Vitamin D3 Blog

Vitamin D Receptors DO Play Role in Hair Loss, Although Effects of Vitamin D Itself Remain Unclear

Science has determined that defective vitamin D receptors in skin cells are responsible for at least one form of hair loss (alopecia), but the actual role of vitamin D itself remains unclear.

Back in February of last year (2011), the Vitamin D3 Blog published an article about Vitamin D Deficiency and Hair Loss, which at the time appeared to be accurate, but that nonetheless spurred quite a bit of controversy among readers. That particular post has been among the most read, and has attracted the most reader comments in the history of this website.

The gist of the post was that while plenty of speculation of a link between vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency and inexplicable and/or premature hair loss could be found online, at the time, we here at the Vitamin D3 Blog had been unable to confirm a scientific link between the nutritional insufficiency and hair loss. The post set off a firestorm of comments (which still arrive at a rate that exceeds our ability to moderate all of them in a timely manner) by readers who believe based on personal experience that such a relationship does in fact exist.

In the time since the previous post on the topic of vitamin D and hair loss went live, a number of studies have been released that appear to validate the reader speculation regarding a possible association between low vitamin D and alopecia, which is a scientific term for baldness and/or hair loss.

According to one study conducted by a group of researchers at the Department of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Medical Center and University of California, both humans with certain mutations in their vitamin D receptors (VDR), and mice lacking in these receptors developed alopecia (baldness). In that study, the mice were born with a full coat of hair, but failed “to initiate normal hair follicle cycling”. The study concluded that the lack of vitamin D receptors resulted in the disruption of the hair follicle structure, which resulted in subsequent failures of hair follicle cycling. The researchers went on to state that such changes are associated with increased hair loss, suggesting that the mutated VDRs were at least partially responsible for the regulation of the gene that controls hair loss, and hence the hair loss itself. (1)

Another study conducted by scientists at the Department of Dermatology at the University of Texas and the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston “sought to evaluate the role that vitamin D and the vitamin D receptor play in the hair cycle and assess how this can be clinically applied to the treatment of hair disorders.” While it was determined that the vitamin D receptor does in fact play a role in hair follicle cycling, this receptor acts independently of vitamin D itself in this regard. The research concluded that treatments that up-regulate the vitamin D receptor may hold potential as a possible future treatment for hair disorders, and that further studies should be conducted on the matter. The researchers were quick to admit however, that the actual role of vitamin D in hair follicle cycling is not well understood, and that no conclusions could be drawn at this time about the role of the actual nutrient itself. (2)

In yet another study, this one conducted by the Endocrine Unit, Massachussetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, researchers found that by genetically tweaking the vitamin D receptor-null mice, alopecia could be prevented. Effectively, what they did was take VDR-null mice and mate them with in mice by mating them with two “highly expressing transgenic lines of mice expressing the human VDR” in order to obtain VDR-null mice expressing the human vitamin D receptor-transgene. Expression of the transgene (the one created by cross-breeding VDR-null mice with genetically-altered mice expressing the human VDR) in the VDR-null mice prevented alopecia (hair loss). Thus, the scientists were able to restore the VDR expression in the VDR null mice, preventing the hair cycle defect that leads to the development of alopecia. (3)

One final study worth mentioned a likelihood that keratinocyte is the actual cell responsible for the defective vitamin D receptors, which are believed to lead to alopecia (hair loss, baldness). This study, conducted by the same group of Boston-based researchers responsible for the latter of the three previous studies mentioned, concluded that keratinocyte, the predominant cell type in the epidermis (skin), is the “origin of the defect”. They went on to suggest that “this form of alopecia is due to absence of ligand-independent receptor function.” (4)

Perhaps the most promising study of all was one conducted by researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center/University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine. The very title of the abstract of their research sounds far more promising and to-the-point than those studies previously mentioned. The title reads: “Vitamin D3 analogs stimulate hair growth in nude mice”.  The study determined that “Vitamin D3 analogs dramatically stimulated the hair growth of nude mice,” adding that ”Vitamin D3 analogs seem to act on keratinocytes to initiate hair follicle cycling and stimulate hair growth in mice that otherwise do not grow hair.” (5)

