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Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Vitamin D Cuts Diabetes Risk in Kids
Giving young children vitamin D supplements may reduce their risk of developing type 1 diabetes later in life, suggests new UK research.
The study, by St Mary's Hospital for Women and Children, Manchester, showed that children who were given vitamin D supplements were 29% less likely to develop diabetes than those who did not.
Type 1 diabetes is also known as insulin dependent diabetes. It is most common among children and young people under 30. It occurs because the body is unable to make insulin due to an autoimmune process. It must be treated with insulin injections.
The Manchester team reviewed five studies that looked at the effect of vitamin D supplementation. They found that children given vitamin D supplements were 29% less likely to develop diabetes type 1. Children who received higher and more regular doses had the lowest chance of developing the disease. However, the exact doses were unclear.
Previous research has found that people newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes have low levels of vitamin D. Studies have also found that type 1 diabetes is more common in countries where there is a low exposure to sunlight, which is needed for the body to manufacture vitamin D.
"There is a marked geographic variation in incidence, with a child in Finland being about 400 times more likely than a child in Venezuela to acquire the disease,” said the authors.
Other research has linked low levels of vitamin D and sunlight to other autoimmune disorders, including multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Dr Victoria King, of the charity Diabetes UK, said more research was needed before a concrete association between vitamin D supplementation and reduced risk of diabetes can be confirmed.
The study was published in Archives of Disease in Childhood.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Vitamin D and your skin
Researchers have found that the production of previtamin D3 in your skin varies depending on several factors, which include skin type, weather conditions, and sunscreen use.
During the winter at latitudes above 35 degrees, there is minimal previtamin D3 production in the skin. Darker skin pigmentation, application of sunscreen, aging and clothing can also have a dramatic effect on previtamin D3 production.
However, at the other end of the scale, excessive exposure to sunlight does not result in vitamin D overdoes, because previtamin D3 and vitamin D3 are photolyzed to biologically inert chemicals before they can build up to dangerous levels.
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
I believe the evidence is quite clear; your likelihood of developing deadly skin cancer from sun exposure is nowhere near as high as you have been led to believe in the past. The benefits of normalizing your vitamin D levels FAR outweigh any risk you may have from optimal sun exposure.
So I’m glad to see that there are more scientific arguments promoting healthy sun exposure, and the focus is finally shifting toward making sure you’re getting the right amount of exposure based on your individual variables.
Why Anti-Tanning Propaganda Takes Lives
In a groundbreaking study, researchers from the Moore’s Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) concluded that increasing the intake of vitamin D3 throughout the world could easily prevent diseases – including 16 types of cancer -- that would otherwise claim close to 1 million lives each year worldwide.
The truth is, this pervasive and persistent anti-tanning campaign has not done you any favors. It has enriched sun lotion manufacturers, but most likely caused more disease than it prevented.
The only risks of UVB come from overexposure. This can be greatly minimized by avoiding sunburn, and eating a healthy diet, rich in antioxidants. The recommendation to never go out in the sun without wearing sunscreen, however, is simply misguided advice. Slathering on sunscreen will effectively shield you from the sun’s inherent health benefits, so your body will not synthesize vitamin D properly.
It’s also important to remember that you can develop sun damage even with sunscreen. Sunscreens don’t stop the damage from occurring, they simply stops the burn. But damage can still occur on a cellular level.
Even worse, most sunscreens contain toxic chemicals that absorb through your skin, adding to your toxic load and even increasing your cancer risk.
Individual Variables That Affect Your Vitamin D Levels
It’s important to bear in mind that everyone responds differently to sunlight, depending on factors such as:
*Antioxidant levels, and diet in general
*Age
*Skin color
*Current tan level
*Latitude and altitude (elevation)
*Cloud cover and pollution
*Ozone layer
*Surface reflection
*Season
*Time of day
A person with dark skin, for example, may need as much as ten times more sun exposure to produce the same amount of vitamin D as a person with pale skin.
You will need to carefully determine your own sunlight needs and tolerances, and learn what kind of exposure you need to tan without burning. Let’s look at how a few of these individual variables can affect your vitamin D levels, and the amount of sun exposure you might need.
How Antioxidants and Vitamins Can Help Prevent Sunburn
You may not realize that the amount of antioxidants that you have in your skin plays a major role in your development of sunburn. The more antioxidants you take in, the lower your risk of sunburn. Foods containing effective antioxidants to boost your “internal sunscreen” include whole fresh vegetables and fruits such as:
*Goji berries (not the juice)
*Raspberries
*Blackberries
*Blueberries
Vitamins A and C are also vital as your cells use these vitamins to regulate both light absorption and protection against overexposure. According to nutritional researcher Krispin Sullivan, Scandinavians and other very light skinned people can benefit tremendously from making sure they are sufficient in these vitamins as it will protect their skin from burning too quickly.
Safe Tanning Guidelines
If your skin is unused to the sun, it is important to build up your tolerance regularly and gradually. It’s good to start early in the year, in the spring and early summer. This will prepare your skin for the stronger sunlight later in the year.
At the beginning of the season, go out gradually and limit your exposure to perhaps as little as 10 minutes a day. Progressively increase your time in the sun so that in a few weeks, you will be able to have normal sun exposure with little risk of skin cancer.
Time of Day -- Early morning is, for similar reasons, the best time to sunbathe if you have not already built up a base tan, because you’re less likely to burn in the mild morning sun than later in the day. In addition, it’s best to sunbathe when the temperature is below 64 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius), so that you don’t overheat.
Regular Intervals -- Regular sunbathing is extremely important; you can’t cram all of your sun exposure into a two or three week vacation period and expect to experience the benefits.
It’s also important to treat your tanning as a medicine and control the dosage; frequent, short periods of exposure are best. You don’t want to overindulge or skip too many days. Regular exposure actually protects against skin cancer, but intermittent overexposure can increase the danger.
Show Some Skin -- A common myth is that occasional exposure of the face and hands to sunlight is "sufficient" for vitamin D nutrition. For most of us, this is an absolutely inadequate exposure to move vitamin levels to the healthy range of 45-55 ng/ml. For optimal benefit, strive to have at least 40 percent of your skin uncovered.
