Milk Strike

Infant Feeding

Health experts say the best source of nutrients for a baby is breast milk. Breastfeeding has benefits for the baby and for mom. For the baby, breast milk contains the right amount of nutrients to support the infant’s growth and development. For the mom, breast milk is readily available (no mixing formula or heating bottles). Breastfeeding also provides a close bond between mom and baby.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding until a baby is at least six months old. Women who don’t breastfeed can use iron-fortified infant formula. At about four to six months, many infants can be introduced to baby cereals. Other baby foods are slowly offered starting around six months.

Milk is an important source of nutrition for children as they grow older. It provides calcium, vitamin D and minerals needed by the body. Whole milk is recommended for most children until they reach two because most children need the extra fat and calories. After two, parents can switch to low-fat or nonfat milk.

Experts warn parents should avoid giving cow’s milk until a child reaches his/her first birthday. Tyrala says cow’s milk is a great source of nutrition for calves, but not for humans. A baby’s digestive system can’t handle the extra protein in cow’s milk. Adding it too early to a child’s diet can cause liver and kidney damage and increase the risk for an allergic reaction.


Transition Troubles

Most children take the change from breast milk or formula to cow’s milk in stride. But sometimes babies become very fussy and don’t want to accept cow’s milk. Occasionally, a baby will refuse to drink cow’s milk and go on a “milk strike.”

Eileen Tyrala, M.D., Pediatrician at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, says taste is probably the biggest obstacle for babies when parents try to transition to cow’s milk. Human milk and formulas are much sweeter than cow’s milk and there are differences in the thickness and temperature of the milks. For breastfed babies, the change to a bottle or cup can trigger a loss of bonding associated with breastfeeding.


Tyrala offers some tips for parents who are having trouble with infants on a “milk strike”:

•Offer cow’s milk in a sippy cup. This helps the baby make the association between the new drink and the different taste and texture.

•Go slowly. If the child is very resistant to the change, try just one serving of cow’s milk a day. Then gradually increase the number of servings of cow’s milk. It can take several days to two weeks for the child to reach the goal of drinking all cows’ milk.

•Dilute the familiar drink. Use three parts breast milk or formula to one part water. This will slightly alter the taste and texture of the “familiar” drink and, hopefully, enable the child to gradually accept a different drink (cow’s milk). Tyrala says it should only take a few days for a child to accept cow’s milk using this technique, so the temporary loss of calories won’t have any great affect on the infant.

•Add some low-sugar flavor. Tyrala doesn’t like the idea of adding sugar-laden flavorings to make cow’s milk as sweet as formula or breast milk. If taste appears to be an issue, she suggests adding powdered flavorings with less sugar.

•Try a substitute. Try an alternative to cow’s milk, like soy milk, rice milk or potato milk. Make sure these substitutes are pasteurized and are supplemented with calcium and vitamin D. If a child continues to refuse to drink cow’s milk, try yogurt, soft cheeses or calcium fortified orange juice.

If you have any specific questions or concerns about feeding your children, talk with your health care provider. For general information:

• American Academy of Pediatrics

• National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

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'Tis The Season for Vitamin D

My favourite time of year is summer: the sun shining on my skin, a warm breeze through my hair and the health benefits of vitamin D flowing through my veins. Sunshine is absolutely the best way to obtain vitamin D, but during the approaching winter months, the suns’ rays aren’t powerful enough to produce an ample amount.

Vitamin D plays a vital role in sustaining healthy bones and teeth — by helping to absorb calcium. And without it, bones can become weak and brittle. It is also an integral part of boosting the body’s immune system to ward off any seasonal colds or flus. The “sunshine vitamin” is even a beneficiary tool in reducing the risk of cancer.

So, in order to get the lowdown on vitamin D, I went to my local health store and asked the woman behind the counter what she recommended. The most efficient choice would be to take daily vitamin D supplements, she suggested. But if you’re one of those people who can’t remember where your shoes are in the morning — let alone systematically taking a vitamin supplement — there are other ways to get your daily-D fix.

Foods rich in vitamin D, like salmon, tuna, mushrooms, soymilk, eggs and fortified cereals, are sensible sources as well. These foods will also help to increase serotonin levels, which will help stabilize your mood and energy. Mushrooms are the only food that darkens when exposed to sunlight, and is therefore able to produce vitamin D on its own.

She also suggested I go to a tanning salon as a solution to up my vitamin D intake. Now, I’m not one to bake myself in a burning cauldron of cancer, so I did some extra research on that subject. And what I learned is that the sun emits two types of ultraviolet rays: UVA and UVB. When braving the tanning bed, one must make sure the lamps are those of medium pressure, which are jam-packed with UVB rays. UVB will ensure that you don’t burn, but that you will still get loads of vitamin D.