To conclude, science has determined that a genetic defect in the vitamin D receptors found in skin cells is responsible for at least one form of premature hair loss/baldness/alopecia, or whatever other term one wishes to assign to describe the condition. However, the relationship of the actual vitamin D levels of a person suffering from alopecia has not been established relative to the development of the condition. It may well be that the mutated vitamin D receptors prevent proper absorption of the nutrient, resulting in vitamin D deficiency, which could factor into the loss of hair. Or, it’s entirely possible that new research will determine conclusively that vitamin D itself has nothing whatsoever to do with the condition.

So, for those of you reading this in hopes of discovering how to re-grow your hair, vitamin D3 supplementation may help, but there is no direct scientific evidence to support any claim that it would. The Vitamin D3 Blog is neither suggesting or denying a relationship between an balding individual’s vitamin D levels and the condition of his or her hairline and scalp, nor are we encouraging those suffering from hair loss to go out and purchase supplements in hope of regrowing hair.

That said, if anyone suffering from premature hair loss or balding does decide based entirely upon his or her own rationale to purchase supplements for the purpose of attempting to reverse a receding hair line, we here at the Vitamin D3 Blog would most definitely like to be notified of the results. So if anyone reading this does decide to try vitamin D supplementation (hopefully using vitamin D3 as opposed to D2) in an effort to regrow hair, please fill out the contact form located on the Contact Us page of the site and share your story with us regardless of the end-result. If we receive enough responses, we may do a follow-up post on the subject comparing the results of the readers of this blog who tried D3 supplementation as a means of slowing and/or reversing hair loss or premature balding.

Guest Post by David M.

Prostate cancer is one of the leading killers of men.  According to the National Cancer Institute, the disease is diagnosed in almost 200,000 men each year and kills almost 40,000 men each year.  A recent study by the Harvard School of Public Health and colleagues, led by Dr. Edward Giovannucci has found that vitamin D can prolong the life and even help fight cancer.

The study has shown that men with the expression of vitamin D receptors at high levels tend to have less severe prostate cancer.  The nutrient has been shown to decrease proliferation and boost apoptosis. The study showed that patients who had high levels of vitamin D in their tumor tissue had lower levels of prostate specific antigen at diagnosis.  This leads to the thought that higher levels of the sunshine vitamin render the cancer less aggressive.

Doctors think it can lower death rates among cancer patients by attaching to cancerous cells and stopping the cell division process.  Then it will find other cells in the body and attach to them thus slowly rebuilding the prostate.  It has been found that when Vitamin D is put into a culture sample with cancer cells, the the cancer cells will stop growing and begin a return to normal, though more study is needed to actually witness this phenomenon in the human body.

The study consisted of 841 men already having being diagnosed with prostate cancer.  They were divided into two cohorts, the Physicians’ Health Study, and the Health professionals Follow-up Study.  The results revealed a link between vitamin D and prostate cancer progression.  Also that if healthy men would take a daily dose of the nutrient, it would actually help to prevent the disease.

Most Doctors say that between 1,000 and 2,000 IU of vitamin D a day is needed to reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 50%.  Although it is still a good idea to supplement with a good multivitamin to give nutrients to help process the vitamin D.  The nutrients should consist of magnesium, zinc, vitamin k2, boron, and small amounts of vitamin A.

Prostate cancer is a leading killer of men, and the best thing for men to do is try to reduce the risk being afflicted as much as possible. Early detection and prevention are the most basic tools in the arsenal against prostate cancer and in due time more secrets about the disease will be uncovered, but until then the best thing for men is to be prepared and preventative.  This includes a good diet, regular exercise, and a daily supplement of vitamin D.

A new study conducted by a network of scientists called EuroSIDA found that vitamin D deficiency is extremely common among HIV patients, and that the deficiency is associated with the progression of the disease.  While not the first study to show that patients infected with HIV tend to be deficient in vitamin D at a rate well above that of the normal population, the research by the EuroSIDA cooperative went above and beyond existing research in the establishment of a direct relationship between low levels of the nutrient and the overall mortality rate as well as the progression of the disease that can lead to AIDS.

