Top 10 Myths About Vitamin D

Top 10 Myths About Vitamin D

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By Jared M. Skowron, ND

Myth 1: Vitamin D is a vitamin.

Truth: Vitamin D is a hormone. It’s derived from cholesterol. It activates cellular processes and does not do so as a co-factor.

Vitamin D receptors have direct effects on the following cells: adipose, adrenal, bone, brain, breast, cancer, cartilage, colon, endothelium, epididymis, ganglion, hair follicle, intestine, kidney, liver, lung, muscle, osteoblasts, ovary, pancreatic B, parathyroid, parotid, pituitary, placenta, prostate, skin, stomach, testis, thymus, thyroid and uterus.

Myth 2: Normal activity provides us enough vitamin D from average sun exposure.

The truth: Most people do not get enough sunshine to maintain adequate vitamin D levels. Our ancestors spent most of the day in the sun, farming, fishing and hunting. Our bodies physiologically developed to need that much vitamin D. Today’s indoor society of office workers, television watchers and hermits gets much less sun exposure and vitamin D production. Add on clothing and sunscreen, which also inhibit vitamin D production, and you understand the problem.

Myth 3: Supplemented vitamin D in foods is adequate.

The truth: Vitamin D₂ is one-third as effective in the body as naturally occurring vitamin D₃. Most foods – milk, most notably – have D₂ added. A study that analyzed vitamin D₂ levels in milk off supermarket shelves showed almost 50 percent had less than the label claim of 400 IU of D₂. A support scientist from the USDA believes no food-label claims are accurate and these labels cannot be trusted.

Myth 4: 1,25(OH)D₃ is the best analysis for vitamin D levels.

The truth: Vitamin D is mostly stored in adipose and should not be routinely measured. It then converts to 25(OH)D₃, which has a long half-life and is the best analysis of vitamin D levels. It then converts to bi-hydroxy forms such as 1,25(OH)D₃, 24,25(OH)D₃ and other forms, which have the actual action of the cell receptors. However, this form has a short half-life and is not a good measurement.

Myth 5: The reference range for vitamin D levels is accurate.

The truth: The reference range for 25(OH)D₃ is horribly inaccurate and is maintaining our vitamin D deficiency in this country. The current reference range of 20-100 is too low. Levels <25>

Myth 6: Vitamin D supplementation is nontoxic.

The truth: The major consequence of vitamin D toxicity is hypercalcemia, which should be monitored periodically while under therapy. Changes in cardiac rhythms or lithiasis are common concerns. Urine calcium monitoring is not accurate. Serum calcium should be monitored monthly to check vitamin D toxicity, which normally occurs at 40,000 IU/day. Right now, 10,000 IU/day is being proposed as the safe upper limit.

Myth 7: The RDA for vitamin D is accurate.

The truth: People taking only the RDA of vitamin D will lower their 25(OH)D₃ levels. The RDA is too low. When treating with vitamin D supplementation, three months of daily dosing is sufficient to max out 25(OH)D₃ levels. Five thousand IU/day for three months should elevate 25(OH)D₃ by 80 nmol/L, and 10,000 IU/day for three months should elevate 25(OH)D₃ by 120 nmol/L. People on 1,000 IU/day will elevate their levels by only 10 nmol/L.

Myth 8: Forms of vitamin D are all the same.

The truth: Vitamin D₃ is the preferred form. Avoid D₂ at all costs. D₃ is derived either from plant sources or from lanolin. Lanolin-derived D₃ is more active and absorbable. I take the 10,000 IU capsules of D₃.

Myth 9: Vitamin D only treats osteoporosis and rickets.

The truth: The therapeutic benefits of vitamin D are still being discovered. Benefits relative to cancer, cardiac, immune-boosting, diabetes and neurological (such as multiple sclerosis) therapies, as well as low bone density, are just the tip of the iceberg. I test all of my patients for vitamin D deficiency and supplement regularly up to the 75-200 reference range of 25(OH)D₃.

Myth 10: Vitamin D should be avoided in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

The truth: Pregnant women should receive 4,000 IU of daily vitamin D supplementation. Breast-feeding women should receive 6,000 IU of daily vitamin D supplementation. Vitamin D, not 25(OH)D₃, crosses into the breast milk, and daily doses are preferred over weekly doses. Avoid supplementing the infant and instead supplement the breast-feeding mother directly. If the infant is bottle-fed, supplement with 400-800 IU/day.
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Dr. Jared M. Skowron is in private practice in Hamden, Conn., where he specializes in pediatrics and treating autistic spectrum disorders in children. He is the senior naturopathic physician with Metabolic Maintenance and an adjunct professor at the University of Bridgeport, teaching pediatrics, CPD and EENT.

INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SWINE FLU

What Is Swine Flu? Swine influenza is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses. Pigs can be infected by avian influenza and human influenza viruses as well as swine influnza viruses. When influenza viruses from different species infect pigs, the viruses can reassort, or swap genes, and new viruses that are a mixture of swine, human and/or avian influenza can emerge. Over the years variations of swine flu have emerged. At this time, there are four main influenza type A virus subtypes that have been isolated in pigs. They are H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, and H3N1. However, the most recent isolated influenza viruses from pigs have been H1N1 viruses. This is not the same as the human H1N1 viruses, and vaccines for the human seasonal flu will not provide any protection from H1N1 swine flu viruses.

How Is It Spread? First, human infections with swine flu occur in persons with direct exposure to pigs. The virus can then spread from person-to-person in the same way as the seasonal flu. Many people become infected by person-to-person transmission through coughing or sneezing, or by touching something with the flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. More recent illnesses (and the reported death of one individual in Texas) suggest that a pattern of more severe illness associated with this virus may be emerging in the U.S.

Steps Your Can Take To Help Prevent Infection It is very important to emphasize the importance of washing hands frequently throughout the day. Also, It is key to stay in good health. Get plenty of sleep, be aware of your stress level, stay physically active, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious foods. All of these are factors of a healthy immune system. When considering a healthy diet remember to avoid foods that contain high levels of sugar, highly refined carbohydrates, starch vegetables, and all highly processed vegetable oils such as corn, canola, and soy. Obviously, you should avoid hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils. Optimum immune function should be priority. Consider the following protocol to help maintain a healthy immune system: Bio-Immunozyme Forte™, NAC, Ultra Vir-X™, and Bio-FCTS™ Each should be taken 1 tablet/capsule, 3 times per day. Vitamin D is also important in maintaining a healthy immune system. If you or your patients are not already taking Bio-D-Mulsion Forte®, you should consider starting now. It is recommended to get 4000 IU of vitamin D per day. That is just 2 drops of Bio-D-Mulsion Forte® each day! Good digestion is also very supportive in optimal immune function. To maintain good bowel flora consider BioDoph-7 Plus® (2 to 3 capsules 2 times per day) and as a form of hydrochloric acid support and enzymes, take Hydro-Zyme™ (2 to 3 tablets per meal).

Signs and symptoms of swine flu include but are not limited to: fever cough sore throat body aches headache chills vomiting diarrhea lack of appetite lethargy These symptoms are the same as human influenza viruses. To diagnose swine influenza A infection, a respiratory specimen would need to be collected and sent to CDC for laboratory testing. For more interim guidance for clinicians and public health professionals please visit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Vitamin D Provides a Wide Range of Health Benefits: Implications for Cancer Prevention and the Treatment of Inflammatory and Metabolic Diseases

Vitamin D Provides a Wide Range of Health Benefits: Implications for Cancer Prevention and the Treatment of Inflammatory and Metabolic Diseases and the Importance of Attaining Optimal Serum Levels of 25(OH)D
Alex Vasquez, D.C., N.D.
An increasingly well-documented and consistent body of literature shows that vitamin D has clinically-significant anticancer and anti-inflammatory benefits, and that the attainment of optimal serum levels of vitamin D also confer protection against diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance, and hypertension. In this brief review, we will also discuss clinical trials that have used vitamin D in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome, migraine headaches, depression, epilepsy, and musculoskeletal pain. We also elucidate new guidelines for the interpretation of serum 25(OH)vitamin D levels.