So, whatever method you choose, make sure you stock up on vitamin D… until next summer of course, when we’ll be able to reap the benefits of sunshine once more.

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The Importance of Multivitamins

Dr. Michael Roizen knows your secret. You're not eating enough fruits and veggies.

That's why most Baby Boomers need a multivitamin, said the chairman of the Wellness Institute at the Cleveland Clinic.

When it comes to opinions about the need for multivitamins, there seems to be, ahem, one a day.

Mount Sinai School of Medicine's Dr. Victor Herbert famously fell on the side of the skeptics, declaring, "supplements help some, harm some, and do nothing for most, so the bottom line is a wash," in the book Total Nutrition: The Only Guide You'll Ever Need, first published in the mid 1990s.

Until recently many doctors sided with Herbert, telling their patients that spending money on vitamins amounted to creating expensive urine.

But as Boomers have aged, nutrition science has advanced as well.

Studies are increasingly showing large gaps between optimal nutrition and what typical Americans are taking in from food, gaps that are easily surmounted with vitamins.

Roizen has data to prove it.

Co-author of You: The Owners Manual, Roizen is also the co-creator of the Web site RealAge.com . On that Web site, people report on their health status, including diet, to learn whether their "real age" is younger or older than it should be, and to glean wellness tips.

Based on users' responses, Roizen says he's certain about most adults' need for a multivitamin.

"We've had 27 million people take the RealAge program," Roison says. "A little less than 1 percent can get the right vitamins and minerals from their diet alone. It's possible, but it isn't done commonly in America. We just don't eat right."

For once, Boomers are following their doctors' advice.

According to Nutrition Business Journal estimates, U.S. consumer sales of dietary supplements reached $25.2 billion in 2008 on 6.2 percent growth. The multivitamin category accounted for $4.7 billion of these sales in 2008, on 4.3 percent growth.

But it's not necessary to go broke buying fancy brand-name vitamins, Roisen said. He tells patients at the Cleveland Clinic that a low-cost multivitamin will meet their basic needs. Grocery store brands are usually fine, he said. They're often manufactured by the same companies as the expensive vitamins, using the same basic ingredients.

But there are some other vitamins he suggests adding to the multivitamin.

His tips:

"You want to look for a multivitamin that has less than 3,500 international units of vitamin A," he said.

Buy a pill splitter, and take part in the morning, part at night, to improve absorption, he said.

Most Boomers need extra vitamin D, in the form of D3, as well, he said. Those under age 50 need around 1,000 IUs, while those over age 50 should get 1,200 IUs.

Two hours after taking their multivitamin and extra D, he recommends taking 600 mg of calcium two times a day, plus 200 mg of magnesium two times a day.

Last, he wants most of his adult patients to take fish oil, for the omega 3 fatty acids which benefit heart, brain and vascular health. Look for ones that offer 600 mg of DHA, he said. In his books, Roizen cautions patients to stay within his guidelines, and not fall for the "if a little is good, a lot must be better" mentality.

"There is toxicity from too much of some of the vitamins and minerals, so you want to make sure you stay within the guidelines of what we write," he said.

In Boynton Beach, internist Dr. Stacey Shinder has her patients bring in their vitamins, to ensure they're taking the right amounts, and not taking anything that might interfere with their prescription drugs.

Niacin, for example, can affect liver function, she said, and high doses of that and selenium can pose problems. Fish oil and blood-thinning drugs may be a bad combination.

Shinder, part of the MD VIP concierge group, charges members $1,500 a year for the extra attention. But she doesn't just go over vitamins with her patients. She orders blood tests to assess their levels of vitamin D, iron and other nutrients.

And she wants to hear about their diet.

"I often will have patients keep food diaries for me. Especially when we have weight management issues."

While she prefers good diet to vitamins, she's realistic.

"I am more of a believer in getting people to eat more fruits and vegetables, more colors, more varieties," she said. "No vitamin is a magic pill."

Rich or poor, the advice is similar.

Sue Grammond, registered dietitian at the Palm Beach County Health Department, also encourages clients to take a multivitamin. But she tells them if money is short, it's most important to eat a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, and go for frozen veggies if fresh are difficult to keep, she tells them.

"One of the mantras in nutrition is food first," Grammond said. "It comes with the vitamins, the fiber, the whole package when you eat the whole thing."

Dr. Roizen's vitamin advice for Boomers:

1. Take a multivitamin that contains no more than 3,500 IUs of vitamin A. Buy a pill splitter, and take half the multivitamin in the morning, half at night.

2. Take additional vitamin D3. Those under age 50 need around 1,000 IUs a day, while those over age 50 should get 1,200 IUs a day.