Once they had firmly established that vitamin D deficiency was in fact prevalent in patients infected with the HIV virus, the scientists took aim at the relationship between the nutritional insufficiency and the progression of the disease.  Five years after the initial testing was conducted on the patients and baseline readings established, follow-up interviews and tests revealed a very distinct pattern.

Patients were broken down into three groups according to their vitamin D levels.  Of the group who registered the lowest blood-levels of vitamin D, 10% of the patients had developed AIDS.   Of the middle group, 6% of the individuals had developed AIDS, as compared to only 5% in the group whose blood-levels of vitamin D were the highest.

That means that HIV patients who are deficient in vitamin D are twice as likely to develop AIDS as are patients with sufficient levels of the nutrient.  Not surprisingly, in addition to being more susceptible to developing AIDS, HIV patients who are vitamin D deficient are also nearly twice as likely to die, according to the same study.

Mortality rates were highest among those with the lowest levels of vitamin D.  Interestingly enough, the ratio for the mortality rates was very similar to the ratio of AIDS.  In order from lowest levels of vitamin D to highest, the mortality rates were 11%, 7% and 6%, respectively.

“These results provide strong evidence that vitamin D deficiency is an important cofactor in HIV disease progression, even in the setting of widespread, efficient cART [combination antiretroviral therapy]. Whether the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and events is casual must now be addressed,” concluded the study, which appeared in the online edition of AIDS.

HIV-infected patients can take measures to prevent and/or reverse vitamin D deficiency. First, a distinction between the different forms of vitamin D must be made. There are two main forms of the nutrient that are sold as supplements: vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is superior form, so HIV patients must set out acquire it and not waste time with D2.

Vitamin D3 can be obtained in three ways: through sunlight, food and supplements. Since food and sunlight fall under the “lifestyle” category, we can effectively dismiss these methods of ingestion, as the HIV patients are already deficient, and rather than expect them to completely change their diet and lifestyle, the safe alternative is to focus exclusively on supplements, as they are the only viable long-term solution. HIV-infected patients should obtain a high-quality, high-potency vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) supplement. 5,000 IU is a dosage amount that is common among high-potency vitamin D3 supplements. While not an amount officially endorsed by a government or health organization, it is the amount this author would recommend HIV patients start on until they’ve had time to have their blood-levels of vitamin D tested to determine their exact nutritional needs.

According to Eurocoord.net, “EuroSIDA is a prospective observational cohort study of more than 16,000 adult patients under care and follow-up in a network of 103 hospitals in 33 European countries plus Israel and Argentina.

SOURCE:  Viard J-P et al. Vitamin D and clinical disease progression in HIV infection: results from the EuroSIDA study. AIDS 25, online edition: doi: 10.1097/QAD.0b013e328347f6f7, 2011

Related Posts:

- Vitamin D Deficiency and Disease
- Vitamin D3 Supplements: When are they Necessary?
- Vitamin D3 Deficiency

Over the past several years, a number of studies have been released which appear to show a direct relationship between low levels of Vitamin D in children and the prevalence of childhood allergies.

In February of this year, a study by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University in New York concluded a study involving 3,100 children that was published in Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology showed that children and adolescents suffering from Vitamin D deficiency were highly susceptible to the development of sensitivity to allergens (development of allergies). More than 50% of those studied within the respective child-adolescent age bracket who had low levels of Vitamin D also suffered from allergies.

A 2007 study by scientists at Harvard University showed that increased sun exposure (which the body converts into Vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol) could help to prevent both asthma and allergies in children. This study also showed that pregnant women deficient in Vitamin D were more likely to bear children with asthma and/or allergies.

In 2006, the New Zealand Asthma and Allergy Cohort Study established a relationship between Vitamin D deficiency and susceptibility to respiratory infection. A follow-up study by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital Hospital confirmed the results of the original study and went beyond the original in specifically identifying asthma as a respiratory ailment the prevalence of which in children was far higher in those suffering from Vitamin D deficiency than those with healthy levels of the nutrient.

