Vitamin D myth versus reality

[Guest guest]

at http://www.mercola.com/2004/sep/11/vitamin_d.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vitamin D: Myth Vs. Reality

 

 

 

The debate between dermatologists and experts on vitamin D has reached scorching proportions. Further controversy was ignited after Dr. Holick, one of the most distinguished experts on vitamin D, was forced to resign from his position at the Boston University Medical School after releasing a book supporting the benefits of moderate sun exposure and downplaying the risks of skin cancer. These debates have added to the confusion of the public and prompted questions such as:

 

"How much sun is considered safe? "What kind of benefits does vitamin D offer?Why not just get the benefits from a supplement?"

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble substance. This means it could dissolve in or be stored by fat deposits in the body. Some of the natural food sources that contain vitamin D include:

 

Salmon Mackerel Sardines Cod liver oil Fortified foods including milk, breakfast cereals and certain juices

Vitamin D could also be derived from vitamin supplements or synthesized in the skin during sun exposure.

Role of Vitamin D

For years, vitamin D has been looked upon as essential for healthy bones. One of the key roles of vitamin D is its ability to help absorb calcium in the small intestine. The people who fall in the vitamin deficient category are only able to absorb a mere third to half as much calcium as those who receive sufficient amounts. People deficient in vitamin D are then prone to two types of bone diseases. Adults are at risk of osteoporosis, a loss of bone density and ostomalacia, a softening of the bone. Children on the other hand are at risk of rickets, softening of the bones.

Who's at Risk of Vitamin D Deficiency?

A small resurgence in the case of rickets, particularly among African-American children, over the past few years has raised concerns over whether or not people are getting enough vitamin D. Experts found the following groups were at risk of vitamin D deficiency:

 

The elderly African-Americans and other darkly-pigmented people Infants who are exclusively breast-fed Women of child-bearing age, particularly African Americans Healthy children and adolescents

Experts are referring to vitamin D deficiency as the "hidden epidemic." They are most concerned about how it could hinder the proper bone development in children and lead to possible future bone disorders down the road.

Vitamin D Fights Off Diseases

The latest vitamin D research has shown that it has the ability to fight off several diseases such as colon, breast and prostate cancers. Although this research hasn't been conclusive it has given researchers much promise.

It has also been discovered that vitamin D also helps prevent specific autoimmune diseases including multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. In addition to providing protection against these diseases it also has the potential to play an anti-inflammatory role in the body.

Sources of Vitamin D

The consensus among vitamin D experts is that getting moderate UVB exposure without sunscreen holds the answer to maintaining adequate blood levels. The exceptions, of course, would be those with the history of skin cancer or sensitivities to the sun. Their theory behind getting your vitamin D intake from the sun is that most people don't eat enough salmon and drink enough milk to fulfill their vitamin D requirement.

How Much Sun do we Need?

Experts recommend that just getting small increments of sun exposure each day would supply a person with the adequate amount of vitamin D production. They also stated the difficulty of placing an exact time amount of sun exposure per person because of factors such as season, time of day and the amount of skin exposed.

Slate August 24, 2004

 

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

I believe that Dr. Holick's book, The UV Advantage is an incredibly important read for anyone interested in preventing numerous health problems and bettering their health, but is even more essential for those who follow the "experts" recommendations to stay out of the sun.

It is quite disturbing that Dr. Holick, one of the world's foremost authorities on vitamin D, would be asked to resign when his recommendations are right on target. It is the widespread recommendation from the "experts" to avoid sun exposure that is causing harm. This myth has contributed to massive amounts of disease and illness in our society because we ALL need sunshine to stay healthy.

I've been saying for years now, vitamin D is an extremely important nutrient and you must optimize your levels if you want to improve your health. Unfortunately, many Americans do not get enough vitamin D, largely because of experts' recommendations to avoid all sun exposure.

That's why I was so interested in this Slate feature piece about the basic questions it tried to answer about vitamin D:

 

What are the benefits?

How much do you need?

Why do you need sun exposure?

In a related note, Oliver Gillie, former science writer for the Sunday Times, has recently written an extensive piece on the epidemic of vitamin D deficiency.

It has long been known that vitamin D protects against bone loss, but it clearly has other functions as this article points out. Calcitriol is the activated form of vitamin D that has two hydroxyl groups to it that are added by your liver and your kidney. Calcitriol has been shown to induce cell differentiation and to control cell proliferation -- in simpler terms it protects against cancer. People with a low vitamin D level, whether because they have little sun exposure or because they have extensive pigmentation that limits sun-caused vitamin D synthesis in the skin, are less able to make calcitriol (activated vitamin D) in an amount sufficient to exert the controls over cell proliferation that are needed to reduce cancer.

So if you have any interest in preventing cancer and autoimmune diseases like MS and rheumatoid arthritis then get your vitamin D level checked. But be armed with the correct information. Nearly all physicians are not aware how to have this checked and how to interpret the normal reference ranges. So print this article on vitamin D testing for your records and also for your doctor so he or she can become aware of this vitally important nutrient.

Please remember that for most of us living in the US, this is the time to start finishing up your fish oil and to switch to a high-quality cod liver oil. Unless you have been getting lots of sun exposure. However, most of the patients are see are sitting indoors all week long and even in the middle of the summer they actually need vitamin D. But it is possible to overdose on vitamin D with cod liver oil so I would definitely encourage you to actually measure your vitamin D level though as that is the only way to know for sure when to switch.

 

It is a bit of a hassle and inconvenient but one of the wisest things you can do for your health is to monitor your vitamin D levels in your blood. We do it on everyone of the patients at the Optimal Wellness Center and it has made a tremendous difference in many of our patients.

 

Related Articles:

 

Breakthrough Updates You Need to Know on Vitamin D

Valuable Insights Into the Importance of Vitamin D and Sun

Why You Need to Have Your Vitamin D Level Tested Now

Why Vitamin D Protects You Against Cancer

RDAs of Vitamin D Far Too Low

Vitamin D Deficiency is Major Health Risk

 

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