Vitamin D3 Blog

Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Yet Another Disease

A team of anti-aging experts from Adonia Organics recently released the results of a clinical trial conducted at the AMA Laboratories in New York which concluded that the process by which dark circles and bags form around the eyes of young, middle-aged and older adults is actually caused in part by a lack of sunlight (or a lack of vitamin D). Insufficient sun exposure can result in a paler skin tone, which in turn enhances the appearance of dark circles and bags in the area of the face just below the eyes.

Researchers found that the dark bags are exacerbated by fatigue – particularly during the winter months – that is attributed to deficient levels of vitamin D, which is created in the body when skin is directly exposed to sunlight. The decreased sun exposure throughout the winter months also contributes to reduced levels of neurotransmitter serotonin, which is one of the chemicals produced within the brain that helps the human body “feel good”.

According to Dr. Mark Binette, “Lacking in Vitamins D and K has a considerable negative effect on the appearance of dark circles and puffy eyes and can age a woman by 4.7 years putting over ten per cent on a woman’s age of 40.”

In all, the study found that more than twice as many women (82%) between ages 27 and 60 experience dark circles and puffy eyes in the winter, while only 38% reported the same symptoms during the summer months.

Dark circles underneath the eyes are typically the result of minor blood leakage just beneath the skin’s surface. This minuscule bleeding is typically the result of tiny capillaries bursting or becoming porous and leaking small amounts of blood. Once outside of the capillaries, the blood begins a process known as oxidation, which is what turns it that dark, blackish-blue color similar to the appearance of a bruise or minor contusion.

Since the skin under the eyes is already thin to begin with, during the winter months when skin becomes more transparent due to the typical decrease in sun exposure, fluid builds up inside the thin skin beneath the eyes, causing the dark circles and puffy-looking eyes.

The problem is not as widespread in the warmer months for two reasons: First, people spend more time outdoors wearing less clothes, which translates into increased direct exposure to sunlight. Additionally, people are less fatigued, and the darker complexion of the skin that typically accompanies warmer months as people are outdoors more and have more sunbathing opportunities makes what’s left of the dark circles and bags very difficult to notice when compared with the cooler months. The increased vitamin D absorption that goes hand-in-hand with sunbathing also helps to negate this effect, further removing the unnaturally dark areas underneath the eyes.

Since the study seems to suggest (although without stating it point-blank) that a highly-bioavailable (readily absorbably), high-quality vitamin D3 supplement (the form of the nutrient absorbed through sunlight and in supplement form the one that is more readily absorbed for use by the body – also known as cholecalciferol) may be able to help prevent the conditions that lead to dark circles, bags and puffy eyes so that come wintertime, one can look every bit as good as during the summer months without necessarily having to spend hours each week sunbathing in the cold.

The Vitamin D3 Blog recommends that anyone experiencing unnaturally dark, puffy eyes during the winter months talk with their doctor or healthcare provider about vitamin D3 supplementation and any other treatment options the doctor may suggest to help rejuvenate the youthful appearance of the eyes and the area just below them.

Video on Vitamin D3, Health, Immunity, the Sun and Skin Cancer:

 
I strongly encourage anyone who is hesitant to go outside and absorb some of nature’s vitamin D on a bright, warm and sunny day due to longstanding fears based upon rumors that sunbathing is a surefire recipe for skin cancer to actually spend two minutes watching the above video. The video features a medical doctor who is far better than this author at articulating the medical facts pertaining to the value of naturally-obtained vitamin D towards a person’s overall health. The doctor also discusses possible financial motives potentially underlying the mass-scare of the public over skin cancer followed by the major push for everyone who steps outdoors to wear a coat of sunscreen.

The epic winters and rains experienced by Seattle are known to cause depression in a large percent of the population. Why? Research has shown that sesonal depression, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is linked to a lack of a Vitamin D3.

Vitamin D3 – cholecalciferol – is the form of Vitamin D that is obtained through human exposure to direct sunlight. It is considered to be superior to other forms of Vitamin D such as ergocalciferol, which is better known as Vitamin D2.

Research has shown that people in cold, rainy climates, are more susceptible to Vitamin D Deficiency, which has been scientifically linked to Seasonal Affective Disorder. This means that people who live in places like Seattle, Washington, where the climate is often rainy and generally cold, are more likely to suffer from SAD, which is a type of seasonal depression that occurs primarily during the winter months.

Take this passage from an earlier post about Vitamin D Deficiency appearing on this site:

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)

There has been a surge of interest the medical research community concerning Vitamin D3. Dr. Michael Holick of Boston University School, one of the world’s leading experts on the topic, has been quoted as saying “You’re more likely to live longer and you’re less likely to die of serious chronic disease if you have adequate vitamin D on board. It may well be the most important nutrient of the decade.”