In March of 2011, researchers from the Medical University of Lodz in Poland found that Vitamin D3 supplements may help to reduce the number of asthma attacks in children.

Below are a couple of videos dealing with the topics of allergies, asthma and Vitamin D. The first video involves a report from outside the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergies, Asthma and Immunology in New Orleans in which Dr. Daniel A. Searing talks about the relationship between Vitamin D deficiency and the development of allergies and asthma in children. The second video, also hosted by Dr. Searing, is a slightly more in-depth elaboration upon the first video, addressing the subject in a more general context.

Dr. Daniel A. Searing: Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Allergies, Asthma in Children

Asthma and Vitamin D

Research dating back over the past few years appears to have identified a relationship between fibromyalgia and chronic pain and low levels of Vitamin D. Most notably, a study by the Mayo Clinic published in March of 2009 showed a direct relationship between Vitamin D deficient individuals and the relative amount of narcotic pain medication taken by those individuals.

This was the second study to be released by the Mayo Clinic, following-up on an earlier study published in November of 2008 that arrived at a similar conclusion.

One final study worthy of note is a 2009 study that appeared in the Journal of Pakistan Medical Association which showed that Vitamin D insufficiency is frequently seen in patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia and nonspecific musculoskeletal pain.

So is there a relationship between Vitamin D Deficiency and Fibromyalgia?

Before we can answer that question, we must first examine Fibromyalgia as it is defined by modern medicine. According to WebMD, Fibromyalgia is essentially a set of symptoms that when present together, imply the presence of a specific illness or the chance of developing that illness. In this case the illness is obviously Fibromyalgia.

With Fibromyalgia, the concurrent symptoms needed in order to merit a diagnosis are as follows:

• Anxiety and/or depression
• A significantly decreased threshold for pain
• Severe (or chronic) fatigue
• Widespread, chronic pain

The trending research seems to indicate a relationship between the presence of these symptoms, which are commonly diagnosed as Fibromyalgia Syndrome, and Vitamin D deficiency. There is some dissent over whether or not Vitamin D3 deficiency is a cause of Fibromyalgia syndrome, per se, or if one if frequently misdiagnosed as the other. To date, there has not been any conclusive scientific research that would settle this debate.

The study performed by the Mayo Clinic found that patients who required narcotic pain medication, and who also had inadequate levels of Vitamin D, were taking much higher doses of pain medication — nearly twice as much — as those who had adequate levels, indicating a relationship between low Vitamin D levels and severe pain.

“Vitamin D is known to promote both bone and muscle strength. Conversely, deficiency is an under-recognized source of diffuse pain and impaired neuromuscular functioning. By recognizing it, physicians can significantly improve their patients’ pain, function and quality of life,” said Michael Turner, MD, the lead author of the Mayo Clinic study. Dr. Turner continued to explain the significance of the study as it pertains to the impact the research will have on medical procedures used to identify the cause of, and treat chronic pain.

“Though preliminary, these results suggest that patients who suffer from chronic, diffuse pain and are on narcotics should consider getting their Vitamin D levels checked. Inadequate levels may play a role in creating or sustaining their pain,” says Dr. Turner. “Physicians who care for patients with chronic, diffuse pain that seems musculoskeletal — and involves many areas of tenderness to palpation — should strongly consider checking a Vitamin D level.”

So, while some grey area does still exist regarding the exact nature of the relationship between Vitamin D deficiency and chronic pain including Fibromyalgia pain, the general consensus seems to be that regardless of whether the phenomenon is a series of misdiagnoses or an actual preventive role of the nutrient in helping to stave off Fibromyalgia, people should make sure they’re getting enough Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) whether diagnosed with Fibromyalgia Syndrome or not, and doctors whose patients complain of chronic pain should order a blood test to check the Vitamin D levels of the patient experiencing the pain.

