US researchers last year claimed vitamin D 'deficiency' may be to blame for 600,000 cancer cases worldwide each year, particularly in northern European countries where sun exposure levels are relatively low.
Other studies have shown a link between lower levels of vitamin D and a higher risk of death from cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
Although most people living in northern Europe are not sufficiently lacking in vitamin D to be classified as deficient, experts believe blood levels should be higher to optimise health.
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston Medical Center found that pregnant women who are vitamin D deficient are also at an increased risk for delivering a baby by Caesarean section compared with pregnant women who are not vitamin D deficient.
At the turn of the 20th century, women commonly died in childbirth due to 'rachitic pelvis' rickets of the pelvis.
While rickets virtually disappeared with the discovery of vitamin D, recent reports suggest that vitamin D deficiency is making a comeback.
In the latest study, published on-line in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (must credit) researchers checked blood levels of vitamin D in pregnant women.
In total, 253 women were enrolled in this study, of whom 43 (17 per cent) had a Caesarean section.
Vitamin D deficiency was defined as less than 37.5 nanograms per millilitre.
The researchers found 28 per cent of women with a lower level of vitamin D had a surgical delivery, compared to only 14 per cent of women with higher levels.
Senior author Dr Michael Holick, director of the General Clinical Research Center and professor of medicine, physiology and biophysics at BUSM, said 'In our analysis, pregnant women who were vitamin D deficient at the time of delivery had almost four times the odds of Caesarean birth than women who were not deficient.'
He said one explanation for the findings is that vitamin D deficiency has been associated with muscle weakness in arms and legs as well as suboptimal muscle performance and strength.
Oliver Gillie, who runs the not-for-proft Health Research Forum, published a 41-page report showing that topping up levels of vitamin D could help prevent a number of
diseases.
The report, Sunlight Robbery, said insufficient levels of the vitamin are linked with 16 different cancers, several nervous system diseases including schizophrenia and MS, diabetes, high blood pressure, ovary disease and dental decay.
He said there was a well-established link between lack of vitamin D and pre-eclampsia, a serious disorder of pregnancy that requires immediate delivery of the baby and usually involves a Caesarean section.
He said 'Deficiency of vitamin D in pregnancy is also known to affect the baby's health.
'It makes sense that sub-optimal levels of vitamin D may also be important in pregnancy but it's proving difficult to establish what those levels might be' he added.
Vitamin D supplements are available in two forms - vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 - researchers recommend vitamin D3 because it is more active and effective.
Vitamin D is found in salmon, tuna and other oily fish, and is routinely added to milk.
In the UK, the Food Standards Agency does not recommend a specific daily dose of vitamin D unless you are elderly, pregnant, Asian, get little sun exposure and eat no meat or oily fish when 10mcg is advised.
It says daily supplements of 25mcg are unlikely to cause harm.
The danger with taking excessive doses for long periods is that the body absorbs too much calcium, which could weaken bones and possibly damage liver and kidneys.
Other studies have shown a link between lower levels of vitamin D and a higher risk of death from cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
Although most people living in northern Europe are not sufficiently lacking in vitamin D to be classified as deficient, experts believe blood levels should be higher to optimise health.
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston Medical Center found that pregnant women who are vitamin D deficient are also at an increased risk for delivering a baby by Caesarean section compared with pregnant women who are not vitamin D deficient.
At the turn of the 20th century, women commonly died in childbirth due to 'rachitic pelvis' rickets of the pelvis.
While rickets virtually disappeared with the discovery of vitamin D, recent reports suggest that vitamin D deficiency is making a comeback.
In the latest study, published on-line in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (must credit) researchers checked blood levels of vitamin D in pregnant women.
In total, 253 women were enrolled in this study, of whom 43 (17 per cent) had a Caesarean section.
Vitamin D deficiency was defined as less than 37.5 nanograms per millilitre.
The researchers found 28 per cent of women with a lower level of vitamin D had a surgical delivery, compared to only 14 per cent of women with higher levels.
Senior author Dr Michael Holick, director of the General Clinical Research Center and professor of medicine, physiology and biophysics at BUSM, said 'In our analysis, pregnant women who were vitamin D deficient at the time of delivery had almost four times the odds of Caesarean birth than women who were not deficient.'
He said one explanation for the findings is that vitamin D deficiency has been associated with muscle weakness in arms and legs as well as suboptimal muscle performance and strength.
Oliver Gillie, who runs the not-for-proft Health Research Forum, published a 41-page report showing that topping up levels of vitamin D could help prevent a number of
diseases.
The report, Sunlight Robbery, said insufficient levels of the vitamin are linked with 16 different cancers, several nervous system diseases including schizophrenia and MS, diabetes, high blood pressure, ovary disease and dental decay.
He said there was a well-established link between lack of vitamin D and pre-eclampsia, a serious disorder of pregnancy that requires immediate delivery of the baby and usually involves a Caesarean section.
He said 'Deficiency of vitamin D in pregnancy is also known to affect the baby's health.
'It makes sense that sub-optimal levels of vitamin D may also be important in pregnancy but it's proving difficult to establish what those levels might be' he added.
Vitamin D supplements are available in two forms - vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 - researchers recommend vitamin D3 because it is more active and effective.
Vitamin D is found in salmon, tuna and other oily fish, and is routinely added to milk.
In the UK, the Food Standards Agency does not recommend a specific daily dose of vitamin D unless you are elderly, pregnant, Asian, get little sun exposure and eat no meat or oily fish when 10mcg is advised.
It says daily supplements of 25mcg are unlikely to cause harm.
The danger with taking excessive doses for long periods is that the body absorbs too much calcium, which could weaken bones and possibly damage liver and kidneys.
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