Optimal Exposure Time -- In Caucasian skin, equilibrium occurs within 20 minutes of ultraviolet exposure. It can take 3 to 6 times longer for darkly pigmented skin to reach the equilibrium concentration of skin vitamin D.
So, bearing in mind that you need to gradually increase your time, starting in the spring, you should be aiming towards exposing large areas of your skin to the sun, anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours at a time, depending on your skin type and environmental factors.
A light-skinned person fairly far from the equator (such as in the UK or the northern U.S.) needs at least three of these 20 minute sessions per week, in bright midday sunlight and with few clothes. Longer will be needed if sunbathing occurs at off-peak times for ultraviolet light (before 12 PM or after 3 PM) or at the beginning or end of the summer (April or September).
A dark-skinned person, of course, should be outside significantly longer.
Using Your Skin as a Guide-- If you have light-colored skin, you can use the color of your skin to tell you when you’ve had enough sun and it’s time to get in the shade (or cover up using a long-sleeved shirt, pants, and a hat). Stay out just long enough so that your skin turns the very lightest shade of pink.
Remember that continuing UV exposure beyond the minimal dose required to produce skin redness will not increase your vitamin D production any further.
Please Remember to Check Your Vitamin D Levels
Last but not least, it’s always a good idea to get your vitamin D levels checked regularly, and adjust your sun exposure accordingly to maintain your optimal vitamin D level. For more information about the correct test to get and your optimal -- as opposed to “normal” – levels, please review my previous article, Scientists Admit -- Sun Exposure Benefits Outweigh Risks that I wrote earlier this year.
Source: Mercola.com
During the winter at latitudes above 35 degrees, there is minimal previtamin D3 production in the skin. Darker skin pigmentation, application of sunscreen, aging and clothing can also have a dramatic effect on previtamin D3 production.
However, at the other end of the scale, excessive exposure to sunlight does not result in vitamin D overdoes, because previtamin D3 and vitamin D3 are photolyzed to biologically inert chemicals before they can build up to dangerous levels.
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
I believe the evidence is quite clear; your likelihood of developing deadly skin cancer from sun exposure is nowhere near as high as you have been led to believe in the past. The benefits of normalizing your vitamin D levels FAR outweigh any risk you may have from optimal sun exposure.
So I’m glad to see that there are more scientific arguments promoting healthy sun exposure, and the focus is finally shifting toward making sure you’re getting the right amount of exposure based on your individual variables.
Why Anti-Tanning Propaganda Takes Lives
In a groundbreaking study, researchers from the Moore’s Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) concluded that increasing the intake of vitamin D3 throughout the world could easily prevent diseases – including 16 types of cancer -- that would otherwise claim close to 1 million lives each year worldwide.
The truth is, this pervasive and persistent anti-tanning campaign has not done you any favors. It has enriched sun lotion manufacturers, but most likely caused more disease than it prevented.
The only risks of UVB come from overexposure. This can be greatly minimized by avoiding sunburn, and eating a healthy diet, rich in antioxidants. The recommendation to never go out in the sun without wearing sunscreen, however, is simply misguided advice. Slathering on sunscreen will effectively shield you from the sun’s inherent health benefits, so your body will not synthesize vitamin D properly.
It’s also important to remember that you can develop sun damage even with sunscreen. Sunscreens don’t stop the damage from occurring, they simply stops the burn. But damage can still occur on a cellular level.
Even worse, most sunscreens contain toxic chemicals that absorb through your skin, adding to your toxic load and even increasing your cancer risk.
Individual Variables That Affect Your Vitamin D Levels
It’s important to bear in mind that everyone responds differently to sunlight, depending on factors such as:
*Antioxidant levels, and diet in general
*Age
*Skin color
*Current tan level
*Latitude and altitude (elevation)
*Cloud cover and pollution
*Ozone layer
*Surface reflection
*Season
*Time of day
A person with dark skin, for example, may need as much as ten times more sun exposure to produce the same amount of vitamin D as a person with pale skin.
You will need to carefully determine your own sunlight needs and tolerances, and learn what kind of exposure you need to tan without burning. Let’s look at how a few of these individual variables can affect your vitamin D levels, and the amount of sun exposure you might need.
How Antioxidants and Vitamins Can Help Prevent Sunburn
You may not realize that the amount of antioxidants that you have in your skin plays a major role in your development of sunburn. The more antioxidants you take in, the lower your risk of sunburn. Foods containing effective antioxidants to boost your “internal sunscreen” include whole fresh vegetables and fruits such as:
*Goji berries (not the juice)
*Raspberries
*Blackberries
*Blueberries
Vitamins A and C are also vital as your cells use these vitamins to regulate both light absorption and protection against overexposure. According to nutritional researcher Krispin Sullivan, Scandinavians and other very light skinned people can benefit tremendously from making sure they are sufficient in these vitamins as it will protect their skin from burning too quickly.
Safe Tanning Guidelines
If your skin is unused to the sun, it is important to build up your tolerance regularly and gradually. It’s good to start early in the year, in the spring and early summer. This will prepare your skin for the stronger sunlight later in the year.
At the beginning of the season, go out gradually and limit your exposure to perhaps as little as 10 minutes a day. Progressively increase your time in the sun so that in a few weeks, you will be able to have normal sun exposure with little risk of skin cancer.
Time of Day -- Early morning is, for similar reasons, the best time to sunbathe if you have not already built up a base tan, because you’re less likely to burn in the mild morning sun than later in the day. In addition, it’s best to sunbathe when the temperature is below 64 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius), so that you don’t overheat.
Regular Intervals -- Regular sunbathing is extremely important; you can’t cram all of your sun exposure into a two or three week vacation period and expect to experience the benefits.
It’s also important to treat your tanning as a medicine and control the dosage; frequent, short periods of exposure are best. You don’t want to overindulge or skip too many days. Regular exposure actually protects against skin cancer, but intermittent overexposure can increase the danger.
Show Some Skin -- A common myth is that occasional exposure of the face and hands to sunlight is "sufficient" for vitamin D nutrition. For most of us, this is an absolutely inadequate exposure to move vitamin levels to the healthy range of 45-55 ng/ml. For optimal benefit, strive to have at least 40 percent of your skin uncovered.
