Why Vitamin D is Critical for Your Health By JoAnn Ridout, MPH, RD, LD March 11, 2014 Let me start off with a question: Do you get direct sun exposure (without sunscreen) on 70 percent of your skin for at least 20 minutes each day? Yes or no? If you answered no, like most of us would—especially if you live in the northern latitudes during the never-ending winter—then you are likely deficient in vitamin D. Before you think, “Okay, so what?” let me tell you that almost every cell in your body has a vitamin D receptor. And, did you know that low levels have been linked to osteoporosis, infectious disease, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, heart disease and cancer? Low vitamin D is also connected to low moods. Most people in the U.S. are at risk for vitamin D deficiency according to Dr. Michael Holick, author and professor of medicine, physiology and biophysics at Boston University. Dr. Holick has spent years researching vitamin D and is an expert on the topic. Let’s take a closer look at vitamin D so you can take steps to determine if you’re deficient and understand just how critical it is for your overall health. A little background on vitamin D Let’s start with the basics first. Vitamin D refers to vitamin D3 and was thought of as a vitamin years ago, but we now know it acts more like a hormone in the body. Vitamins generally need to be obtained through the diet while hormones are generally produced by the body. Vitamin D’s active metabolic form in the body is a molecule called 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D. Vitamin D3 is made with the assistance of a cholesterol-like molecule found in the skin and activated by sunlight, with the assistance of the liver and kidney. Through a very complex process, vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) then becomes a hormone and affects the function of every cell. This process is so powerful it helps determine whether bones and muscles are strong and keeps them free from chronic pain. It also improves the immune system to kill bacteria or viruses, can help prevent autoimmune disease, and assist with cancer and heart disease prevention. Vitamin D’s connection to disease Years ago in health or nutrition class, many of us learned that vitamin D was helpful to avoid rickets. Vitamin D was discovered in 1914 in cod liver oil, so cod liver oil supplementation was commonplace at that time. Today, even in our affluent nation, rickets is no longer in the past. Vitamin D deficiency is rampant in America. Rickets, a disease of severe deficiency, has resurfaced—even in Wisconsin, the dairy state. (P. Stitt) Children with low vitamin D levels develop weak bones from rickets, and are subject to fractures for life. It is estimated that 50 percent of people today take in only 200 IU of vitamin D daily. The FDA historically recommended 400-600 IU of Vitamin D to prevent this disease, which research now shows is not sufficient. Dr. Michael Holick, author of The Vitamin D Solution, recommends 4000-5000 IU daily as a supplement for a maintenance dose to prevent chronic disease. Vitamin D is linked to many chronic diseases. With a vitamin D intake of 2000 IU or more, the body absorbs about 80 percent of calcium from the foods you eat. With a lower level of vitamin D intake, the body will only absorb about 20 percent of the calcium from foods in your diet. What does this mean for you? Parts of your body that rely on calcium to stay healthy, such your bones, brain, heart, and many others would be affected greatly by a low vitamin D intake. ——————————————————————————————– Osteoporosis definitionAccording to the U.S. Surgeon General, 10 million Americans have osteoporosis and another 34 million are at high risk. Each year 1.5 million people will have fractures and 20 percent will die from their fractures. It’s estimated that the number of hip fractures could triple over the next few decades. In 2002, fractures cost 18 billion dollars and all are virtually preventable. ——————————————————————————————– A wide variety of autoimmune conditions, heart disease, cancer, chronic pain and arthritis are also connected to vitamin D. You may be surprised to learn that about 93 percent of people with chronic pain have a severe deficiency and 99 percent of homebound people who are elderly are deficient. Vitamin D is also linked to brain conditions. Receptors in the brain assist in production of serotonin, connecting a lack of this hormone to depression, dementia and Alzheimer’s. Low vitamin D also interferes with the production of leptin, a hormone required to suppress appetite, connecting low levels of vitamin D to obesity and type 2 diabetes. Low vitamin D also weakens the white blood cells that fight infections and kill precancerous cells. This results in a 30-40 percent increased risk of 27 types of cancer, including colon, breast, prostate and ovarian. Do I need to supplement with vitamin D? There are several signs of vitamin D deficiency. Ask yourself: Do I have low moods? Do I have carbohydrate cravings? Am I low on energy? Do I have muscle or bone pain? Am I frequently sick with a cold or flu? Do I show risk factors for heart disease or an autoimmune condition? If you answered yes to any of these questions you may be deficient. However, it’s best to have your vitamin D level checked by your physician before taking a supplement. You want to have a level of 50-70 ng/mL. So if you’re below 50, you could probably benefit from a vitamin D supplement. Another option would be to get at least 20 minutes of unprotected sunlight (no sunscreen) daily on 70 percent of your skin. That can be difficult to do, especially in the northern latitudes. However, if you are able to do this, I’d actually recommend this over a supplement since it’s the best way for your body to get the vitamin D it needs. ——————————————————————————————– In a study of newborn infants and their mothers, 76 percent of the moms and 81 percent of the infants were tested and found to be deficient in vitamin D. With the use of sunscreen so widely recommended, moms that are carefully following all the guidelines out there—drinking fortified milk and taking prenatal vitamins—can still produce breast milk that is inadequate in vitamin D. In addition, 85 percent of African American women of childbearing age are deficient in vitamin D. ——————————————————————————————– As you can see, vitamin D is so important for optimal health. To make sure your body gets the amount it needs, follow these steps: Have your vitamin D level checked yearly. Get some sunlight for about 20 minutes daily. Supplement with the right amount of vitamin D3 daily, if needed. Resources: Vitamin D: Is it the fountain of youth? Paul Stitt, MS, CNS The Vitamin D Solution, Michael F Holick, PhD, MD National Institute of Health (NIH) Consumer fact sheet ABOUT THE AUTHOR JoAnn has always appreciated the value of good nutrition because diabetes and cancer run in her family. Not only does JoAnn understand chronic diseases, but also she has taken on challenging and complex health conditions when she worked as a registered dietitian at Courage Center for 25 years. JoAnn brings extensive experience, along with compassion and understanding to your health concerns. JoAnn graduated from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor of science in nutrition and dietetics and a master of science in public health. As a registered dietitian and nutrition educator, she has experience in therapeutic nutrition counseling, weight management, and nutrition education. View all posts by JoAnn Ridout, MPH, RD, LD
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 22:00:00 +0000
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