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Vitamin D Deficiency Is A Global Health Issue For The Black Community, Finds New Study

News

“A new study suggests that people of African descent should consider taking vitamin D supplements and consume more vitamin D rich foods.” [Source: Medicalexpress.com]

Comment

Previous research has shown that vitamin D insufficiency is more prevalent among African Americans than other Americans. In North America, most young, healthy African Americans do not achieve optimal vitamin D levels at any time of year. This is primarily due to the fact that pigmentation reduces vitamin D production in the skin.

In the two new studies reported in this news story, researchers from the UK compared vitamin D levels in black people living in low and high latitude countries and examined the effectiveness of supplementation.

In the first study, which looked at members of the black community across the globe, the researchers found that those living in low latitude countries, such as Brazil and South Africa, had sufficient levels of vitamin D. But in those living at higher latitudes, such as in the UK, vitamin D deficiency was common.

The second study consisted of 2 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials. Here, the researchers confirmed that vitamin D supplementation is an effective strategy for raising and maintaining adequate vitamin D levels over the winter months in both the UK and Brazil.

To read how, despite plentiful sun, other researchers have found high levels of vitamin D deficiency in Africa, see this article on our website.

To learn more about vitamin D, including how its D3 form has been shown to be twice as effective as the D2 form in raising blood levels of this important micronutrient, read this article on our website.