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Are Hospital Patients with Low Vitamin D at Greater Risk for Death?
Is there a relationship between low vitamin D levels and risk of death? The answer is yes – you are more than twice as likely to die according to a recent scientific study. Dr. Jason McKinney and colleagues of the Eastern Tennessee State University and the Mountain Home VA Medical Center asked a simple question, do ICU patients die more frequently if they are vitamin D deficient? The authors reviewed records of 136 veterans who were hospitalized in the intensive care unit and who happened to have a vitamin D blood level done a within a month of that hospitalization. No matter the reason for the hospitalization and no matter whether the vitamin D level was drawn before or after the hospitalization, the answer is yes, vitamin D deficient ICU patients are almost twice as likely to die. I particularly liked their tongue in cheek conclusion, ". . . it appears current dosing does not satisfactorily address vitamin D deficiency in the severely ill." For more details regarding this study go to McKinney JD, Bailey BA, Garrett LH, Peiris P, Manning T, Peiris AN. Relationship between vitamin D status and ICU outcomes in veterans. J. Am Med Dir Assoc. 2011 Mar;12(3):208-11
My first recommendation is get your vitamin D levels tested, get out in the sun more often, take vitamin D supplements, and don't let anybody in your family or your friends have low vitamin D levels. I also recommend you stockpile high quality vitamin D3 supplements in the house, in the medicine cabinet not the vitamin cabinet. If someone you love is in the hospital (not just the ICU) and they have not been taking adequate doses of vitamin D, give them 50,000 to 100,000 IU/day for the first 3-4 days of their hospitalization to dramatically increase their chances of a safe and quick recovery.
If you are still not convinced about the importance of getting out in the sun and maintaining high levels of vitamin D3 in your body, I suggest you read all our articles about vitamin D, especially: Worried about radiation from Japan, from cell phones, from scanning machines in the airports, dental xrays, etc.? Vitamin D3 protects you from radiation. Check this lengthy list of diseases that are caused or made worse by low vitamin D levels Are you in good health? Want to live a long time – read our article about Vitamin D helps you live longer. Bottom Line: low vitamin D levels can be increased easily and inexpensively, and one of the best things you can do to improve your health and the health of those you love.
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