern countries is scarce.
Aim: Investigate the vD status of Arab mothers and their preterm infants.

Method: Maternal serum and cord blood 25(OH)D, Ca, P and ALP were measured at delivery. Serum 25(OH)D was measured by HPLC while the other biochemical parameters were measured by standard autoanalyzer.

Results: Thirty-four preterm infants were studied. The mean gestational age was 31.4 weeks and birth weight was 1667g. The median serum 25(OH)D of 17.0 nmol/L in 28 mothers and 14.5 nmol/L in 34 cord blood samples were low. The median maternal and cord blood Ca, P and ALP levels were within normal range. Fifteen (44%) of the infants had moderately severe vD deficiency (serum 25 (OH)D levels <12.5 nmol/L). The median serum 25(OH)D levels of mothers who had reportedly taken prenatal vD supplementation and those who had not were similar (17.3 vs 16.3) nmol/L. The mean serum 25(OH)D levels among preterm infants in this study were low when compared to levels in Caucasians preterm infants on which the current vD recommendations are based. Conclusion: The high prevalence of moderately severe vD deficiency in Arab preterm infants provides a justification to investigate vD requirement of preterm infants in this and other high risk populations.

[R.B.]

Low D in developing countries – less than 5 ng in some children in China – Oct 2010
Hypovitaminosis D in developing countries—prevalence, risk factors and outcomes

Nature Reviews Endocrinology 6, 550-561 (October 2010) | doi:10.1038/nrendo.2010.146
Asma Arabi, Rola El Rassi & Ghada El-Hajj Fuleihan

Hypovitaminosis D is a prevalent disorder in developing countries. Clinical manifestations of hypovitaminosis D include musculoskeletal disorders, such as nonspecific muscle pain, poor muscle strength and low BMD, as well as nonmusculoskeletal disorders, such as an increased risk of respiratory infections, diabetes mellitus and possibly cardiovascular diseases. In developing countries, the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D varies widely by and within regions; prevalence ranges between 30–90%, according to the cut-off value used within specific regions, and is independent of latitude.

A high prevalence of the disorder exists in China and Mongolia, especially in children, of whom up to 50% are reported to have serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels <12.5 nmol/l. (= 5ng/ml)

Despite ample sunshine throughout the year, one-third to one-half of individuals living in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East have serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels <25 nmol/l, (10 ng/ml) according to studies published in the past decade.

Hypovitaminosis D is also prevalent in children and the elderly living in Latin America.

Risk factors for hypovitaminosis D in developing countries are similar to those reported in Western countries and include

extremes of age,
female sex,
winter season,
dark skin pigmentation,
malnutrition,
lack of sun exposure,
a covered clothing style and
obesity.

Clinical trials to assess the effect of vitamin D supplementation on classical and nonclassical clinical outcomes in developing countries are needed.