Lacking Vitamin D Can Lead to Dementia, Says New Study

 Lacking This Vitamin Can Lead to Dementia, Says New Study

Your brain needs healthy habits too.

By Michael Martin 

Published on June 24, 2022 | 7:01 AM

FACT CHECKED BYEMILIA PALUSZEK

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You know the healthy habits you need to adopt to protect your heart, but were you aware certain lifestyle changes can keep your brain healthy, reducing your risk of age-related disorders like dementia? They include diet, exercise, and according to a new study, making sure you're getting enough of this vitamin on a daily basis. Read on to find out more—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss these Sure Signs You've Already Had COVID.

1

What The Study Found

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According to a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, having a low vitamin D level is associated with smaller brain volume and an increased risk of dementia and stroke, and almost 20 percent of dementia cases could be prevented by keeping vitamin D level in a healthy range.

2

How the Study Was Conducted

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Researchers from the University of Australia analyzed health data from more than 290,000 people in the UK Biobank, comparing vitamin D levels with brain imaging that measured the size of gray matter, white matter, and the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for executive functions like memory.

The scientists found that participants who had a genetically higher level of vitamin D had a decreased dementia risk, with the odds of dementia decreasing with higher concentrations of the vitamin, up to 50 nmol/L, after which the benefits were less marked.

3

Vitamin D's Benefits Widely Recognized

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Scientists have long known about vitamin D's importance to overall health, including the immune system and bones. But less research has been done on the vitamin's effect on the brain.

"Vitamin D is a hormone precursor that is increasingly recognized for widespread effects, including on brain health, but until now it has been very difficult to examine what would happen if we were able to prevent vitamin D deficiency," said Elina Hyppönen, the study's lead author. "Our study is the first to examine the effect of very low levels of vitamin D on the risks of dementia and stroke, using robust genetic analyses among a large population."

She added: "In some contexts, where vitamin D deficiency is relatively common, our findings have important implications for dementia risks. Indeed, in this UK population, we observed that up to 17 percent of dementia cases might have been avoided by boosting vitamin D levels to be within a normal range."

4

Low Levels of Vitamin D Common

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Both low levels of vitamin D and dementia are not uncommon in the U.S. It's estimated that 40% of Americans have insufficient levels of the vitamin. And about 5.8 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease and dementia-related conditions, a number that's expected to increase as the population ages. 

"Dementia is a progressive and debilitating disease that can devastate individuals and families alike," said Hyppönen. "If we're able to change this reality through ensuring that none of us is severely vitamin D deficient, it would also have further benefits and we could change the health and well-being for thousands."

"Most of us are likely to be OK, but for anyone who for whatever reason may not receive enough vitamin D from the sun, modifications to diet may not be enough, and supplementation may well be needed."

5

What to Do About Your Vitamin D Level

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It's a good idea to get your vitamin D level checked by your doctor annually. If your levels are low, they might recommend a supplement. According to the National Institutes of Health, adults are advised to get at least 600 IU of vitamin D each day, between food and supplements (although that number is somewhat controversial, and some doctors believe it should be higher). The NIH notes that the safe upper limit of vitamin D for adults is 4,000 IU a day.

And to protect your life and the lives of others, don't visit any of these 35 Places You're Most Likely to Catch COVID.

Michael Martin

Michael Martin is a New York City-based writer and editor whose health and lifestyle content has also been published on Beachbody and Openfit. A contributing writer for Eat This, Not That!, he has also been published in New York, Architectural Digest, Interview, and many others. Read more

Source: https://www.eatthis.com/news-lacking-vitamin-can-lead-to-dementia/

ALSO: https://healthticket.blogspot.com/2022/06/sure-signs-youre-lacking-vitamin-d-say.html

How simply standing up could show you are at risk of heart attack or stroke later in life

 Scientists have looked at how the body reacts when people simply get to their feet and found it shows a lot about future health risks

By

Gwyn Wright

Elaine Blackburne

• 09:03, 18 MAR 2022
• UPDATED09:09, 18 MAR 2022

Standing up can indicate risk of heart attack (Image: iStockphoto)

A big rise in blood pressure when you stand up could mean you are at risk from a stroke or heart attack, according to scientists. Young and middle aged people whose blood pressure jumped most quickly were almost twice as likely to experience a heart attack, stroke or other major cardiovascular event later in life.