What this basically means is that medical science has in fact determined that a relationship between low Vitamin D levels and non-specific, chronic pain does exist (including pain from Fibromyalgia), but that the exact nature of the relationship has yet to be definitively established. That said, it is advisable for everyone – not just those already diagnosed with Fibromyalgia – to make a point of getting plenty of sunlight while taking a Vitamin D3 supplement regimen designed to maintain optimal levels of the nutrient in the blood.

The following is a video published by the Mayo Clinic explaining the results and significance of its study on low vitamin D levels and chronic pain:

There has been substantial scientific progress in recent years regarding the role of Vitamin D in the prevention of cancer. The research includes no less than 275 epidemiological studies, approximately 2500 laboratory studies and a confirmatory randomized placebo-controlled double-blind clinical trial (Lappe et al.).

Most of these studies support a preventive role of vitamin D with cancer. These studies have have been published in such medical journals as the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Lancet, Cancer Research, the International Journal of Epidemiology, and numerous other peer-reviewed biomedical journals.

The following CBS News video clip contains an interview with Dr. Jennifer Ashton in which she explains the significance behind new research suggesting that daily supplementation with Vitamin D may help to significantly reduce the risk of cancer.

The next video (appearing below), details how a study performed by researchers at the Moores Cancer Center and Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of California at San Diego found that 75% of deaths from breast cancer and colorectal cancer could be prevented through adequate daily intake of both Vitamin D3 and calcium.

Related: Does Vitamin D3 Help Prevent Cancer?

Vitamin D Deficiency and Hair Loss

* Update: Vitamin D and Hair Loss (Alopecia): New Research Confirms Link *

Does Vitamin D Deficiency Cause Hair Loss?

To the very best of my knowledge, there is no known link between hair loss and vitamin D deficiency. By that, I mean that I am not aware of any conclusive scientific research associating the two.

I searched the two terms in both Bing and Google, but the majority of the results were from Q&A forums and consisted largely of questions like the one you’re asking. There was nothing of relevance in the Google News results for the phrase ‘vitamin d deficiency hair loss’.

That is not to say that vitamin D deficiency does not bring about hair loss, merely that if science has determined that the former precedes the latter, I haven’t seen the evidence or the proof despite actively searching for it.

The truth of the matter is that I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if in fact hair loss is a symptom of vitamin D deficiency, and that one day science establishes and then confirms that the two are in fact related.

I did a post on this particular nutritional deficiency several weeks ago. While researching the topic for the post, I learned of well over 20 different diseases and ailments that had been scientifically linked to vitamin D deficiency. Since I published that particular article, I have learned of several more that weren’t on my original list, putting the number at close to 30.

All that said, until further notice, the answer to the question is “no”, at least for the time being. There is simply insufficient evidence at this point linking vitamin D deficiency to hair loss and/or premature balding in men. Perhaps in the future there will be, but for now there is not.

In any case, vitamin D deficiency leads to so many diseases and other health problems and vitamin D3 offers so many important health benefits that it would be wise to make a point of taking a daily vitamin D3 supplement regardless of whether or not it impacts hair loss and/or balding.

A new study published in the February edition of Neurology appears to show a link between increased sun exposure and higher vitamin d levels and a reduced risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS).

The Australian study involving 611 people determined that those with the highest vitamin d levels in their blood were the least likely to develop multiple sclerosis. The study also found that those with the most evidence of skin damage from sun exposure were about 60% less likely to develop multiple sclerosis or MS-related symptoms.

Nicholas LaRocca, PhD, the U.S. National Multiple Sclerosis Society Vice President, made a point of emphasizing that the findings involving vitamin d did not determine whether or not vitamin d (vitamin d3 to be specific) was the reason for the reduced risk of MS or simply a side-effect of sun exposure.

Vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, is the form of vitamin d manufactured within the body as a product of sun exposure. It has been found to be by far the most bioavailable (readily absorbable) or the various forms of the nutrient. It is safe to assume that those studied were ingesting cholecalciferol as opposed to other forms of the nutrient (like ergocalciferol, or vitamin d2), based on the fact that direct sun exposure was followed in addition to vitamin d levels.

The scientists representing the study made a point of emphasizing that they do not encourage people to spend unlimited amounts of time in the sun. Instead, they discussed the importance of being smart and getting sun in moderation.