Optimal Exposure Time -- In Caucasian skin, equilibrium occurs within 20 minutes of ultraviolet exposure. It can take 3 to 6 times longer for darkly pigmented skin to reach the equilibrium concentration of skin vitamin D.
So, bearing in mind that you need to gradually increase your time, starting in the spring, you should be aiming towards exposing large areas of your skin to the sun, anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours at a time, depending on your skin type and environmental factors.
A light-skinned person fairly far from the equator (such as in the UK or the northern U.S.) needs at least three of these 20 minute sessions per week, in bright midday sunlight and with few clothes. Longer will be needed if sunbathing occurs at off-peak times for ultraviolet light (before 12 PM or after 3 PM) or at the beginning or end of the summer (April or September).
A dark-skinned person, of course, should be outside significantly longer.
Using Your Skin as a Guide-- If you have light-colored skin, you can use the color of your skin to tell you when you’ve had enough sun and it’s time to get in the shade (or cover up using a long-sleeved shirt, pants, and a hat). Stay out just long enough so that your skin turns the very lightest shade of pink.
Remember that continuing UV exposure beyond the minimal dose required to produce skin redness will not increase your vitamin D production any further.
Please Remember to Check Your Vitamin D Levels
Last but not least, it’s always a good idea to get your vitamin D levels checked regularly, and adjust your sun exposure accordingly to maintain your optimal vitamin D level. For more information about the correct test to get and your optimal -- as opposed to “normal” – levels, please review my previous article, Scientists Admit -- Sun Exposure Benefits Outweigh Risks that I wrote earlier this year.
Source: Mercola.com
What Is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that is found in food and can also be made in your body after exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. Sunshine is a significant source of vitamin D because UV rays from sunlight trigger vitamin D synthesis in the skin. Vitamin D exists in several forms, each with a different level of activity. Calciferol is the most active form of vitamin D. Other forms are relatively inactive in the body. The liver and kidney help convert vitamin D to its active hormone form. Once vitamin D is produced in the skin or consumed in food, it requires chemical conversion in the liver and kidney to form 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D, the physiologically active form of vitamin D. Active vitamin D functions as a hormone because it sends a message to the intestines to increase the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. The major biologic function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. By promoting calcium absorption, vitamin D helps to form and maintain strong bones. Vitamin D also works in concert with a number of other vitamins, minerals, and hormones to promote bone mineralization. Without vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle, or misshapen. Vitamin D sufficiency prevents rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, two forms of skeletal diseases that weaken bones. Research also suggests that vitamin D may help maintain a healthy immune system and help regulate cell growth and differentiation, the process that determines what a cell is to become.
Sun Exposure
Sun exposure is perhaps the most important source of vitamin D because exposure to sunlight provides most humans with their vitamin D requirement. UV rays from the sun trigger vitamin D synthesis in skin. Season, geographic latitude, time of day, cloud cover, smog, and sunscreen affect UV ray exposure and vitamin D synthesis. For example, sunlight exposure from November through February in Boston is insufficient to produce significant vitamin D synthesis in the skin. Complete cloud cover halves the energy of UV rays, and shade reduces it by 60%. Industrial pollution, which increases shade, also decreases sun exposure and may contribute to the development of rickets in individuals with insufficient dietary intake of vitamin D. Sunscreens with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 8 or greater will block UV rays that produce vitamin D, but it is still important to routinely use sunscreen to help prevent skin cancer and other negative consequences of excessive sun exposure. An initial exposure to sunlight (10 -15 minutes) allows adequate time for Vitamin D synthesis and should be followed by application of a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 to protect the skin. Ten to fifteen minutes of sun exposure at least two times per week to the face, arms, hands, or back without sunscreen is usually sufficient to provide adequate vitamin D. It is very important for individuals with limited sun exposure to include good sources of vitamin D in their diet. recommended daily intake for adults between the ages of 51 and 70, and approximately 15% of the recommended daily intake for adults age 71 and over.
LOTION SOURCE COMMENT:
A great way to get the recommended amount of UV exposure is to tan in a regulated tanning bed for 20 minutes. In this controlled environment you can easily avoid overexposure by controlling your time. You also get the added benefits of UV eye protection by wearing tanning goggles. We also recommend taking care of your skin and accelerating your tan by using a great tanning lotion and a moisturizer for tanners.
From The National Institutes Of Health - NIH.GOV
Sun Exposure
Sun exposure is perhaps the most important source of vitamin D because exposure to sunlight provides most humans with their vitamin D requirement. UV rays from the sun trigger vitamin D synthesis in skin. Season, geographic latitude, time of day, cloud cover, smog, and sunscreen affect UV ray exposure and vitamin D synthesis. For example, sunlight exposure from November through February in Boston is insufficient to produce significant vitamin D synthesis in the skin. Complete cloud cover halves the energy of UV rays, and shade reduces it by 60%. Industrial pollution, which increases shade, also decreases sun exposure and may contribute to the development of rickets in individuals with insufficient dietary intake of vitamin D. Sunscreens with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 8 or greater will block UV rays that produce vitamin D, but it is still important to routinely use sunscreen to help prevent skin cancer and other negative consequences of excessive sun exposure. An initial exposure to sunlight (10 -15 minutes) allows adequate time for Vitamin D synthesis and should be followed by application of a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 to protect the skin. Ten to fifteen minutes of sun exposure at least two times per week to the face, arms, hands, or back without sunscreen is usually sufficient to provide adequate vitamin D. It is very important for individuals with limited sun exposure to include good sources of vitamin D in their diet. recommended daily intake for adults between the ages of 51 and 70, and approximately 15% of the recommended daily intake for adults age 71 and over.
LOTION SOURCE COMMENT:
A great way to get the recommended amount of UV exposure is to tan in a regulated tanning bed for 20 minutes. In this controlled environment you can easily avoid overexposure by controlling your time. You also get the added benefits of UV eye protection by wearing tanning goggles. We also recommend taking care of your skin and accelerating your tan by using a great tanning lotion and a moisturizer for tanners.
From The National Institutes Of Health - NIH.GOV
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Low Vitamin D Levels May Worsen Osteoarthritis Of The Knee
ScienceDaily (Nov. 15, 2007) — Low vitamin D levels may cause greater knee pain and difficulty walking in patients with knee osteoarthritis, according to research presented recently at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Boston, Mass.