There is also current research being conducted on Vitamin D3 at the Mayo Clinic, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and The U.S. Institute of Medicine to name a few. Existing research has already linked Vitamin D Deficiency to at least 32 different diseases, illnesses and various other health ailments.

People who live in northern climates that are cold and/or rainy have limited opportunities to obtain Vitamin D from sunlight. It is recommended that these individuals in particular take high-quality Vitamin D3 Supplements in order to prevent Vitamin D Deficiency.

Dr. Marc Sorenson on Vitamin D Deficiency, Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder:

Vitamin D3 supplementation is highly recommended, according to the Endocrine Society in its guidelines published online in the June edition of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. The recommendations apply to suggested daily intake and tolerable upper-limit levels, in particular for those most at risk of developing Vitamin D Deficiency.

The recommendations are the product of a task force comprised of several experts in the field of clinical nutrition headed up by Michael F. Holick, M.D., Ph.D., from the Boston University School of Medicine, for the purpose of establishing guidelines for clinicians for the prevention, evaluation, treatment of Vitamin D Deficiency. The guidelines place an particular focus on at-risk patients.

The research found widespread Vitamin D Deficiency in all age groups studies, hence the widespread nature of the recommendation.

Prior to being published, the recommendations were peer-reviewed by the Endocrine Society’s Clinical Guidelines Subcommittee, Clinical Affairs Core Committee and various other co-sponsors of the research. Members of the organization also reviewed the material once it had been put up on the web, providing feedback where appropriate.

Vitamin D Deficiency has been associated with dozens of illnesses, including breast cancer, prostate cancer, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, rickets, ADHD, Parkinson’s disease, depression and many others. Vitamin D supplements can help to prevent Vitamin D Deficiency by maintaining healthy blood-levels of the nutrient.

Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is the form of the vitamin absorbed through the sun. It is superior to the synthetic Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol). We highly recommend that anyone shopping for a Vitamin D supplement check the label in order to ensure it is D3 and not D2.

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:

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.

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.

Who Should Take Vitamin D Supplements, How Much and Why?

Vitamin D supplements, particularly those providing the more bio-available form known as Vitamin D3 or cholecalciferol, can be of life-saving importance to a larger percentage of the population than most would probably assume. Of all the vitamin and mineral supplements out on the market, Vitamin D3 supplements may be the most under-consumed and most important among them.

According to a number of recent studies, between 50-80% of the American population isn’t getting enough Vitamin D. This number is believed to be even higher among African Americans. Part of the problem is that a disturbingly high number of people either aren’t aware of the importance of healthy levels of the nutrient or make the mistake of assuming they get enough by way of diet and/or sunlight.

Remedial Information about Vitamin D is Misleading

While most of us learned in school about the ever-important D vitamin is technically true (that Vitamin D is obtained via sunlight naturally), it is woefully incomplete information that has contributed to the crisis many health experts describe as a Vitamin D deficiency epidemic. We get Vitamin D from the sunshine. It is a “nonessential” vitamin (although that term is very misleading). What this effectively means is that our bodies can make it. Specifically, human skin manufactures it from sunshine, the liver breaks it down, and finally the kidney activates it into a form that is thousands of times more potent. This job provided by the kidney is lost very in the early stages of chronic kidney disease, and diminishes substantially often simply as a result of the aging process. What’s more, older people’s skin is not able to optimally manufacture the nutrient from sunlight.
So what does this all mean to the average American who likely had never so much as considered whether or not he or she was obtaining sufficient amounts of the nutrient?

Most of us also learned in school that inadequate Vitamin D levels can lead to rickets. But how many adults actually know someone with rickets? This is precisely the dilemma — rickets is not a disease people are used to seeing and thus, intricately familiar with.

Think You’re Getting Enough Vitamin D?  Think Again

Far too many Americans are of the mistaken belief that they are getting enough sunshine, and what they’re not getting in terms of sun is compensated for by diet. This is a big mistake, at least if the studies indicating that more than half the American population is deficient are correct. Paying a (probably already overdue) visit to the doctor and having one’s Vitamin D levels checked takes very little time and is a relatively inexpensive test. This test is the only way to know for sure if one is low in the nutrient and thus susceptible to the assortment of health ailments and illnesses associated with the condition.

