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| Vitamin D3 Seasonal Health Tip Follow this link for a very interesting and helpful video. Growing evidence that vitamin D is a “magic bullet” against cancer caused the “status quo” cancer industry to distance itself from the vitamin D hoopla. Cancer specialists were quick to remind folks that vitamin D remains on the “unproven” list in favor of more dramatic ( largely ineffective and unproven) chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. Of course this statement isn’t true, there is growing research that definitively shows that vitamin D does reduce certain cancer rates. And given the fact there hasn’t been a significant increase in cancer survival rates in over 30 years, when the official "War on Cancer" began.
Isn’t time we start thinking less about burning, poisoning, and cutting the cancer away and more on optimizing the bodies own inborn healing mechanisms?
Typical of the “in the box” medical medical-myth pushers and naysayers, instead of embracing the fact that vitamin D reduces the risk for colon cancer by a whopping 72%, they choose to downplay anything that doesn’t involve a drug, surgery, or doctor procedure. The American Cancer Society was quick to report, "Vitamin D is no magic bullet for cancer.”
Yet they fail to mention that The Canadian Cancer Society has declared that every Canadian should supplement their diet with 1000 international units (IU) of vitamin D during winter months due to the growing body of scientific data linking low vitamin D levels with cancer. The Canadian Pediatric Society also recommended that pregnant and nursing women take a 2000 IU vitamin D supplement during the winter to protect new mothers and their infants from rickets.
Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, says: "We do not have all the answers about the possible benefits of vitamin D in preventing cancer (or lac k thereof), and we don't have all the information about the risks."
What risks? Is 12 minutes of sunshine dangerous? This amount of sunshine would create about 2,000 I.U. of vitamin D!
The toxic dose for vitamin D doesn’t begin till well past 40,000 IU and is consumed for many months. A full hour in the midday summer sun produces about 10,000 IU of vitamin D (full-body sun exposure), with no side effects whatsoever.
Cancer “experts” are responding to a recent study conducted at Creighton University which showed that 1100 IU of vitamin D taken by women in Nebraska, for just 4 years, reduced the risk for all types of cancer by up to 70 percent.
If this had been a drug instead of a $9 over the counter vitamin, every magazine and newspaper in America would be filled with full page advertisements reporting on the “new latest greatest” cancer drug. Of course it would cost several hundred or thousands of dollars per month instead of $9.
The Creighton University study is being negated by a newly published report, which did find that vitamin D, reduces the risk of dying from colon cancer, but not other cancers.
The “inside the box,” cancer experts are referring to a study which took just two blood samples over a 6+ year period and did not involve vitamin D supplements. There was only a comparison of vitamin D levels among subjects living in two different geographical, northern and southern locations. ??
The gold standard for medical evidence is the double blind, long-term, placebo controlled study, like the Creighton University study, not the population study that was just published. So which study carries the greatest weight? The naysayers chose to ignore good science opting to back the population study. This is a bit hypocritical since traditional medicine continuously puts out negative propaganda to remind us that there aren’t any double blind studies for using nutritional supplements. Of course this is another medical myth. Do a med search for vitamin D and you’ll see that hundreds of studies have been done.
What if modern medicine is wrong about vitamin D, like it was about Vioxx, Fen-Phen, Avandia, and other FDA-approved drugs that doctors embraced before they realized they increased mortality rates?
Vitamin D is one of the oldest hormones, having been produced by life forms for over 750 million years. Phytoplankton, zooplankton, and most plants and animals that are exposed to sunlight have the capacity to make vitamin D. In humans, vitamin D is critically important for the development, growth, and maintenance of a healthy body, from birth until death.
The Institute of Medicine brought experts together recently to explore the question of whether the RDA or recommended daily allowance, of vitamin D has been set too low. The impetus for the occasion was the mounting evidence for this vitamin's role in preventing common cancers, autoimmune diseases, type 1 diabetes, heart disease, chronic pain, and osteoporosis.
Studies show that vitamin D deficiency is common in the U.S.
According to Michael F. Holick, MD, PhD, of the Boston University School of Medicine the typical symptoms are aching bones and muscle discomfort, vitamin D deficiency is often misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome.
Vitamin D has also been implicated in the cause of various other health disorders including influenza, psoriasis, gout, otosclerosis, interstitial cystitis, decreased pulmonary function, thrombosis, chronic kidney disease, pancreatitis, rheumatology, hepatitis B infections, hemochromatosis, and gastrointestinal diseases.
Research at a Glance
Autoimmune Illnesses
Autoimmune diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, Reiter’s Syndrome,lupus, asthma, and ulcerative colitis. Researchers are discovering an increasing number of links between the immune, nervous, and endocrine systems. Hormones of the endocrine system, such as vitamin D, help the immune and nervous systems defend the body, with defects in this intricate system leading to autoimmune disorders.
Autism
Research has shown that low maternal vitamin D3 has important ramifications for the developing brain. Vitamin D is a steroid hormone with many important functions in the brain, mediated through the nuclear vitamin D receptor (VDR). Dysfunctional VDR demonstrate altered emotional behavior and specific motor deficits. Cancer
Vitamin D inhibits inappropriate cell division and metastasis, reduces blood vessel formation around tumors, and regulates proteins that affect tumor growth. It also enhances anti-cancer actions of immune system chemicals and chemotherapy drugs.