Knee osteoarthritis is caused by cartilage breakdown in the knee joint. Factors that increase the risk of knee osteoarthritis include being overweight, age, injury or stress to the joints, and family history can increase the risk of knee osteoarthritis.
Recent studies have shown that vitamin D influences both musculoskeletal and neuromuscular function. Taking a closer look at this, in a two-year trial of vitamin D supplements on knee osteoarthritis progression, researchers tested whether vitamin D deficiency at study entry is associated with pain and physical function in OA patients. Researchers studied 65 women and 35 men in their sixties who showed signs of having knee OA by measuring blood levels of vitamin D, their baseline knee pain, the time needed for arising several times from a chair, and the time needed to walk 20 meters.
Of the 100 participants, 47 percent were vitamin D deficient, with vitamin D levels below 30 ng/ml. This deficiency contributed to increased pain and difficulty walking among the participants. However, the deficiency did not affect time need to stand and sit repeatedly.
Vitamin D promotes the absorption of calcium and phosphorus needed for bone mineralization, growth and repair. Sources of vitamin D are available to a lesser extent from dietary sources typically found in fortified margarine, oily fish, liver, fortified breakfast cereals and dairy products. Sun exposure helps vitamin D to become active.
Absorption of vitamin D from food and conversion of it to the active form is less efficient in elderly persons. For this reason, vitamin D supplements of 400-800 and calcium doses of 1,200 to 1,500 mg a day are recommended to prevent osteoporosis. The results of this study suggest that Vitamin D supplements may also help in arthritis treatment.
“These preliminary results suggest that, among people with knee osteoarthritis, having a low vitamin D level is associated with more knee pan and greater functional limitation,” said Tim McAlindon, MD, MPH; associate professor of medicine, division of rheumatology, Tufts New England Medical Center; and an investigator in the study. “Future results from this ongoing randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial of vitamin D will help determine whether vitamin D is an effective disease-modifying intervention for knee osteoarthritis.”
The ACR is an organization of and for physicians, health professionals, and scientists that advances rheumatology through programs of education, research, advocacy and practice support that foster excellence in the care of people with or at risk for arthritis and rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases
Adapted from materials provided by American College of Rheumatology, via Newswise.
Source: Science Daily
Knee osteoarthritis is caused by cartilage breakdown in the knee joint. Factors that increase the risk of knee osteoarthritis include being overweight, age, injury or stress to the joints, and family history can increase the risk of knee osteoarthritis.
Recent studies have shown that vitamin D influences both musculoskeletal and neuromuscular function. Taking a closer look at this, in a two-year trial of vitamin D supplements on knee osteoarthritis progression, researchers tested whether vitamin D deficiency at study entry is associated with pain and physical function in OA patients. Researchers studied 65 women and 35 men in their sixties who showed signs of having knee OA by measuring blood levels of vitamin D, their baseline knee pain, the time needed for arising several times from a chair, and the time needed to walk 20 meters.
Of the 100 participants, 47 percent were vitamin D deficient, with vitamin D levels below 30 ng/ml. This deficiency contributed to increased pain and difficulty walking among the participants. However, the deficiency did not affect time need to stand and sit repeatedly.
Vitamin D promotes the absorption of calcium and phosphorus needed for bone mineralization, growth and repair. Sources of vitamin D are available to a lesser extent from dietary sources typically found in fortified margarine, oily fish, liver, fortified breakfast cereals and dairy products. Sun exposure helps vitamin D to become active.
Absorption of vitamin D from food and conversion of it to the active form is less efficient in elderly persons. For this reason, vitamin D supplements of 400-800 and calcium doses of 1,200 to 1,500 mg a day are recommended to prevent osteoporosis. The results of this study suggest that Vitamin D supplements may also help in arthritis treatment.
“These preliminary results suggest that, among people with knee osteoarthritis, having a low vitamin D level is associated with more knee pan and greater functional limitation,” said Tim McAlindon, MD, MPH; associate professor of medicine, division of rheumatology, Tufts New England Medical Center; and an investigator in the study. “Future results from this ongoing randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial of vitamin D will help determine whether vitamin D is an effective disease-modifying intervention for knee osteoarthritis.”
The ACR is an organization of and for physicians, health professionals, and scientists that advances rheumatology through programs of education, research, advocacy and practice support that foster excellence in the care of people with or at risk for arthritis and rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases
Adapted from materials provided by American College of Rheumatology, via Newswise.
Source: Science Daily
Monday, March 10, 2008
Catch some rays to get vitamin D
This week's expert: Dr. Lance Luria is an internal medicine physician and the associate medical director of St. John's Health Plans.
Q. Over the past few years, vitamin D has been making headlines. Why is that?
Pet Idol Contest
A. Vitamin D was discovered in the early part of the 20th century when it was found that adding a fat-soluble factor "D" to the diet prevented rickets, a disease that results in defective bone growth and bowed legs.
More recently, numerous large studies have raised questions as to whether the standard recommendations assure optimal vitamin D levels.
These questions come on the heels of mounting evidence pointing to the important role vitamin D plays in promoting bone health, in addition to preventing osteoarthritis, diabetes, cancer and mental, cardiovascular and neuromuscular diseases.
Q. Where does vitamin D come from?
A. Since our bodies have the ability to make vitamin D, it is not technically a vitamin, but falls more in the category of a steroid-like hormone that just needs a jump-start from sunshine. The problem is that most of us aren't getting enough ultra-violet (UVB) rays to generate sufficient vitamin D.
OzarksSpaces.com
Here are some interesting points:
- During the summer, 10 minutes of exposure of your hands and face (without sunscreen) provides about 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D3. A young person whose entire body is exposed to simulated sunlight produces the equivalent of 10,000-25,000 IU of vitamin D taken orally.
- Don't worry about getting too much vitamin D from sunlight. The same UVB rays that help make vitamin D will also destroy what is not absorbed quickly enough.
- Wearing sunscreen blocks your body's ability to make vitamin D.
- People living north of the 37th degree-latitude line, which includes Springfield, don't get enough UVB rays in winter. A good rule of thumb is that you don't get enough during the seasons when your shadow at noon is taller than you are.
- Your ability to make vitamin D decreases as you reach old age.