The sudden jump could become an easy test to identify who is most at risk and the discovery could mean pressure-busting medicines could start being used earlier. High blood pressure affects around a third of Brits although many do not realise it, according to the NHS website.

It affects around two in five people globally and is considered to be the world’s leading preventable cause of death. Statistics suggest people with high blood pressure, known as hypertension, in middle age are five times more likely to have brain cognitive impairment and are twice as likely to end up with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease when they get older.

Typically, systolic blood pressure falls slightly when you stand up. This sparked the researchers curiosity into whether the opposite response means people are at higher risk of cardiac arrest and stroke.

For the study, the researchers looked at records of 1,207 Italians who took part in the HARVEST study, which began in 1990. Participants were between 18 and 45 years old with untreated stage one hypertension- which is systolic pressure of between 140 and 159 millimetres of mercury (mmHg) or a diastolic pressure of 90 to 100 mmHg.

None of them had taken blood pressure-lowering medication before they took part in the study and they were all initially deemed to be at low risk of heart attack and stroke. They did not have diabetes, kidney impairment or any other cardiovascular diseases.

When they enrolled in the study, participants were an average age of 33. Most - 72 per cent - were men and they all were white.

When they enrolled, six blood pressure measurements for each participant were taken in various physical positions. This included when they were lying down and after standing up.

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The 120 participants with the highest rise (top 10 per cent) in blood pressure upon standing averaged an 11.4 mm/Hg increase and all increases in this group were greater than 6.5 mm/Hg. The remaining participants averaged a 3.8 mm/Hg fall in systolic blood pressure upon standing.

The researchers compared heart disease risk factors, laboratory measures and the occurrence of major cardiovascular events. This included heart attack, heart-related chest pain, stroke, aneurysm of the aortic artery, clogged peripheral arteries and chronic kidney disease among participants in the two groups.

In some cases, the development of atrial fibrillation, an arrhythmia that is a major risk factor for stroke, was also assessed. Results were adjusted for age, gender, parental history of heart disease, and several lifestyle factors and measurements taken during study enrolment.

During the follow up period, which averaged 17 years, 105 major cardiovascular events took place. The most common were heart attack, heart-related chest pain and stroke.

The 10 per cent of participants with the fastest rise in blood pressure were almost twice as likely as others to experience a major cardiovascular event. They did not have a higher risk from major heart scares when they were first examined, apart from their exaggerated response to standing.

People in this group were also more likely to be smokers but were no heavier or lazier than other participants. They were also no more likely to have a family history of heart problems.

In fact, their cholesterol levels were lower than for other participants and they had lower blood pressure levels when they were lying down. After adjusting for average blood pressure taken over 24 hours, a heightened blood pressure response to standing remained an independent predictor of adverse heart events or stroke.

Lead study author Professor Paolo Palatini said: “The results of the study confirmed our initial hypothesis - a pronounced increase in blood pressure from lying to standing could be prognostically important in young people with high blood pressure. We were rather surprised that even a relatively small increase in standing blood pressure was predictive of major cardiac events in the long run.

“This finding may warrant starting blood-pressure-lowering treatment including medicines earlier in patients with exaggerated blood pressure response to standing.”

In a subset of 630 participants who had stress hormones measured from 24-hour urine samples, the epinephrine/creatinine ratio was higher in the people with a rise in standing blood pressure compared to those whose standing blood pressure did not rise. Epinephrine levels are an estimate of the effect of stressful stimuli over the 24 hours.

This suggest the people who had the highest blood pressure when they stood up may have more of a fight-or-flight response to stressors, which causes a rise in blood pressure. Professor Palatini suggests the findings suggest blood pressure on standing should be measured so the right treatment can be tailored to people at higher risk.