A four-year study of 1,179 healthy, postmenopausal women showed that taking calcium, along with nearly three times the U.S. government's recommendation of vitamin D3, showed a dramatic 60 percent or greater reduction in all forms of cancer.
It’s estimated that if vitamin D levels were increased worldwide, a minimum of 600,000 cases of breast and other cancers could be prevented each year. Nearly 150,000 cases of cancer could be prevented in the United States alone.
Studies show that by taking vitamin D (about 2,000 IU/day) females can cut breast cancer incidence by half!
Chronic Pain
In a study involving 150 children and adults with unexplained muscle and bone pain, almost all were found to be vitamin D deficient; many were severely deficient with extremely low levels of vitamin D in their bodies. Vitamin D deficiency causes muscle weakness and pain in children and adults. Muscle pain and weakness was a prominent symptom of vitamin D deficiency in a study of Arab and Danish Moslem women living in Denmark (20).
In a cross-sectional study of 150 consecutive patients referred to a clinic in Minnesota for the evaluation of persistent, nonspecific musculoskeletal pain, 93% had serum 25(OH)D levels indicative of vitamin D deficiency.(Below 30ng/ml)
Osteoporosis
Maintenance of serum calcium levels within a narrow range is vital for normal functioning of the nervous system, as well as for bone growth, and maintenance of bone density. Vitamin D is essential for the efficient utilization of calcium by the body.
A recent study found that supplementation of elderly women with 800 IU/day of vitamin D and 1,200 mg/day of calcium for three months increased muscle strength and decreased the risk of falling by almost 50% compared to supplementation with calcium alone.
Mental Function and Moods
Recent research indicates vitamin D deficiency is associated with low mood and cognitive impairment in the elderly. Vitamin D deficiency has been implicated in various psychiatric disorders including anxiety and depression.
Diabetes
Vitamin D helps maintain adequate insulin levels. Preliminary evidence suggests supplementation can increase insulin levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Prolonged supplementation may help reduce blood sugar levels.
Immune Function
There is considerable scientific evidence that 1,25(OH)2D has a variety of positive effects on boosting the immune system. Additionally, there is growing evidence that maintaining vitamin D levels in the body during the winter prevent the flu and other viral infections by strengthening the immune system.
Heart Disease
Activated vitamin D has been shown to increase survival in patients with cardiovascular disease.
Hyperparathyroidism
Low plasma vitamin D3 has been found to be a major risk factor for hyperparathyroidism.
High Blood Pressure
Clinical and experimental data support the view that vitamin D metabolism is involved in blood pressure regulation and other metabolic processes.
Melanoma
An inability to tan is the number one risk factor for melanoma. Those who tan easily or who have darker skin are far less likely to develop the disease. A new theory is that melanoma is actually caused by sunlight (vitamin D) deficiency and that safe sun exposure actually helps prevent the deadly disease.
Multiple Sclerosis
Vitamin D supplementation may help prevent the development of MS as well as provide for additional treatment.
Osteoarthritis
Low intake and low serum levels of vitamin D appear to be associated with an increased risk for progression of osteoarthritis.
Osteoporosis
Vitamin D deficiency is extremely prevalent in the elderly. Most often the first symptoms are muscle pain, fatigue, muscular weakness, and gait disturbances. More severe deficiency causes osteomalacia (bone weakening and loss) with deep bone pain, reduced mineralization of bone matrix, and bone fractures.
How much vitamin D does the average person need?
In the summer, those with at least 15 minutes of sun exposure on their skin most days should take around 1,000 mg of vitamin D3 each day. In the winter, those with dark skin, or those who have little sun exposure on their skin, should take up to 4,000 mg each day. Those who have darker skin, are older, avoid sun exposure or live in the northern US should take the higher amounts, around 2,000mg a day.
Vitamin D is remarkably safe; there have been no deaths caused by the vitamin. People consuming only government-recommended levels of 200-400 IU/day often have blood levels considerably below 50 ng/ml. This means the government’s recommendations are too low, and should be raised for optimal health function.
High Dose Vitamin D can be purchased at a number of health food or big name drug stores. However, please be advised that not all vitamin D is equal. I recommend using only pharmaceutical grade, naturally-occurring Vitamin D3.
The information above is about 5 years old. More recent studies indicate that the current RDA suggested levels are too low. It is now suggested that 5000iu/day is physiologic dose. This means that at 5000iu, every system in the body that uses vitamin D will be supplied with some of the nutrient. Most will need higher doses. The optimum blood levels are suggested at 50-80ng/ml. If you are deficient in adequate levels of vitamin D, larger doses will be needed in order for the long term defiency can be overcome. Even if you start to consume 15,000 to 20,000iu/day, the body will be using every last bit to supply the demand. It compares to a bottomless pit, temporarily. As the body receives adequate levels of vitamin D, the blood levels will begin to rise. Levels above 30ng/ml are judged to be sufficient but to utilize the maximum benefits of vitamin D, blood serum levels need to acheive 50-80ng/ml. The best way to gauge your serum levels is to have your blood levels checked. Our office feels that this is too important a factor to disregard. We have available, a take home blood spot test, where you supply multiple blood drops on an absorbant medium and send it to the lab. 3 weeks later the lab sends the results back to our office and we report to you. This is at cost to you, we make no money at all. The payment is from you direct to the lab, we supply the kit.- Dr. Foy
The most comprehensive and concise collection of information on vitamin D is available at this link. It is updated regularly and there is a newsletter available with registration. 
If the sun is out, make an effort to get out! | |
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