- Darker-pigmented people have more melanin in their skin, and since melanin acts like sunblock, less vitamin D is made. In fact, a black person with very dark skin pigmentation will require about a tenfold longer exposure to make the same amount of vitamin D as a light-skinned white person.
- Vitamin D is stored in fat cells, which can act as a reservoir for the winter months. Paradoxically, obese people have about one-half the levels of circulating vitamin D levels as people of normal weight. It is thought that large fat depots act as a sort of sinkhole for vitamin D.
Q. How much vitamin D is needed?
A. Current recommendations call for 200 international units (IU) for children and adults up to age 50, 400 IU from age 51 to 70 and 600 IU for adults 71 and older. However, based on more recent studies, most authorities are now recommending at least 800 IU of vitamin D3 daily for children and adults if you're not getting enough UVB exposure and at least 1,000 IU daily for those that do not get any UVB exposure.
A safe upper limit is 2,000 IU daily. Although a number of studies have shown that higher daily intakes do not result in toxic effects, these higher doses are not routinely recommended.
If you're not sure that your intake is adequate, taking a daily supplement of 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 is currently recommended by a number of authorities.
Tests to show vitamin D blood levels are available but costly, but they can resolve those situations where there remains a question as to whether you are getting enough.
Q. Why is vitamin D needed?
A. Maintaining adequate blood levels of vitamin D is important not only for bone health but also in the prevention of a number of chronic diseases, including osteoporosis, hypertension and prostate, breast and colon cancers.
Q. Are there food sources of vitamin D?
A. Naturally occurring vitamin D is relatively rare in foods. Oily fish and egg yolks contain significant amounts, as do mushrooms.
Q. What's the difference between vitamin D2 and D3?
A. Supplemental vitamin D comes in two forms: D2 (ergocalciferol) or D3 (cholecalciferol). Vitamin D2 comes from UVB-irradiated yeast and plants; vitamin D3 comes from UVB-irradiated lanolin from animal sources.
It was originally thought that vitamins D2 and D3 were pretty much the same, but now we know that the D2 form is only about 20 percent to 40 percent as effective as D3. Vitamin D2 also doesn't last as long in our circulation and may even cause premature breakdown of circulating D3.
Fortified foods can contain either vitamin D2 or D3, but recent studies in the United States and western Canada noted that up to 80 percent of milk did not contain the advertised amount of vitamin D and half the milk tested contained less than 50 percent of the advertised amount. Remarkably, 15 percent of the skim milk samples contained no detectable vitamin D at all.
Q. How common is vitamin D deficiency?
A. It is estimated that 1 billion people worldwide don't get enough vitamin D. That includes vitamin D deficiency among 40 percent to 100 percent of independently living elderly Americans and Europeans. Further, in the United States, half of women receiving treatment for osteoporosis, 73 percent of pregnant women (and 80 percent of their infants at birth) and between 48 and 52 percent of adolescent girls in the Northeast show vitamin D deficiency.
This is a problem because without vitamin D, only 10 percent to 15 percent of dietary calcium is absorbed, and bone mineral density is directly correlated with vitamin D levels.
Q. How can you get enough vitamin D?
A. If you believe you need to increase your vitamin D levels, here are some tips:
- During the spring, summer and fall, 5 to 15 minutes of sunshine between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., two or three times weekly, should do the trick. (But, if your skin becomes slightly pink, you've gotten too much sun. )
- Tanning beds, when used in moderation, provide ample vitamin D and may be particularly helpful in the winter months.
- Milk, cereals and bread products that contain vitamin D may be highly variable in their vitamin D content and should not be depended upon as a reliable source.
- Don't forget that vitamin D2 (from yeast and plants) is probably only one-third as effective as vitamin D3 (from animals). So when you go shopping for supplements, remember that 1,000 IU of D3 is comparable to 3,000 IU of D2.
Source: News-Leader.com
Q. Over the past few years, vitamin D has been making headlines. Why is that?
Pet Idol Contest
A. Vitamin D was discovered in the early part of the 20th century when it was found that adding a fat-soluble factor "D" to the diet prevented rickets, a disease that results in defective bone growth and bowed legs.
More recently, numerous large studies have raised questions as to whether the standard recommendations assure optimal vitamin D levels.
These questions come on the heels of mounting evidence pointing to the important role vitamin D plays in promoting bone health, in addition to preventing osteoarthritis, diabetes, cancer and mental, cardiovascular and neuromuscular diseases.
Q. Where does vitamin D come from?
A. Since our bodies have the ability to make vitamin D, it is not technically a vitamin, but falls more in the category of a steroid-like hormone that just needs a jump-start from sunshine. The problem is that most of us aren't getting enough ultra-violet (UVB) rays to generate sufficient vitamin D.
OzarksSpaces.com
Here are some interesting points:
- During the summer, 10 minutes of exposure of your hands and face (without sunscreen) provides about 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D3. A young person whose entire body is exposed to simulated sunlight produces the equivalent of 10,000-25,000 IU of vitamin D taken orally.
- Don't worry about getting too much vitamin D from sunlight. The same UVB rays that help make vitamin D will also destroy what is not absorbed quickly enough.
- Wearing sunscreen blocks your body's ability to make vitamin D.
- People living north of the 37th degree-latitude line, which includes Springfield, don't get enough UVB rays in winter. A good rule of thumb is that you don't get enough during the seasons when your shadow at noon is taller than you are.
- Your ability to make vitamin D decreases as you reach old age.
- Darker-pigmented people have more melanin in their skin, and since melanin acts like sunblock, less vitamin D is made. In fact, a black person with very dark skin pigmentation will require about a tenfold longer exposure to make the same amount of vitamin D as a light-skinned white person.
- Vitamin D is stored in fat cells, which can act as a reservoir for the winter months. Paradoxically, obese people have about one-half the levels of circulating vitamin D levels as people of normal weight. It is thought that large fat depots act as a sort of sinkhole for vitamin D.
Q. How much vitamin D is needed?
A. Current recommendations call for 200 international units (IU) for children and adults up to age 50, 400 IU from age 51 to 70 and 600 IU for adults 71 and older. However, based on more recent studies, most authorities are now recommending at least 800 IU of vitamin D3 daily for children and adults if you're not getting enough UVB exposure and at least 1,000 IU daily for those that do not get any UVB exposure.