It is not yet known at this point whether or not multiple sclerosis can be added to the list of diseases caused in part by vitamin d deficiency. However, based on the volumes of research to be conducted in recent years linking more than 20 different diseases and ailments to the nutritional deficiency, don’t be surprised if a definitive link is established scientifically in the upcoming years.

UPDATE: The list of diseases, illnesses and various other health maladies that have been scientifically linked to Vitamin D Deficiency now stands at 32. The updated version of the list is posted at the bottom of the article.

If you’ve been following the news at all for the past year, you’ve probably read that Vitamin D — Vitamin D3 specifically — helps boost the immune system.  You’ve probably also read that increasing volumes of research seem to indicate a relationship between Vitamin D Deficiency and various diseases.  What you may not have known is just how many different diseases and conditions are now being linked scientifically to deficient levels of this vital nutrient.

Before I go any further, I’d like to clarify the difference between Vitamin D3 and regular Vitamin D. Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) is the form of the vitamin manufactured within the human body from sunlight. It is the most active and bioavailable form of the nutrient, which translated to better absorption within the body. The alternative form of the vitamin is known as D2, or Ergocalciferol.

Over the past several years, the general consensus of experts has been rapidly shifting in the direction of declaring Vitamin D2 a nutrient unfit for supplement form. This is due in part to health experts such as Nurse Practitioner and Health Columnist Pam Egan, who dared to challenge the conventional wisdom regarding Vitamin D at a time when the term “Vitamin D3″ was largely unheard of. Mrs. Egan has been distinguishing between the two forms of the vitamin in her published writings for most of the past decade, including a couple of years at the beginning when her peers wrote off her claims as speculative.

While scanning news headlines recently, I was simply awed by the sheer number of stories about the establishment of scientific links between Vitamin D3 Deficiency and disease. In light of this experience, I have assembled a partial list of the seemingly endless diseases and conditions for which the nutritional shortcoming is a contributing factor.

In no particular order, the following is a partial list of some of the diseases and conditions caused in part by Vitamin D Deficiency.

Diseases and Conditions Linked to Vitamin D3 Deficiency:

1. Parkinson’s Disease - Two new studies suggest that older people who are deficient in Vitamin D may be more likely to develop the neurological disorder.  The first study was directed by Paul Knekt of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.  David Llewellyn of Italy’s Exeter University spearheaded the second study, which was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Source

2. Asthma - A new study conducted by the Harvard Medical School in Boston found that children low in Vitamin D3 were more likely to suffer an asthma attack requiring hospitalization than were children with healthy levels of the vitamin. Source

3. Chronic Pain - Two studies – one by Dr. Greg Plotnikoff, the other by the Mayo Clinic – appear to show a link between Vitamin D Deficiency and chronic pain. Source

4. Childhood Obesity - A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that Vitamin D deficient children are likely to have a higher Body Mass Index (BMI) than their better-nourished schoolmates. Source

5. Osteoporosis in Patients with IBD - A study by the American College of Gastroenterology indicates that Vitamin D deficient patients with IBD (Irritable Bowel Disease) are at a greater risk of developing osteoporosis, osteopenia and an overall higher rate of abnormal bone density. Source

6. Autoimmune Disorders - A study published in Genome Research indicates that people with insufficient Vitamin D are more susceptible to autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and Crohn’s disease. Source

7. Arterial Stiffness – The Endocrine Society published a study this past summer linking Vitamin D Deficiency to arterial stiffness in black teens. Source

8. Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome – Researchers from Johns Hopkins University presented a study at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting establishing a link between Vitamin D Deficiency and Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome, which is the medical precursor to diabetes. Source

9. Cancer, Heart Disease and More – The following study appearing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition establishes the preventive benefits of Vitamin D3 with regard to various forms of cancer, heart disease and numerous others. Source

10. Rickets – This one has long-been established as fact by the medical and scientific communities, so I therefore feel no need to include specifics or cite sources.  The link has been firmly established and repeatedly confirmed.

