Vitamin D3 Blog

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.

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