Shining the Light on Vitamin D

[Guest guest]

December 21, 2004

Shining the Light on Vitamin D By Gailon Totheroh

CBN News Science & Medical Reporter

 

CBN.com – (CBN News) - What do these groups have in common? People who live in

northern climates, women who wear veils outdoors, dark-skinned people, elderly

retirees. Give up?

 

They are all more susceptible to vitamin D deficiency. The reason? Vitamin D is

made in the skin from sunlight. So if your skin is dark or old, or not exposed

to enough ultraviolet light, or the UV for short from sunshine, then you are

much more likely to be low in D. That could lead to the vitamin D deficiency

disease osteoporosis. And that might mean broken hips and premature death.

 

Dietitian Phyllis Woodson at the Strelitz Diabetes Institutes says that you can

get some vitamin D from food, 100 or more international units (IU) -- but also

get it from the sun, if possible.

 

Woodson said, " So, 15 minutes for light-skinned persons over the course of the

day. Get the face, the hands, the forearms -- maybe up to three hours for some

dark-skinned persons. "

 

Three hours is about impossible in a busy society, and even 15 minutes can be a

problem, especially in winter. So Woodson suggests food and supplements with D.

 

But low vitamin D is not only linked to osteoporosis. It is also associated with

childhood diabetes, muscle and bone pain, heart attacks, rheumatoid arthritis,

and multiple sclerosis.

 

And for over 50 years, medical literature has found regular sun exposure has

been connected with substantially lower death rates from certain cancers.

 

Physician Don Colbert said, " Vitamin D actually helps to put the breaks on

cancer cell growth or cell growth, in particular. So we're finding now that

vitamin D may help to prevent prostate cancer, breast cancer and even colon

cancer. "

 

So how much do we need for bone health and protection against disease?

 

The government generally recommends about 200 IU for kids and younger people,

400 IU for those in the middle ages, and 600 IU for the elderly.

 

But Dr. Michael Holick, author of “The UV Advantage,” argues that to have enough

vitamin D in your system to guard against major diseases, a person needs an

optimal dose of 1,000 IU of vitamin D a day.

 

So where does a person turn, if he or she is like most people and not getting

enough sun? Try salmon, which is naturally high in vitamin D, as are the less

tasty sardines. Or check some of your dairy products, orange juice and breakfast

cereals. Many have some vitamin D added to them.

 

That will help some, but there is a problem. A variety of vitamin D, known as

D2, is most commonly used to add to foods, but vitamin D3 is up to four times

more potent, and D3 is what is used in most vitamin supplements.

 

So, many consumers prefer those supplements as a more reliable provider of the

nutrient.

 

Or check your multi-vitamin for vitamin D. One may have 200 IU, which is not bad

but another may have 600 IU, which is pretty good and could save you money in

the long run.

 

Neurosurgeon Dr. Russell Blaylock says do check, so that you get the benefits.

 

" We've found a lot of youthfulness in vitamin D,” says Dr. Blaylock. “A lot of

these multivitamins don't even have vitamin D. If they have it, they have it in

very low concentrations. "

 

Dr. Blaylock says D does help the brain, as a recent study suggested.

Researchers found vitamin D helps alleviate winter depression, a very common

condition from November to March.

 

Sitting at a desk or being indoors, in general, is not going to get you your

vitamin D, but making the effort to get the vitamin from sun, sustenance or

supplements could boost your health in ways that science is only beginning to

explore.

 

 

 

 

 

AIM Barleygreen

" Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future "

 

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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