11. Inflammation – A 2009 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine confirmed a link between Vitamin D Deficiency in otherwise healthy women and increased inflammation. Source

12. Autism - There is an increasing body of evidence that Vitamin D Deficiency is a contributing factor to autism. Dr. John Cannell, a psychiatrist and prominent vitamin D advocate, says flagging levels of the vitamin in pregnant women and young children could be the elusive factor explaining the rising rate of autism. Source

13. ADHD - Recent studies from the past several years increasingly point to a relationship between low levels of Vitamin D3 and an aggravation/intensification of the symptoms of ADD and ADHD. Source

14. Influenza & Swine Flu - Research presented by John Cannell, MD of the Vitamin D Council showed that Vitamin D3 is protective against seasonal flu. Further research performed by Norris Glick, MD and Ellie Campbell, DO, showed that Vitamin D3 helps prevent H1N1 Flu. Further, Dr. John Cannell showed that Vitamin D3 deficiency activates the influenza virus (the Flu). Source: Vitamin D3 and Influenza

15. Fibromyalgia - A study published in the Journal of Pakistan Medical Association determined that Vitamin D3 deficiency is frequently seen in patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia and nonspecific musculoskeletal pain. Source

16. Hypertension & High Cholesterol - Evidence from numerous clinical and epidemiological studies have shown that increased dosages of Vitamin D3 can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol in patients deficient in the nutrient. Source

17. Depression - A scientific link between low Vitamin D3 levels and depression has been established following several recent studies confirming the relationship. According to one such study by scientists at Georgia State University: “The likelihood of having depression in persons with vitamin D deficiency is significantly higher compared to those with vitamin D sufficiency. Early diagnosis and intervention are paramount because coexistence of vitamin D deficiency and depression has serious negative consequences on health.” Source

18. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - Vitamin D deficiency is closely associated with the chronic fatigue in patients with traumatic brain injury. Source

19. Tooth Decay - There is strong evidence indicating a relationship linking Vitamin D Deficiency to cavities and tooth decay. Dozens of studies were conducted in the 1930′s and 1940′s on this very subject. More than 90% of those studies concluded that supplementing children with vitamin D prevents cavities. Source

20. Lung Transplant Rejection - Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a significant increase in lung transplant rejection, according to research conducted at Loyola University Health System (LUHS). Source

Please keep in mind that this is only a partial list of the myriad of diseases and adverse conditions that are either caused in part by or aggravated by Vitamin D Deficiency, or that can largely be prevented with adequate sun exposure and/or supplemental intake.  Check back as I will be posting a follow-up article sometime in the near future listing even more diseases for which this nutritional shortage is a contributing factor.

Updated List of Diseases Linked to Vitamin D Deficiency:

• Breast Cancer
• Skin Cancer
• Prostate Cancer
• ADHD
• Alzheimer’s
• Autism
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Allergies
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Depression
• AIDS
• Fibromyalgia
• Rickets
• Influenza
• H1N1 Flu
• Various Autoimmune Disorders
• Osteoporosis
• Lung Transplant Rejection
• Asthma
• Childhood Obesity
• Chronic Pain
• Tooth Loss
• Gingivitis
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Arterial Stiffness
• Metabolic Syndrome
• Heart Disease
• High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Lupus
• Psoriatic Arthritis
• Seasonal Affective Disorder

The BBC reported January 19 on the story of a girl diagnosed with Vitamin D Deficiency, which has been linked to the bone disease Rickets. The girl’s doctor told her that an SPF 50 sunscreen may be the culprit.

By blocking out the sun, the cream interfered with the body’s ability to absorb the sunlight and use it to manufacture Cholecalciferol, better known as Vitamin D3. By using the sunscreen on a regular basis, the girl was routinely depriving herself of the nutrient, which eventually resulted in a full-blown deficiency.

Vitamin D3 helps the body absorb calcium, reduce inflammation, boost the immune system, protect against rickets, and some relatively new studies suggest it may even help with hormone regulation. There also appears to be a growing body of evidence suggesting that Vitamin D may even help stave off some forms of cancer.

The video from the BBC report is below.