A safe upper limit is 2,000 IU daily. Although a number of studies have shown that higher daily intakes do not result in toxic effects, these higher doses are not routinely recommended.
If you're not sure that your intake is adequate, taking a daily supplement of 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 is currently recommended by a number of authorities.
Tests to show vitamin D blood levels are available but costly, but they can resolve those situations where there remains a question as to whether you are getting enough.
Q. Why is vitamin D needed?
A. Maintaining adequate blood levels of vitamin D is important not only for bone health but also in the prevention of a number of chronic diseases, including osteoporosis, hypertension and prostate, breast and colon cancers.
Q. Are there food sources of vitamin D?
A. Naturally occurring vitamin D is relatively rare in foods. Oily fish and egg yolks contain significant amounts, as do mushrooms.
Q. What's the difference between vitamin D2 and D3?
A. Supplemental vitamin D comes in two forms: D2 (ergocalciferol) or D3 (cholecalciferol). Vitamin D2 comes from UVB-irradiated yeast and plants; vitamin D3 comes from UVB-irradiated lanolin from animal sources.
It was originally thought that vitamins D2 and D3 were pretty much the same, but now we know that the D2 form is only about 20 percent to 40 percent as effective as D3. Vitamin D2 also doesn't last as long in our circulation and may even cause premature breakdown of circulating D3.
Fortified foods can contain either vitamin D2 or D3, but recent studies in the United States and western Canada noted that up to 80 percent of milk did not contain the advertised amount of vitamin D and half the milk tested contained less than 50 percent of the advertised amount. Remarkably, 15 percent of the skim milk samples contained no detectable vitamin D at all.
Q. How common is vitamin D deficiency?
A. It is estimated that 1 billion people worldwide don't get enough vitamin D. That includes vitamin D deficiency among 40 percent to 100 percent of independently living elderly Americans and Europeans. Further, in the United States, half of women receiving treatment for osteoporosis, 73 percent of pregnant women (and 80 percent of their infants at birth) and between 48 and 52 percent of adolescent girls in the Northeast show vitamin D deficiency.
This is a problem because without vitamin D, only 10 percent to 15 percent of dietary calcium is absorbed, and bone mineral density is directly correlated with vitamin D levels.
Q. How can you get enough vitamin D?
A. If you believe you need to increase your vitamin D levels, here are some tips:
- During the spring, summer and fall, 5 to 15 minutes of sunshine between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., two or three times weekly, should do the trick. (But, if your skin becomes slightly pink, you've gotten too much sun. )
- Tanning beds, when used in moderation, provide ample vitamin D and may be particularly helpful in the winter months.
- Milk, cereals and bread products that contain vitamin D may be highly variable in their vitamin D content and should not be depended upon as a reliable source.
- Don't forget that vitamin D2 (from yeast and plants) is probably only one-third as effective as vitamin D3 (from animals). So when you go shopping for supplements, remember that 1,000 IU of D3 is comparable to 3,000 IU of D2.
Source: News-Leader.com
Friday, March 7, 2008
Vitamin D Deficiency: Common And Problematic Yet Preventable
Science Daily - In a review article to appear in the July 19th issue of the
New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Michael Holick, an internationally
recognized expert in vitamin D, provides an overview of his pioneering work
that expounds on the important role vitamin D plays in a wide variety of
chronic health conditions, as well as suggesting strategies for the
prevention and treatment of vitamin D deficiency.
Humans attain vitamin D from exposure to sunlight, diet and supplements.
Vitamin D deficiency is common in children and adults. In utero and
childhood, vitamin D deficiency may cause growth retardation, skeletal
deformities and increase risk of hip fractures later in life. In adults,
vitamin D deficiency may precipitate or exacerbate osteopenia, osteoporosis,
muscle weakness, fractures, common cancers, autoimmune diseases, infectious
diseases and cardiovascular diseases.
According to Holick, a professor of medicine, physiology, and biophysics,
and director of the General Clinical Research Center at Boston University
School of Medicine and Director of the Bone Healthcare Clinic at Boston
Medical Center, it has been estimated that 1 billion people world-wide are
vitamin D deficient or insufficient.
Without vitamin D only about 10-15 percent of dietary calcium and about 60
percent of phosphorus is absorbed by the body. This is directly related to
bone mineral density which is responsible for osteoporosis and fractures, as
well as muscle strength and falls in adults. In utero and childhood, calcium
and vitamin D deficiency prevents the maximum deposition of calcium in the
skeleton.
Studies have shown people living at higher latitudes (where the angle of the
sun's rays are unable to sufficiently produce adequate amounts of vitamin D
in the skin) are more likely to develop and die of Hodgkin's lymphoma,
colon, pancreatic, prostate, ovarian, breast and other cancers.
According to Holick, both prospective and retrospective epidemiologic
studies have also shown an association between low levels of vitamin D and
an increased risk for Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease,
hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
Holick believes the current recommended Adequate Intakes for vitamin D need
to be increased to 800 -- 1000 IU vitaminD3/d. "However, one can not obtain
these amounts from most dietary sources unless one is eating oily fish
frequently," says Holick.
"Thus, sensible sun exposure (or UVB
irradiation) and/or supplements are required to satisfy the body's vitamin D
requirement," he adds.
Lastly Holick adds, "The goal of this paper is to make physicians aware of
the medical problems associated with vitamin D deficiency. Physicians will
then be able to impart this knowledge to their patients so they too will
know how to recognize, treat and most importantly, maintain adequate levels
of this important vitamin."
Source: Science Daily.
New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Michael Holick, an internationally
recognized expert in vitamin D, provides an overview of his pioneering work
that expounds on the important role vitamin D plays in a wide variety of
chronic health conditions, as well as suggesting strategies for the
prevention and treatment of vitamin D deficiency.
Humans attain vitamin D from exposure to sunlight, diet and supplements.
Vitamin D deficiency is common in children and adults. In utero and
childhood, vitamin D deficiency may cause growth retardation, skeletal
deformities and increase risk of hip fractures later in life. In adults,
vitamin D deficiency may precipitate or exacerbate osteopenia, osteoporosis,
muscle weakness, fractures, common cancers, autoimmune diseases, infectious
diseases and cardiovascular diseases.