Vitamin D deficiency is an underappreciated epidemic that has heretofore received insufficient attention from clinicians in all disciplines. Given the clinical consequences of hypovitatminosis D, it is indefensible that doctors fail to diagnose and treat this condition (ICD-9 code 268.x) since numerous studies have documented the remarkably high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in medical patients (Kauppinen-Makelin R, et al. J Intern Med.
2001 Jun;249(6):559-63 and Thomas MK,...et al. N.Eng! J..Med. 1998 Mar !9;338(12):777-83). This article will ­serve to update clinicians on the diagnosis and treatment of this important and common health problem, and we have included our recommendations for laboratory testing to facilitate the clinical applicability of this information.
Vitamin D is metabolized in two distinct pathways: 1) endocrine-relevant to calcium absorption and bone metabolism, and 2) autocrine-relevant to the modulation of intracellular processes such as differentiation, proliferation, inflammation, and gene transcription. Relatedly, vitamin D deficiency is seen in two distinct forms: 1) acute deficiency diseases such as rickets and hypocalcemia, and 2) long-latency deficiency diseases which
manifest only after years of subacute deficiency (Heaney RP. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Nov;78(5):912-9). According to the current research literature, long-term vitamin D deficiency contributes to an increased risk for cancer, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, hypertension, and insulin resistance, and each of these clinical entities will be discussed in the sections that follow.
· Cancer: Cancer risk and vitamin D deficiency go hand-in-hand. The risk of cancer in humans increases in direct proportion to the reduction in sun exposure, a fact that has been repeatedly verified since its first publication more than 60 years ago. Based on this extensive data, Dr William Grant has estimated that at least 23,000 and perhaps as many as 47,000 cancer deaths might be prevented each year in America if we employed simple interventions to raise vitamin D levels (Cancer 2002;94:1867-75).
· Hypertension: Suboptimal levels of vitamin D increase the risk for and severity of hypertension, and augmentation of vitamin D levels with sunlight or oral supplementation safely and consistently reduces blood pressure in hypertensive patients (PfeiferM, et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2001 Apr;86:1633-7
· Insulin resistance: Patients with vitamin D deficiency show an increased prevalence of insulin resistance.
Authors of a recent study concluded that improving vitamin D status such as with oral supplementation could improve insulin sensitivity by 60%, indicating that vitamin D treatment ''is more potent than either troglitazone or metformin treatment (54% and 13% improvement in insulin sensitivity, 0 respectively.)"o (Chiu KC, et al. Am J Clin Nutr 2004; 79:820-5).
· Depression: Vitamin D administration was shown to improve mood within 5 days of treatment in a controlled clinical trial of patients with wintertime depression (Lansdowne AT, Provost SC. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1998;135:319-23)
· Epilepsy: VitapJin D deficiency can cause seizures. Medications used to treat epilepsy commonly cause vitamin D deficiency, which can then result in iatrogenic epilepsy (All FE, et al. Ann Pharmacother . 2004;38:1002-5). Administration of vitamin D shows an anticonvulsant benefit (Christiansen C, et al. Br Med J. 1974;2:258-9).
· Polycystic ovary syndrome: Vitamin D deficiency was highly prevalent among 13 women with PCOS, and supplementation with 1,500 mg of calcium per day and 50,000 IV of vitamin D2 on a weekly basis normalized menstruation and/or fertility in nine of nine women with PCOS-related menstrual irregularities within three months of treatment (Thys-Jacobs S, et al. Steroids 1999;64:430-5)
· Osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal pain: Osteoarthritis develops more frequently and progresses more rapidly in patients who are deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency is alarmingly common in patients
We have an inexpensive BIOAVAILABLE emulsified Vitamin D that lasts a few months. Best yet, it is not a pill!
Ask our staff for the Bio-D-Mulsion.

Avoid Flu Shots With the One Vitamin that Will Stop Flu in Its Tracks

Another influenza season is beginning, and the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will strongly urge Americans to get a flu shot. In fact, the CDC mounts a well-orchestrated campaign each season to generate interest and demand for flu shots.
But a recent study published in the October issue of the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine found that vaccinating young children against the flu appeared to have no impact on flu-related hospitalizations or doctor visits during two recent flu seasons.

At first glance, the data did suggest that children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years derived some protection from vaccination in these years. But after adjusting for potentially relevant variables, the researchers concluded that "significant influenza vaccine effectiveness could not be demonstrated for any season, age, or setting" examined.
Additionally, a Group Health study found that flu shots do not protect elderly people against developing pneumonia -- the primary cause of death resulting as a complication of the flu. Others have questioned whether there is any mortality benefit with influenza vaccination. Vaccination coverage among the elderly increased from 15 percent in 1980 to 65 percent now, but there has been no decrease in deaths from influenza or pneumonia.
There is some evidence that flu shots cause Alzheimer's disease, most likely as a result of combining mercury with aluminum and formaldehyde. Mercury in vaccines has also been implicated as a cause of autism.
Three other serious adverse reactions to the flu vaccine are joint inflammation and arthritis, anaphylactic shock (and other life-threatening allergic reactions), and Guillain-Barré syndrome, a paralytic autoimmune disease.
One credible hypothesis that explains the seasonal nature of flu is that influenza is a vitamin D deficiency disease.

Vitamin D levels in your blood fall to their lowest point during flu seasons. Unable to be protected by the body's own antibiotics (antimicrobial peptides) that are released by vitamin D, a person with a low vitamin D blood level is more vulnerable to contracting colds, influenza, and other respiratory infections.
Studies show that children with rickets, a vitamin D-deficient skeletal disorder, suffer from frequent respiratory infections, and children exposed to sunlight are less likely to get a cold. The increased number of deaths that occur in winter, largely from pneumonia and cardiovascular diseases, are most likely due to vitamin D deficiency.

