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Page: << Prev | 1 | 2 | 3 | Next >> The authors note that calcium is also known to be important to proper nerve and muscle cell function.
According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, vitamin D3 and calcium deficiency is a global problem. The organization's most recent scientific statement recommends that adults over the age of 50 consume 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily. A daily total of 800 to 1,000 I.U. of vitamin D3 is also suggested, although the foundation cautions that supplementation at that level should only be taken with a doctor's supervision.
In addition to ingesting it in supplement form, calcium can be found naturally in milk, cheese and broccoli, and is often added to fortify foods such as orange juice, cereals and breakfast bars.
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Vitamin D, key to good calcium absorption, is produced by the skin following exposure to the sun, although production decreases with age. Vitamin D is also found in foods such as saltwater fish, liver and dairy products.
Payne's current work follows her earlier exploration into a similar association between large brain lesions and high intake of high-fat dairy products.
Having ruled out fat as the link between diet and lesions, Payne shifted her analysis towards calcium and vitamin D.
The researchers looked at MRI brain scans from 232 men and women, aged 60 to 86, all of whom showed brain lesions of varying sizes.
The scans were taken as part of a larger study on late-life depression. As a result, nearly half the participants were diagnosed with depression.
In addition to mental health status, vitamin D and calcium intake habits were noted along with age and blood pressure readings.
The researchers found that, even after accounting for all other mitigating factors, a "strong relationship" seemed to exist between total lesion volume and vitamin D and calcium consumption.
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