More Milk isn’t the Answer

Milk is fortified with Vitamin D, and many who are cognizant of the importance of the vitamin assume that drinking milk will help stave off deficiency. Technically this isn’t completely inaccurate. There’s just one problem with that line of thinking though: it would take approximately 16 glasses of milk a day to provide the necessary amount of Vitamin D needed to stave of deficiency and deficiency-related illness. What’s more, the Vitamin D found in milk breaks down when exposed to light? Most major grocery chains store milk under fluorescent lights 24-7 until it sells. Even if the milk is stored in such a way as to protect the nutrients inside it, sixteen glasses is a lot of milk — even if you like milk.

Rickets we rarely encounter, sunshine we have aplenty, and we’ve survived this long without nutrient-rich milk, so what does it matter? The human body requires Vitamin D for many internal processes. It is a co-factor in myriad activities within the body. Most of us did not learn this in school as scientists only recently discovered just how critically important this nutrient is.

Vitamin D Deficiency Epidemic

What you don’t know, can hurt you. Without enough Vitamin D, not only are we vulnerable to rickets, but more importantly processes begin in which the body essentially turns itself into bone. Genes get *up-regulated(1) in the absence of needed levels of Vitamin D, which lead to the building of bone matrix in soft tissue. That tissue includes blood vessels, the heart, liver, pancreas, the list goes on. Upon that matrix, minerals like calcium are laid down and turn it into bone. This obviously is not good for one’s health. As a matter of fact, this directly correlates with mortality rates — especially via heart disease.

The lower the Vitamin D levels, the higher the mortality rate! Vitamin D deficiency has now been linked to colon cancer, diabetes, hypertension, fibromyalgia, proximal muscle weakness, and many, many others. While the death certificate doesn’t typically list Vitamin D deficiency as the cause-of-death, an alarmingly high number of debilitating and potentially even fatal diseases and illnesses have been associated with deficiencies in Vitamin D levels. So which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Vitamin D deficiency is indeed an epidemic. In numerous studies, 50-80% of the American populations studied are deficient in this Vitamin. These numbers are believed to be even higher among African Americans. While rickets is not regarded as a serious health concern, more and more people are diagnosed with heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes everyday in every family. Can anything help to prevent this?

More Sunlight Not Necessarily the Answer

The sun has gotten a bad rap. We know it causes aging of our skin and skin cancer. This is true, and in the case of skin cancer potentially deadly, so getting more sunlight is not necessarily the answer. Worth noting is the fact that the darker one’s skin, the less Vitamin D that person is able to manufacture all other things being equal. This likely explains why African Americans are suffering and dying more than any other group from these very same diseases now linked with Vitamin D deficiency.

When one spends considerable time in the sun, what happens? Assuming the person used sunblock, that person will become tan. The darker the skin the less Vitamin D one is able to manufacture, so more sun exposure is not the answer due to it’s catch-22 nature. This is especially true for African Americans and other people with dark skin.

Time in the sun is not a good predictor of one’s Vitamin D level for the reasons stated above. The only way to know if a person is deficient (and about 80% of us are) is to have that person’s Vitamin D levels tested and evaluated. Drinking milk is not going to bring the levels up unless perhaps one maybe owns a cow or has a very large refrigerator to go along with an insatiable appetite. The bottom line is that for most adults, Vitamin D3 supplements are usually necessary to ensure healthy levels and promote good health. According to esteemed Nurse Practitioner and Health Columnist Pamela Egan, “the few patients I see who are not deficient usually have been taking vitamin supplements for years.”

How Much Should I take?

The recommended dosages for Vitamin D are 400 units a day if you are under 50 years old, 600 units a day for those 51-70, and 800 units a day for those over 71. When one is deficient, it is very difficult to replete levels with over the counter doses of Vitamin D. A prescription-strength dose is often required, and can be beneficial with a weekly dose.

Nurse Practitioner Egan offered the following piece of advice for readers of this blog: “Talk to your doctor, get a level measured, and supplement your deficiency with enough D to maintain adequate levels. Let’s all live a long and happy life!”

Vitamin D3 Supplements can be found here, or by clicking the links appearing in the box below.

* 1. Up-Regulation - the process where postsynaptic receptors increase in number or become more sensitive when presynaptic neurons are not releasing enough neurotransmitter to carry the impulse (mcgraw-hill.com).

* Alternate Definition of Up-Regulation - an increase in the number and density of a particular neuronal receptor, generally in response to an altered amount of neurotransmitters present in the surrounding environment (macalester.edu).

Pamela Egan, FNP-C, CDE, is a board-certified Nurse Practitioner, certified diabetes educator, health columnist and anti-aging diplomat. She is an expert on vitamin d3 and illnesses associated with deficiencies of this vital nutrient. Her website is www.pamelaegan.com.