He says people with the highest pressure may need pressure-lowering therapy and need do more to cut down on unhealthy habits. He said: “Epinephrine levels are an estimate of the global effect of stressful stimuli over the 24 hours.

“This suggests those with the highest blood pressure when standing may have an increased sympathetic response [the fight-or-flight response] to stressors. Overall, this causes an increase in average blood pressure.

“The findings suggest that blood pressure upon standing should be measured in order to tailor treatment for patients with high blood pressure, and potentially, a more aggressive approach to lifestyle changes and blood-pressure-lowering therapy may be considered for people with an elevated [hyperreactor] blood pressure response to standing.”

The findings were published in the American Heart Association’s journal Hypertension.

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/how-simply-standing-up-could-6823414

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Blood pressure warning over long-term paracetamol use

 People with high blood pressure who take paracetamol on prescription could be increasing their risk of heart attacks and strokes, a study suggests.

By Philippa Roxby
BBC Health reporter

8 February 2022

Doctors should think about the risks and benefits to patients taking it over many months, the University of Edinburgh researchers say.

Taking the painkiller for headaches and fevers is safe, they stress.

Other experts say research in more people over a longer timeframe is needed to confirm the findings.

Paracetamol is widely used around the world as a short-term remedy for aches and pains but also prescribed to manage chronic pain, despite little evidence of its benefit for long-term use.

Half a million people - one out of every 10 - in Scotland were prescribed the painkiller in 2018.

High blood pressure affects one out of every three people in the UK.

The study tracked 110 volunteers, two-thirds of whom were taking drugs for high blood pressure, or hypertension.

In a randomised trial, they were asked to take 1g of paracetamol four times a day for two weeks - a common dose for patients with chronic pain - and then dummy pills, or placebo, for another two weeks.

The trial showed paracetamol increased blood pressure, "one of the most important risk factors for heart attacks and strokes" - much more than a placebo, Edinburgh clinical pharmacologist Prof James Dear said.

The researchers advise doctors to start patients with chronic pain on as low a dose of paracetamol as possible and keep a close eye on those with high blood pressure and at risk of heart disease.

Arthritis is one of the biggest causes of chronic pain in the UK. One charity, Versus Arthritis, said safer medicines to treat pain were needed as well as other help, such as mental health support and encouragement to be physically active.

"If you are concerned about the risks from pain medicines you should speak with a healthcare professional to explore your options." said Dr Benjamin Ellis, consultant rheumatologist at Versus Arthritis.

Lead investigator Dr Iain MacIntyre, clinical pharmacology consultant, at NHS Lothian, said: "This is not about short-term use of paracetamol for headaches or fever, which is, of course, fine."

'Many unknowns'

Dr Dipender Gill, clinical pharmacology and therapeutics lecturer, at St George's, University of London, said the study, published in the journal Circulation, had found "a small but meaningful increase in blood pressure in a white Scottish population" but "many unknowns remain".

"Firstly, it is not clear whether the observed increase in blood pressure would be sustained with longer term use of paracetamol," he said.

"Secondly, it is not known for certain whether any increase in blood pressure attributable to paracetamol use would lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease."

A large US study previously found a link between long-term paracetamol use and increased risk of heart attacks - but it could not prove one caused the other.

And other smaller studies have been unable to confirm the link.

The Edinburgh team said they could not explain how paracetamol would raise blood pressure but their findings should lead to a review of long-term paracetamol prescriptions.

These were previously considered safer than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers, such as ibuprofen, which are thought to raise blood pressure in some people.

The British Heart Foundation, which funded the study, said doctors and patients should regularly rethink whether any medication, even something "relatively harmless like paracetamol", was needed.

Dr Richard Francis, from the Stroke Association, said further research in people with normal, healthy blood pressure, over a longer timeframe, was needed "to confirm the risks and benefits of using paracetamol more widely".

More on this story

• Paracetamol 'costs NHS £80m a year'

  Published

  11 June 2015

Related Internet Links

• High blood pressure (Hypertension)

• Paracetamol for adults- painkiller to treat aches, pains and fever - NHS

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https://www.bbc.com/news/health-60289790