According to Holick, a professor of medicine, physiology, and biophysics,
and director of the General Clinical Research Center at Boston University
School of Medicine and Director of the Bone Healthcare Clinic at Boston
Medical Center, it has been estimated that 1 billion people world-wide are
vitamin D deficient or insufficient.
Without vitamin D only about 10-15 percent of dietary calcium and about 60
percent of phosphorus is absorbed by the body. This is directly related to
bone mineral density which is responsible for osteoporosis and fractures, as
well as muscle strength and falls in adults. In utero and childhood, calcium
and vitamin D deficiency prevents the maximum deposition of calcium in the
skeleton.
Studies have shown people living at higher latitudes (where the angle of the
sun's rays are unable to sufficiently produce adequate amounts of vitamin D
in the skin) are more likely to develop and die of Hodgkin's lymphoma,
colon, pancreatic, prostate, ovarian, breast and other cancers.
According to Holick, both prospective and retrospective epidemiologic
studies have also shown an association between low levels of vitamin D and
an increased risk for Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease,
hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
Holick believes the current recommended Adequate Intakes for vitamin D need
to be increased to 800 -- 1000 IU vitaminD3/d. "However, one can not obtain
these amounts from most dietary sources unless one is eating oily fish
frequently," says Holick.
"Thus, sensible sun exposure (or UVB
irradiation) and/or supplements are required to satisfy the body's vitamin D
requirement," he adds.
Lastly Holick adds, "The goal of this paper is to make physicians aware of
the medical problems associated with vitamin D deficiency. Physicians will
then be able to impart this knowledge to their patients so they too will
know how to recognize, treat and most importantly, maintain adequate levels
of this important vitamin."
Source: Science Daily.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Stress for Success: Sunlight is a good source of vitamin D
How much, if any, unprotected sunshine is good for you?
How much sunshine puts you at risk for skin cancer? Does too little rob you of its health-enhancing benefits?
Since most living things require sunshine it only makes sense that our bodies do, too.
"Modern ... work routines have curbed our exposure to sunlight," says Daniel Kripke, psychiatry professor, University of California at San Diego. He found San Diegans average less than an hour a day outside, which may be bad for their health.
Edward Giovannucci of Harvard's School of Public Health worries that "Our scrupulous avoidance of the sun may have inadvertently led to widespread vitamin D deficiencies."
Michael Holick, world-renowned vitamin D expert and professor of medicine at Boston University, adds, "The message from dermatologists never to expose yourself directly to sunlight is itself hazardous to your health. It has put the population at risk for vitamin D deficiency," especially the frail elderly and dark-skinned people living at high latitudes or in cloudy climates.
Last week I wrote about mounting research regarding the role of sunlight and cancer development. Briefly, if you live at high latitudes, you're more likely to suffer and die from cancers of the colon, pancreas, prostate, ovaries and breast. Raising blood levels of vitamin D reduces the incidence of colorectal cancer by half. Also, women with the highest amounts of vitamin D had the lowest risk of breast cancer.
A 2006 study led by Holick compared tumor growth in mice with low levels of vitamin D and mice with high levels.
"The tumors took off in the vitamin D-deficient mice," he wrote. By the study's end, they were 80 percent larger than the ones in the vitamin D-sufficient mice.
The evidence of vitamin D's effects is so strong that some scientists say the best thing to protect against cancer, apart from not smoking and avoiding excessive alcohol, is to get enough vitamin D. Unfiltered sunlight for at least a few minutes daily fights heart disease, cancer, autoimmune disorders and even depression. Some research suggests it may even add seven years to your life!
NIH sponsored a conference on this topic in September. Barbara Gilchrest, chief of dermatology at Boston University said, "There's still no consensus on the optimal amount. But there's consensus on how people should get more of the vitamin, through supplements ..."
Holick agrees that supplements would be the easiest solution. He takes 1400 IU per day himself. But he still promotes sunlight because there are at least three other photoproducts not available in supplements. He doesn't endorse tanning but says, "You can get sufficient vitamin D ... by exposing your arms and legs to the midday sun for only 10 to 15 minutes."
But those who are fair-skinned, tan poorly and freckle easily are vulnerable to burning. Gilchrest says, "For them, even a little sun carries a much greater risk of skin damage. (They're) already getting all the sun they need from their daily activities."
Stay tuned for additional research. In the meantime, if you tan well, consider small amounts of daily direct sunlight to function more healthfully and maybe to live longer.
Source: new-press.com
How much sunshine puts you at risk for skin cancer? Does too little rob you of its health-enhancing benefits?
Since most living things require sunshine it only makes sense that our bodies do, too.
"Modern ... work routines have curbed our exposure to sunlight," says Daniel Kripke, psychiatry professor, University of California at San Diego. He found San Diegans average less than an hour a day outside, which may be bad for their health.
Edward Giovannucci of Harvard's School of Public Health worries that "Our scrupulous avoidance of the sun may have inadvertently led to widespread vitamin D deficiencies."
Michael Holick, world-renowned vitamin D expert and professor of medicine at Boston University, adds, "The message from dermatologists never to expose yourself directly to sunlight is itself hazardous to your health. It has put the population at risk for vitamin D deficiency," especially the frail elderly and dark-skinned people living at high latitudes or in cloudy climates.
Last week I wrote about mounting research regarding the role of sunlight and cancer development. Briefly, if you live at high latitudes, you're more likely to suffer and die from cancers of the colon, pancreas, prostate, ovaries and breast. Raising blood levels of vitamin D reduces the incidence of colorectal cancer by half. Also, women with the highest amounts of vitamin D had the lowest risk of breast cancer.
A 2006 study led by Holick compared tumor growth in mice with low levels of vitamin D and mice with high levels.
"The tumors took off in the vitamin D-deficient mice," he wrote. By the study's end, they were 80 percent larger than the ones in the vitamin D-sufficient mice.
The evidence of vitamin D's effects is so strong that some scientists say the best thing to protect against cancer, apart from not smoking and avoiding excessive alcohol, is to get enough vitamin D. Unfiltered sunlight for at least a few minutes daily fights heart disease, cancer, autoimmune disorders and even depression. Some research suggests it may even add seven years to your life!