Unfortunately, now, for the first time, flu vaccination is also being pushed for virtually all children -- not just those under 5.
This is a huge change. Previously, flu vaccine was recommended only for youngsters under 5, who can become dangerously ill from influenza. This year, the government is recommending that children from age 6 months to 18 years be vaccinated, expanding inoculations to 30 million more school-age children.
The government argues that while older children seldom get as sick as the younger ones, it's a bigger population that catches flu at higher rates, so the change should cut missed school, and parents' missed work when they catch the illness from their children.
Of course, this policy ignores the fact that a systematic review of 51 studies involving 260,000 children age 6 to 23 months found no evidence that the flu vaccine is any more effective than a placebo.

Sources:
LewRockwell.com October 3, 2008
EMS Responder September 9, 2008
WebMD October 6, 2008
Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine October 2008; 162(10):943-51

We have a highly bioavailable Vitamin D that one little bottle the size of an eye dropper for less than HALF the cost of a flu shot. This little 1 oz bottle is more than enough to protect the entire family, without the razor-edged needles that they inject you with. (And it also saves you the potential mercury or formaldehyde based preservatives. See my other post on Vitamin D by clicking "Vitamin D" below.

How Healthy is Dairy?

There is no human requirement for milk from a cow," says Suzanne Havala, RD, author of the American Dietetic Association's "Position Paper on Vegetarian Diets" and several books on nutrition. "The use of milk and its products in our country is strictly a cultural tradition," she notes. "There are millions of people around the world who never consume cow's milk and are none the worse for it."

While doctors recommend increasing the intake of calcium in order to prevent ostreoporosis and maintain good health, most calcium supplements are insoluble in the distal small intestine where absorption of calcium occurs. In fact calcium, like all minerals and vitamins have a selection of ideal partners to enable optimal absorption and utilisation by the human body. Silica is one of these critical partners.

Vitamin D also plays a critical role in maintaining bone health. When blood levels of calcium begin to drop, the body responds in several ways. It promotes the conversion of vitamin D into its active form, which then travels to the intestines (to encourage greater calcium absorption into the blood) and to the kidneys (to minimize calcium loss in the urine).

For bone health, an adequate intake of vitamin D is no less important than calcium. Vitamin D is found in milk and vitamin supplements, and it can be made by the skin when it is exposed to sunlight in the summertime.

Vitamin K, which is found mainly in green, leafy vegetables, likely plays one or more important roles in calcium regulation and bone formation.

Calcium is calcium, however, whether it's from broccoli or cottage cheese. "There's no best source of calcium," explains Robert Heaney, a professor with the Osteoporosis Research Center at Creighton University School of Medicine. "The sheer quantity of calcium in dairy products certainly makes them attractive sources, but they have no monopoly on calcium. There's no reason in the world why you couldn't get an adequate intake from a vegetable source."

Indeed, researchers have found that nations with the greatest calcium intake have the highest rates of osteoporosis and hip fracture, and that there are relatively few fractures among populations where calcium levels are not so high. After studying bone fracture rates worldwide, researcher JA Kanis concluded that the differences in fracture rates, "cannot be accounted for by differences in dietary intake of calcium but may relate more to physical activity [which promotes strong bones]."

Another worrying piece of information according to gynecologist Christiane Northrup, MD, author of "Women's Bodies Women's Wisdom", other health problems associated with the consumption of dairy foods include benign breast conditions, recurrent vaginitis, acne, menstrual cramps, fibroids, chronic intestinal upset and increased pain from endometriosis. These health problems could be occurring due to some farmers artificially increasing a growth hormone in cows in an attempt to increase yield.

Milk can also be associated with the conditions described below.
Allergies: Milk is the most common cause of food allergy. A recent study found that one way to reduce the number of allergies in infants is for the breastfeeding mother to avoid consuming, or make very limited use of cow's milk.

Anemia: Overreliance on milk in children can lead to anemia, as milk is very low in iron, and drinking large quantities of it can crowd iron-rich foods from the diet. In young infants, protein from cow's milk can cause intestinal bleeding, another possible cause of anemia.

Colic: Sensitivity to cow's milk can cause colic, a digestive ailment in infants. Colic can cause problems even in infants who aren't drinking cow's milk but whose mothers are.
Fermented dairy products are a much better option compared to straight dairy products such as fermented milks and yoghurts containing 'probiotic' cultures such as lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. These are currently among the best known examples of functional foods. They are simpler for our body to absorb due to the fact that they are already partially digested due to the fermentation process.

Check out this website on dairy: notmilk.com