Private MD News

Home | News | Vitamin D Deficiency-Diagnosis and Treatment

Research project aims to get mushrooms to produce more vitamin D

Updated: 2009-05-20 22:57:53 CST Category: Vitamin D Deficiency-Diagnosis and Treatment

Researchers in Denmark are experimenting with ways to get cultivated mushrooms to produce vitamin D, according to a report on FarmingUK.com.
Mushrooms, like people, produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Mushrooms are one of the only non-animal food sources of vitamin D, and studies have shown that wild mushrooms can increase vitamin D levels in the blood.

Unfortunately, most cultivated mushrooms are grown entirely in the dark, never see sunlight, and therefore never produce any vitamin D. A new research project at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of Aarhus University in Denmark aims to change that.

Previous studies have shown that mushrooms can be induced to produce vitamin D when exposed to UV-B light during the packaging process. The researchers hope to prove that integrating UV-B light into the growing process will produce the full complement of stable vitamin D the mushrooms produce in the wild. Small amounts of mushrooms added to your diet should be enough to cover the recommended daily vitamin D dose.

Vitamin D has been shown to be important in maintaining good health and fighting off cancer, diabetes and inflammatory disease. Levels of vitamin D deficiency in the U.S. are high, especially in northern areas with long winters.

Related Articles from Private MD:

• More sunlight for elderly may improve health
  
• Higher vitamin D levels linked to higher 'good' cholesterol levels
  
• Very sick patients have lower vitamin D levels
  
• Vitamin D deficiency may be linked to autism
  
• Vitamin D destroyed by lung cancer cells
  

Share on Facebook

Subscribe to Private MD Health News RSS Feed:

News Categories:

Advanced Lipid Treatment I   Allergy Testing   Anemia and RBC disorders   Autoimmune Diseases   Bariatric Lab Testing   Blood and Blood Diseases   Breast   Cancer Detection and Tumor Markers   Celiac Disease Testing   Chlamydia   Coagulation and blood clotting disorders   Colon   Diabetes   DNA, Paternity and Genetic testing   Drug Screening   Environmental Toxin Testing   Female Specific Tests   Gastrointestinal Diseases   General Health   General Wellness   Heart Health and Cholesterol   Herpes   HIV   HIV monitoring/Treatment/Testing/Post Diagnos   Hormones and Metabolism   Infectious Diseases   Infertility Testing-Male   Infertitlity Hormone Testing   Kidney Diseases   Leukemia and WBC disorders   Liver   Liver Diseases   Lyme Disease   Male Specific Tests   Menopause/Peri-Menopausal Diagnosis   Organ Specific Testing   Ovarian   Prostate   Sexually Transmitted Diseases   Thyroid Diseases   Vitamin D Deficiency-Diagnosis and Treatment   

Visit the Health News Archive: Click Here

Questions about online blood testing or how to order a lab test? Click here to get started or call us toll-free at 1.877.283.7882. Our certified professionals are ready to assist you.