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:

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.

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.

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) has come under fire for a recent statement issued on behalf of the organization claiming that sun exposure is not necessary in order for a person to obtain sufficient amounts of vitamin d3 (cholecalciferol).

A group known as The Vitamin D Council blasted the dermatologists association in response to the statement, claiming the statement was an attempt to protect the Academy from potential liabilities stemming from previous campaigns to increase sunscreen use, which the Council claims resulted in mass-vitamin d deficiencies.

In response to the outpouring of criticism stemming from its earlier statement, the AAD released a revised statement in which the semantics appear to have been tinkered with but little actually changed substantively speaking.  Though the wording was slightly different, the group stood by its claim that people should obtain vitamin d through food and not via the sun. The reason, they claim, is that the costs in terms of damage to the skin outweigh the benefits brought about by the vitamin d3.

American Academy of Dermatology Website:  http://www.aad.org/index.html

The Vitamin D Council’s Website: http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/

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.

Vitamin D3 Deficiency Can Be Prevented Through Sunlight, Food Sources

Vitamin D is found in many dietary sources such as fish, eggs, fortified milk, and cod liver oil. The sun also contributes significantly to the daily production of Vitamin D3, which is also known as Cholecalciferol.

Trying to incorporate more Vitamin D3 through your diet can easily be done. Cholecalciferol is created through exposure of your skin to the sun, but due to many being wary of overexposure to the sunshine, some can have deficiencies. Through 15 to 20 minutes of sun exposure daily, the body creates 10,000 to 15,000 IUs of Vitamin D3.

Vitamin D3 Deficiency can lead to obesity, high blood pressure, depression and psoriasis. Luckily, there are a few other sources of Vitamin D3 including some foods that can supply sufficient quantities of the nutrient for those who cannot sunbathe for whatever reason. If you are staying out of the sun, consider the following foods to keep your body healthy:

Cod Liver Oil

1. According to drweil.com, Dr Weil states the National Institutes of Health finds cod liver oil can provide up to 1,300 IU of Vitamin D per tablespoon, which is more than the 1,000 IU daily recommendation. They also find cod liver oil to be a good source of Vitamin A. Fish oil supplements are available in liquid capsules and in oil form. Taking cod liver oil daily can help your body get the Vitamin D3 it needs.

Fortified Foods

2. Pamela Egan, FNP-C, CDE, suggests eating fortified foods such as milk and cereal to make up for Vitamin D3 Deficiency. By checking labels on fortified milks and cereals, one can select items that will provide sufficient amounts of this critical nutrient to help stave off deficiency. By starting the day with a bowl of fortified milk and cereal, your body can get a full day’s serving of D3.

Egg Yolks

3. Another great source of Cholecalciferol is egg yolks. Making an omelet or scrambling a couple eggs can give you almost a full daily serving. Studies conducted by the Agricultural Research Centre of Finland published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry find feeding chickens a feed high in Vitamin D produces eggs that are sevenfold higher in Vitamin D3 than normal eggs. In the future, one egg might solve the complex and extremely serious health problem that is Vitamin D3 deficiency.

Related Posts:
- Vitamin D Deficiency and Disease
- Vitamin D3 Supplements: When are they Necessary?
- Vitamin D Deficiency, HIV and AIDS

By:  Pamela Egan  (Nurse Practitioner and Health Columnist)

Due to our indoor lifestyles and fear of going in the sun due to the development of skin cancer, most Americans don’t get enough sunshine. Over the years, the lack of sunshine (Vitamin D3, or Cholecalciferol) is cumulative and has left most American deficient of this essential nutrient.

Supplementation with Vitamin D3 is safe, effective, and essential to health. Higher dosages of Vitamin D3 are needed to reap additional health benefits according to published Risk Assessments.

Four nutrition experts, including two Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) scientists and two of the world’s pre-eminent vitamin D researchers, are urging the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) to raise the vitamin D Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) five-fold, based on a safety evaluation of the latest scientific research. This research shows that vitamin D is safe at intake levels much higher than its current UL.

The paper, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN) this month (Jan 2007; 85:6-18), concludes the safety profile of vitamin D should safely permit raising the UL for vitamin D to 250ug (10,000IU) per day from the current UL of 50 ug (2,000IU) per day.

The researchers from Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto and Creighton University report that the UL established by the Food & Nutrition Board is outdated. It is not based on current evidence and is viewed by many in the scientific community as being too restrictive-limiting research, commercial development, and optimization of nutritional policy. They provided an ample collection of human clinical trial data published since the 1997 recommendation which supports a significantly higher dosage.

There has been an increased consumer interest in the nutrient following a number of recent studies showing the benefits of Vitamin D3 associated with levels beyond what is typically provided in a multivitamin and most fortified food.
Pamela Egan, NP, ABAAHP Diplomat (American Board of Anti-Aging Health Practitioners), CDE is a board certified Adult & Family Nurse Practitioner, Fellow of the American Academy of Anti-Aging & Functional Medicine, and Certified Diabetes Educator. She is a health columnist from Covington, LA.

Pamela Egan, NP, CDE
ABAAHP Diplomat
(American Board of Anti-Aging Health Practitioner)
1116 West 21st Ave.
Covington, LA 70433
985-892-3031
Fax- 985-892-9504
Website:  http://www.pamelaegan.com

Vitamin D3 Sources: Food and Sunlight

With the world suddenly alerted to the health crisis that is vitamin d deficiency epidemic, the subject of what natural sources contain vitamin d has become quite the hot topic.

First, let us clarify that not all vitamin d is the same. There are two main types of vitamin d3: Ergocalciferol (vitamin d2); and Cholecalciferol (vitamin d3). Cholecalciferol is the superior form of the nutrient. It is the naturally-occurring form of the vitamin, as opposed to D2, which is largely synthetic and found in most vitamin supplements. That said, the remainder of this article will focus on vitamin d3, as it is the one offering the major health benefits due to its superior bioavailability.

There are two primary vitamin d3 sources not including supplements.

Sources of Vitamin D3:

1. Sunlight – Exposing one’s skin to direct sunlight is the most effective and efficient way of obtaining vitamin d3. Exposure to UV rays from direct sunlight triggers vitamin d3 production in the skin. Artificial lighting is not sufficient to initiate vitamin d synthesis in the skin. Some health experts have even gone so far as to recommend sunbathing in the nude as a means of obtaining healthy amounts of d3.
2. Foods – Food generally has very little to offer in terms if vitamin d3 when compared with sunlight. However there are a few foods that provide small-to-moderate amounts of the nutrient:
• Fish: Not including Cod Liver Oil, since we’re not counting supplements, fish containing vitamin d3 include Herring, Salmon, Mackerel, Tuna, Sardines and Eel.
• Milk and Fortified Foods: Milk supplies small amounts of vitamin d, as do fortified cereals and soy products.
• Eggs: Eggs provide roughly 20 iu (International Units) of vitamin d3 per egg. The nutrient is concentrated in the egg yolk, so one need not eat the entire egg if only seeking to obtain the food-based nutrient.
• Beef Liver: Beef liver can provide trace amounts of vitamin d3.
• Mushrooms: Mushrooms can provide some amount of vitamin d, however, typically mushrooms offer vitamin d2 (ergocalciferol) as opposed to the more valuable cholecalciferol.

A blood test to determine calcidiol (25-hydroxy-vitamin D) levels is a common method used to determine whether one’s vitamin d levels are within healthy range, or if a vitamin d3 deficiency is present. For those who are deficient and averse to taking oral supplements, the above-listed foods along with plenty of sunlight can help correct the problem and restore your immune system to full capacity.