HEALTH AND SUPPLEMENTS

Vitamin D is not a screening test and there is no need to regularly test for this important vitamin that is good for bones and the heart, doctors said as part of the new guidelines of the  Endocrine Society.   . It is an important micronutrient that is important for bone and tooth development and for the normal functioning of the immune system. Several studies have linked its deficiency with common diseases such as musculoskeletal disorders, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, malignancies, autoimmune diseases and infectious diseases. MORE

 

This has led to the widespread use of dietary supplements and increased clinical testing in the general population. The Endocrine Society issued new guidelines this week advising against vitamin D testing and vitamin D supplementation for healthy adults up to the age of 75. 

The committee also recommended against routine 25-hydroxyvitamin D testing in generally healthy individuals if they have no other symptoms. "Vitamin D is probably taken by almost everyone involved in health, nutrition, health advisors etc. but we have  no idea what impact high concentrations or high doses of vitamin D have," Dr. Purlenu Chauhan, consultant and head of endocrinology, PD Hinduja Hospital told IANS. He regretted that laboratories are  offering the test in  packages. 

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