NIH sponsored a conference on this topic in September. Barbara Gilchrest, chief of dermatology at Boston University said, "There's still no consensus on the optimal amount. But there's consensus on how people should get more of the vitamin, through supplements ..."
Holick agrees that supplements would be the easiest solution. He takes 1400 IU per day himself. But he still promotes sunlight because there are at least three other photoproducts not available in supplements. He doesn't endorse tanning but says, "You can get sufficient vitamin D ... by exposing your arms and legs to the midday sun for only 10 to 15 minutes."
But those who are fair-skinned, tan poorly and freckle easily are vulnerable to burning. Gilchrest says, "For them, even a little sun carries a much greater risk of skin damage. (They're) already getting all the sun they need from their daily activities."
Stay tuned for additional research. In the meantime, if you tan well, consider small amounts of daily direct sunlight to function more healthfully and maybe to live longer.
Source: new-press.com
Monday, March 3, 2008
Tanning beds help vitamin D deficiency
Researchers at the University of Boston found that vitamin D deficiency was common among the elderly people during non-summer days and exposure to UV rays from a commercial tanning bed could effectively stimulate production of this essential vitamin that now is believed to provide a potent anti-cancer activity among others.
The study of 45 nursing home residents by Michael Holick, a heavy weight vitamin D researcher and senior author of the study, and colleagues showed the rate of 25(OH)D deficiency among the subjects raised to 49, 67, 74 and 78 percent in August, November, February and May, respectively. The participants took a vitamin D supplement containing 400 IU vitamin D2 during the study.
Vitamin D is naturally synthesized in the body while exposure to sunlight. Full exposure of both hands and the face for 15 to 20 minutes to the sun would render production of enough vitamin D3 in a person. Overexposure would not lead to overproduction of this vitamin.
In regions where exposure to the sunshine is not intense, people are more likely to develop a range of cancers including the colon, prostate, breast, and esophagus, according to Holick. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to increased risk of having hypertension, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and other autoimmune disease and infectious disease including tuberculosis and influenza in addition to cancers.
For the study, Holick and colleagues exposed 15 healthy adults aged 20 to 53 in a bathing suit three times per week from a commercial tanning bed that emitted five percent of its UV energy in the UVB ranging 290 to 320 nm. The 25(OH)D level in the blood was determined weekly for seven weeks.
Exposure to tanning bed irradiation increased pre-vitamin D at a linear rate of 1 percent per minute. One week of exposure led to an increase in 25(OH)D by 50 percent and five weeks of exposure increased the level by 150 percent compared to baseline. After five weeks, 25(OH)D leveled off in the next two weeks.
"Vitamin D deficiency is common in both children and adults worldwide," said Michael Holick. "Exposure to lamps that emit UVB radiation is an excellent source for producing vitamin D3 in the skin and is especially efficacious in patients with fat malabsortion syndromes."
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin D is 400 IU for adults, which most experts now believe is too low. According to the researchers, experts would recommend 1000 IU per day as the minimal daily intake to maintain circulating concentrations of 25(OH)D.
Sunshine is the most abundant source of vitamin D although there are a limited number of foods that supply vitamin D. Some people may fear that exposure to sunshine would increase risk of skin cancers. But experts have warned that deficiency of vitamin D could be more serious than most cases of skin cancers, which are not as deadly in most cases. Although vitamin D can be toxic at high doses, it's believed that up to 10,000 IU per day can be tolerated.
Studies have suggested that high intake of vitamin D would drastically reduce risk of cancer. For breast cancer, the reduction is 70 percent. In addition to vitamin D supplements, fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel and cod liver oil are excellent sources of this vitamin.
This current study was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health and the Ultraviolet Light Foundation and will be published in the March 2008 issue of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.
Source: Foodconsumer.org
The study of 45 nursing home residents by Michael Holick, a heavy weight vitamin D researcher and senior author of the study, and colleagues showed the rate of 25(OH)D deficiency among the subjects raised to 49, 67, 74 and 78 percent in August, November, February and May, respectively. The participants took a vitamin D supplement containing 400 IU vitamin D2 during the study.
Vitamin D is naturally synthesized in the body while exposure to sunlight. Full exposure of both hands and the face for 15 to 20 minutes to the sun would render production of enough vitamin D3 in a person. Overexposure would not lead to overproduction of this vitamin.
In regions where exposure to the sunshine is not intense, people are more likely to develop a range of cancers including the colon, prostate, breast, and esophagus, according to Holick. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to increased risk of having hypertension, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and other autoimmune disease and infectious disease including tuberculosis and influenza in addition to cancers.
For the study, Holick and colleagues exposed 15 healthy adults aged 20 to 53 in a bathing suit three times per week from a commercial tanning bed that emitted five percent of its UV energy in the UVB ranging 290 to 320 nm. The 25(OH)D level in the blood was determined weekly for seven weeks.
Exposure to tanning bed irradiation increased pre-vitamin D at a linear rate of 1 percent per minute. One week of exposure led to an increase in 25(OH)D by 50 percent and five weeks of exposure increased the level by 150 percent compared to baseline. After five weeks, 25(OH)D leveled off in the next two weeks.
"Vitamin D deficiency is common in both children and adults worldwide," said Michael Holick. "Exposure to lamps that emit UVB radiation is an excellent source for producing vitamin D3 in the skin and is especially efficacious in patients with fat malabsortion syndromes."
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin D is 400 IU for adults, which most experts now believe is too low. According to the researchers, experts would recommend 1000 IU per day as the minimal daily intake to maintain circulating concentrations of 25(OH)D.
Sunshine is the most abundant source of vitamin D although there are a limited number of foods that supply vitamin D. Some people may fear that exposure to sunshine would increase risk of skin cancers. But experts have warned that deficiency of vitamin D could be more serious than most cases of skin cancers, which are not as deadly in most cases. Although vitamin D can be toxic at high doses, it's believed that up to 10,000 IU per day can be tolerated.
Studies have suggested that high intake of vitamin D would drastically reduce risk of cancer. For breast cancer, the reduction is 70 percent. In addition to vitamin D supplements, fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel and cod liver oil are excellent sources of this vitamin.
This current study was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health and the Ultraviolet Light Foundation and will be published in the March 2008 issue of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.
Source: Foodconsumer.org
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