Benefits of Vitamin D
I'm sure you've heard the news! The benefits of Vitamin D are all over the news lately. Interestingly enough, in 2009, the RDA for Vitamin D was increased. Remember, RDA for supplements were set to simply avoid blatant disease of that particular deficiency, ie: Rickets is the noted disease from a Vitamin D deficiency and we are seeing it re-appear now in infants. Referred to as The Sunshine Vitamin, sources of vitamin D are best obtained through the sun. It's really not a vitamin but rather, a hormone. Of course sun exposure is the healthiest, most efficient delivery of Vitamin D but this is impossible to obtain if you reside above the equator. Supplementation is then necessary. Unfortunately, we have been mis-guided into believing that any amount of sun is dangerous. This is just not the case. Just like the food we eat, we too need some form of sunshine. If you question this, think back before we had cancer, diabetes, osteoperosis and yes, even skin cancer. If sun exposure is at an all time low, sun screen use an all time high, and consequently melanoma cases are sky rocketing? Test your UV exposure with this convenient calculator for healthy Vitamin D status. We clearly have some things to take a look at! The benefits of vitamin d are being studied very closely right now. Foods With Vitamin DWhen I discuss benefits of Vitamin D with folks, I generally ask "Are you taking Vitamin D?" And the answer 9 out of 10 times is always,
Unfortunately, this fortification of D in foods and supplements is what we refer to as Ergocalciferol or, D2. The most bio-available form of Vitamin D is referred to as Cholecalciferol or Vitamin D3. It's interesting because as I mentioned above, Vitamin D3 is actually a hormone. The conversion of cholecalciferol to its bio-available form requires cholesterol. With the pharmaceutical companies villainizing cholesterol these days, our natural processes are just doomed. To top it off, the capacity to synthesize vitamin D in the skin decreases dramatically with age. For the elderly, then, increasing dietary vitamin D may be much more practical to achieve than extensive exposure to sunlight, and in many cases may be a necessity Again, the reason I'm working on this site. Foods with Vitamin D fortification as well as the 50,000 IU that your Dr. might prescribe just don't convert well and in fact, it is said that the one 50,000 dose the Dr. prescribes is at minimum, $35 and only provides about a 40% uptake. Not only is it inferior, it is also a "drug". Your other best source of vitamin D is through that of whole, pastured foods as you see on the list below. The list provided is listed from highest amount of Vitamin D containing foods to lowest. Remember, pastured means Raised on green grass without confinement, and raised organically. These foods include:
How many of these foods are providing you the benefits of Vitamin D? Vitamin D DeficiencyResearch shows 3 of every 4 Americans don't get enough benefits of vitamin D. Breastfed infants, older adults, those with dark skin and people who are obese have a higher risk of deficiency. Some chronic diseases implicated in vitamin d deficiency include:
And again, I said some, as new discoveries are made daily. Of the 30,000 genes in the human body, Vitamin D is responsible for more than 2000 gene expressions. It amazes me how many people I speak to regarding this matter yet still, they are not testing their levels. Testing Vitamin D LevelsFortunately, Vitamin D testing is becoming more mainstream. You can ask your Dr. for a simple blood test or, order your own on-line test through the Vitamin D Council where you will find even more interesting information of the benefits of Vitamin D as well as test order instructions. Should you choose to test, here are some basic guidelines for you:
Benefits of Vitamin D and deficiencies are clearly available to your Dr. Here is a direct quote from a Pediatric Endocrinologist: Given the array of conditions that are associated with chronically low 25-OH Vit D levels, it would compel most all of us to supplement with at least 1000-2000 IU daily. The data at this point are overwhelming that we need to do something about the low D level epidemic now." Dr. Steven Ponder, Pediatric Endocrinologist Texas Tech Health Sciences Center Permian Basin in Odessa Benefits of Vitamin D SupplementationWhile the RDA was set at 400-600 IU daily. That's an increase from 200 IU! Remember, this is just enough to prevent Rickets however, not enough to prevent cancers obviously. Fortunately, with all of the news of the benefits of vitamin d recently, the new RDA has been increased. Unfortunately, as many respected clinical nutritionists have reported, the increase is minimal and quite a disappointment based on much evidence of the benefits of vitamin d. Many are recommending the upper limits as reported below:
Sad that so much illness and misinformation got us to the point we are in deficiencies. The skin produces approximately 10,000 IU vitamin D in response 20–30 minutes summer sun exposure so you see, the 400 IU recommendation is far below what a few moments in the sun will provide. Don't think that because you spent all summer in the sun you're all stocked up. The body can deplete its stores of Vitamin D within about 6 weeks of summer. Vitamin D Co-FactorsVitamin D has co-factors that the body needs in order to utilize vitamin D properly.
So the burning question is how much should you take? Generally without testing, I recommend my clients supplement with Vitamin D3 drops, Cholecalciferol at a minimum of 1000 IU daily and more depending upon ailments suffered, seasonal flu's, colds and of course the over hyped H1N1 Virus that seems to have fizzled just as quickly as it hit the air waves. Many professionals are recommending 5000IU daily. Below is a video from Dr. John Cannell for your enjoyment and education. If your immune system is optimized with the benefits of vitamin d, one should not need to potentially harm themselves with these dangerous vaccinations that carry their fair share of side effects. Don't forget to refer to our Vitamin A page for Cod Liver Oil recommendations which will also supply you with a small amount of Vitamin D. Personally, I take 2000-5000 IU Vitamin D3 drops in winter as well as 1 Tbs. Cod Liver Oil daily and my exposure and travels dictate these amounts. In the summer, I am in the sun for 20 minutes un-protected daily and continue to supplement with my Vitamin D3 drops. I also own a UVB tanning bed which I utilize 3 days of the week through winter. Please, get your Vitamin D optimized. There are far too many cancer deaths today. If you're not convinced just yet, take a look at the video below. The information of benefit of vitamin d will astound you! This text will be replaced by the player Resources, Weston A Price Foundation, Vitamin D Council If this page, benefits of vitamin d has been helpful to you, a small donation is always appreciated. This helps me attend conferences and workshops that provide us with the latest science based information for your health. Return to Top of Benefits of Vitamin D
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"Vitamin D deficiency is common in both children and adults worldwide," Holick said. "Exposure to lamps that emit UVB radiation is an excellent source for producing vitamin D3 in the skin."