Vitamin D may just be considered the “it” vitamin of 2009. This year, it seemed stories on the sunshine vitamin were published daily. Studies on its role in bone health, heart health, immune health, weight management, cancer prevention and other health conditions poured from scientific journals. With the outbreak of H1N1 influenza, the Public Health Agency of Canada plans to test vitamin D levels of people who contract the virus in order to find new ways to fight it; and the U.S. Institutes of Medicine (IOM) announced it will review the recommended daily values of vitamin D intake.
Yes, vitamin D was hot this year, and not just because it comes to us from sun exposure. With all the news reports and studies, it’s no wonder awareness of vitamin D is up among consumers. The International Food Information Council’s (IFIC) Functional Foods/Foods for Health consumer survey, released in August 2009, found 90 percent of Americans recognized vitamin D offers bone-health benefits compared to 81 percent in 2007. For responders who had children, 19 percent said they look for their children’s foods and beverages to be fortified with vitamin D. Michael McBurney, Ph.D., FACN, head of scientific affairs, DSM Nutritional Products Inc. added, “Fifty-six percent of those surveyed were already choosing foods with vitamin D to promote bone health, and another 38 percent were very or somewhat likely to do so.”
But consumers beyond those looking for bone benefits for the old and the young are also seeking vitamin D fortification and dietary supplements. “Traditionally, consumers were interested in calcium supplements with vitamin D; however, because of the scientific studies in the last a few years, they are now more interested in trying vitamin D for boosting the immune system, helping to fight the flu, etc.,” said Steve Huang, manager, PAT Vitamins.
Vitamin D comes in two biologically inactive precursors. D3, also known as cholecalciferol, is produced by the skin when it’s exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation; D2, also known as ergocalciferol, comes from plants exposed to UV light. The liver and kidneys synthesize both forms of vitamin D into 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D), to make it active in the body. However, David Garner, partner, Marco Hi-Tech JV LLC, argued the body prefers consumption of D3, adding, “D3 is said to be the best form of vitamin D (cholecalciferol) as it is the natural type that also is created whenever skin is exposed to sunlight.”
Humans may not be able to get all of their vitamin D from the sun due to amount of skin that is exposed, the length of exposure, UV wavelength, latitude, season, skin melanin content and age. Therefore, people are more interested in increasing their vitamin D by consuming the nutrient, but most unfortified foods do not provide adequate amounts. The few foods that do contain a significant amount of vitamin D—butter, cream, egg yolks and fatty fish, such as herring, catfish and salmon—are not, and in some cases shouldn’t be, prevalent in today’s diets.
“The reality is that the average U.S. diet does not provide the required amount of vitamin D,” said Dinesh Venkateswaran, technical marketing manager, DSM Nutritional Products Inc. “Therefore, dietary supplements may be useful sources for these nutrients that otherwise might be consumed in less than recommended amounts.”
to be continued.........
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