Secondary hyperparathyroidism
Only one percent of the calcium in your body is in the blood, but if that level drops, your body produces a hormone that pulls calcium out of the bones and into the blood. This is called secondary hyperparathyroidism and it can contribute to osteomalacia (a painful softening of bones) and osteoporosis (in which bones break easily). In northern climates, bone loss tends to increase in winter months. In a two-year study of 55 adults, supplementing with Vitamin D3 plus calcium reduced bone loss. Researchers felt supplements may help prevent osteoporosis related to secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Kidney disease
Vitamin D is metabolized in the kidneys and liver, so kidney disease can lead to Vitamin D deficiency. Research suggests that deficiency can be alleviated with supplements. A study of 93 young transplant patients (17 years old or less) demonstrated that Vitamin D3 supplements could provide effective and safe treatment without adverse effects, and would probably be applicable to older transplant patients as well.

Muscle strength
In a three-year study of 986 elderly women, healthy Vitamin D levels were linked with increased physical activity and better balance. Low Vitamin D levels were linked with increased risk of falls and fractures. Combining Vitamin D with calcium may help further. In a study of 122 elderly women, subjects received calcium alone or calcium plus Vitamin D daily. After 12 weeks, falls in the calcium-plus-D group were 49 percent lower than in the calcium-only group. Women who tended to fall often benefited most.

Fractures
In a study of 30 elderly women with a fracture of the humerus (funny bone), participants received calcium plus D3 or placebo for six weeks. By the end of the study, bone mineral density in the treatment group had improved significantly. In a review of 66 studies encompassing close to 100,000 participants, supplementing with Vitamin D plus calcium was linked with significantly reduced risk of most fractures.

Multiple sclerosis
Vitamin D plays a role in multiple sclerosis (MS). Although the connection is poorly understood, it is known that: a) sunlight activates Vitamin D in our bodies, b) risk of MS is low for people who live in southerly climates, c) most MS flare-ups occur in winter, and d) MS is linked with low Vitamin D levels. The relationship between Vitamin D and MS was examined in the Nurses' Health Studies, which followed almost 100,000 women from 1980 to 2001. Higher Vitamin D intakes were linked with lower rates of MS, and women who used Vitamin D supplements reduced their risk of developing MS by 40 percent over women who did not.

Other Important Points about SISU Vitamin D3
Vitamin D2 is most commonly used in supplements, but research suggests that Vitamin D3 may be up to twice as well absorbed. D3 is the form recommended by the World Health Organization.

Each tablet contains:

Vitamin D (cholecalciferol)...1000 IU

Non-medicinal ingredients:

Lactose, croscarmellose sodium, microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate (vegetable)