The Truth About the Benefits of Vitamin D
The TruthAbout the Benefits of Vitamin D - Experts are learning more and more every
day about the benefits of vitamin D, and the nutrient powerhouse has now become
one of the hottest, and most hotly debated, topics in medicine. While the most
well known benefit of this vitamins is helping to build strong bones, that's
just the beginning of what experts are discovering.
It all started with a 2007 study that showed those
who took vitamin D supplements were 7% less likely to die than those who didn't
take them. A year later more research found that when women with low vitamin D
levels got breast cancer, they had a far greater chance of dying than those who
had normal vitamin D levels. That had everyone taking notice.
And yet, vitamin D deficiency is far more common than
anyone thought, affecting up to 50% of adults and healthy children in the
United States.
Part of the reason for the low levels may be the lack
of time we spend out in the sun without sunscreen that's known to block
virtually all vitamin D synthesis by the skin Aged age, excessive body weight
or obesity naturally will prevent the body from producing vitamin D from
sunlight.
Vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium and assist bone
growth. It's also known to help regulate the immune system, is involved with
the neuromuscular system and plays a big part in the life cycle of our cells.
Not enough vitamin D brings soft bones, (in children
this known as rickets) as well as having been linked to cancers like breast,
colon and prostate, not to mention heart disease, depression and weight gain.
Truth is, a lot of the research shows that those with
higher levels of vitamin D have a lower risk of disease BUT the studies don't
prove that lack of this nutrient causes disease, or that the lack can be fixed
by supplements.
An organization known as the Vitamin D Council, a
group of concerned citizens who believe in vitamin D's benefits and are on a
mission to educate the public about deficiencies of this nutrient, suggests it
might be helpful for autism, autoimmune disease, cancer, chronic pain,
depression, diabetes, heart disease hypertension, flu, neuromuscular disorders
and osteoporosis. Until now there are no definitive clinical trials.
If you're worried about your own levels, there are
blood tests that can look for a specific form of the vitamin called
25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD).
The U.S. governments recommended daily allowance of
vitamin D is 200 international units (IUs) a day for those under 50; 400 IUs if
you're 50 to 70 years old; 600 IUs if you're over 70 years old. Most health
experts continue to believe these numbers are too low, and that between
1,000-2,000 IUs per day is a more appropriate level
In 2008 the American Academy of Pediatrics doubled
its recommendation of vitamin D levels for breastfed infants. The upper limit
of vitamin D intake is 10,000 IUs a day. Updates on 1997 recommendations on
vitamin D intake are due from the Institute of Medicine sometime in 2010.
Anyone with low levels (under 15 ng/mL or 37.5nmol/L
depending on the lab used) of vitamin D will be encouraged to get some exposure
to natural sunlight (not during 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM) for a half hour a day,
without sunscreen, at least two times a week.
You might also want to try and increase your intake
of some vitamin D rich foods, though there are few that have the nutrient
naturally. It seems Mother Nature wants us to get this vitamin through the
skin, not from what we eat.
Still there are some good food sources to try. Any
fatty fish such as herring, catfish, salmon, mackerel, sardines (canned in
oil), tuna (canned in water) or eel are packed with vitamin D, as are cod liver
oil, egg yolks, beef or calf liver and mushrooms. Nearly all milk sold in the
U.S. is fortified with vitamin D, as are many orange juices, yogurts,
margarines, and ready to eat breakfast products.
If these foods don't appeal to you, supplements are
another option for getting the nutrient. People like supplements because
they're affordable, and they can be found anywhere - drug stores, supermarkets,
vitamin shops. Most supplements give you an average of 400 IUs of vitamin D per
tablet. As a point of reference, being exposed to natural sun for 20 to 30
minutes gives you up to 10,000 IUs.
You should also know that vitamin D could interact
with some medications. Things like prednisone and the weight loss drug orlistat
may be impacted, as could a cholesterol lowering medication known as
cholestyramine (sold as Questran, LoCholest, and Prevalite).
Seizure drugs Phenobarbital and Dilantin affect the
metabolism of vitamin D, while the cholesterol lowering statins and thiazide
diuretics bring up vitamin D levels. If you take these medications, discuss any
supplementing plans to gain the benefits of vitamin D with your doctor first.