The prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in a Greek and a Cypriot population sample
Vitamin D levels for 8780 Greek and 2594 Cypriot subjects were blindly collected from the hospitals’ laboratory information systems over a 5-year time period. 73.07% of the Greek and 69.28% of the Cypriot subjects of the sample had inadequate levels of vitamin D. The mean 25(OH)D value for the Greek subjects was found 25.08 ng/ml and for the Cypriots 25.37 ng/ml.
Amongst the recorded diseases growth retardation, hypercalcemia, sickle cell anemia, polyneuropathy, mental retardation and MS were related with 25(OH)D levels.
The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is extremely high in both population samples and particularly in subjects with chronic diseases. However, the cross-sectional design of the study cannot prove causality and further prospective studies in healthy subjects are necessary.
The Impact of Homocysteine, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin D Levels on Functional Outcome after First-Ever Ischaemic Stroke
Our findings indicate that serum homocysteine, vitamin B12, and vitamin D levels are associated with baseline first-ever stroke severity but also contribute to some extent to IS prognosis in early period after stroke. There is some evidence that early detection and management of these laboratory parameters may contribute both to primary and to secondary stroke prevention but whether interventions aimed at reducing homocysteine levels and increasing vitamin B12 and D levels would improve IS outcome remains to be elucidated in larger multicenter intervention studies.
Rice University study highlights danger of vitamin B12 deficiency
Researchers finds first direct link between low-B12 diet, increased risk of infection
University of Michigan, Michigan Medicine: Uses of Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin needed for normal nerve cell activity, DNA replication, and production of the mood-affecting substance SAMe (S-adenosyl-L-methionine). Vitamin B12 acts with folic acid and vitamin B6 to control homocysteine levels. An excess of homocysteine is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and potentially other diseases such as osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s disease.