3. Add calcium two hours after your multivitamin. Aim for 600 mg of calcium two times a day, plus 200 mg of magnesium two times a day.

4. After checking with your doctor, take a fish oil capsule with 600 mg of DHA per day.

5. Beware mega doses of vitamins. Too much vitamin A, niacin, vitamin E, and other nutrients can cause health problems, so talk to your doctor about what you're taking.

The buzz word is phytonutrients. The claim is that hundreds of plant compounds are still unknown, and benefit the immune system, the vascular system and general health.

But can they be turned into juice, freeze-dried, pressed into a capsule, and still offer health benefits? Top brands promising whole-food benefits include Juice Plus+, Nutrilite, Dr. Mercola's Whole Food Multivitamin and GNC's Maximum Greens, among others. These supplements can be much more expensive than a multivitamin.

A 31-day supply of Nutrilite's Double X multivitamin/mineral and phytonutrient pack costs a whopping $71.41. A month's supply of Juice Plus+ is $41.75. And a month's supply of GNC's Maximum Greens Ultra Mega Green Vitapak costs $35.99.

But are they worth it?

Nutrition Professor Susan Percival thinks it's likely.

At the University of Florida's Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, in Gainesville, she is studying the effect of several natural food compounds on immune system cells called gamma delta T cells.

The cells play a dual role, first by attacking germ invaders, then by dialing down the inflammatory response after infection has passed.

Mounting an immune attack requires just about every nutrient there is to produce armies of these immune cells, she said. Several plant compounds that are not found in multivitamins play an important role in priming the immune cells, she said.

Those compounds include catechins, found in green tea, cocoa and grapes, and anthocyanins, found in blueberries, Concord grapes and cranberries.

For research published in 2006, she enrolled 59 UF law school students in a study on Juice Plus+ capsules. She found those who got the real capsules and not the placebo had increased blood levels of nutrients and antioxidants, fewer DNA strand breaks, and an increase in circulating gamma delta T cells.

Many of the beneficial food compounds are in their pigments, the chemicals that make them colorful. Eating colorful fruits and vegetables is best, because you get the fiber, she said. But the capsules she studied had definite benefits.

"I cannot generalize to all whole food capsules except to say the ones I know take very good care to preserve much of the nutritional value that the whole fruit and vegetable had," Percival said.

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Top 12 Foods for Healthy Immune Response

Editor's note: Flu vaccine may help some people, but there is no guarantee for a specific individual to get the benefits because the efficacy of a flu vaccine is often lower. Regardless, food consumers need to take care of their diet and lifestyle to maintain adequate immunity so that they may prevent most if not all of the flu viruses.


The 2009 flu season is upon us, and it appears to be hitting hard -- and early.

Staying well while those around you sniffle and sneeze requires that you extract as much nutrition from your diet as you can, loading up on the foods that pack the biggest nutritional punch.

Avoiding processed foods, grains and sugar will go a long way toward strengthening your immune system. However, you can do even more by selecting foods that are loaded with the specific immune boosting nutrients.

Eating a diet rich in the following foods will be far better for your health than loading up on handfuls of supplements, or worse yet, falling victim to vaccines that expose you to health risks far worse than influenza.

Below, I have outlined what I consider to be the absolute best foods you can eat to prepare yourself for the season, although the list is certainly not exhaustive.

1. Unpasteurized Grass-Fed Organic Milk

Raw organic milk from grass-fed cows contains beneficial bacteria that prime your immune system and can reduce allergies. It is an outstanding source of vitamins, especially vitamin A, zinc, and enzymes. Raw organic milk is not associated with any of the health problems of pasteurized milk such as rheumatoid arthritis, skin rashes, diarrhea and cramps.

Raw milk also contains beneficial fats that will help your immune system.

Although raw milk availability is limited in the US depending on where you live, you can locate the source closest to you at RealMilk.com.

Whey Protein

Even if you don’t have access to raw grass-fed milk, you can use a high-quality whey protein that comes from grass-fed cows to receive much of the same health benefits.

The protein in milk is whey protein. Whey is the liquid that separates from the curd during the production of cheese. When the liquid dries into powdered whey, the nutrients become concentrated, and it can be packaged and used in that form.

Whey protein can help you fight off colds and flu because it contains beta-glucans and immunoglobulins, which protect your immune system and support your body’s natural detoxification processes.

2. Fermented Foods

If you are serious about boosting your immunity, then adding traditionally fermented foods is essential.

One of the most healthful fermented foods is kefir. Kefir is an ancient cultured, enzyme-rich food full of friendly microorganisms that balance your “inner ecosystem” and strengthen immunity. Besides kefir, other good fermented foods include natto, kimchee, miso, tempeh, pickles, sauerkraut, yoghurt (watch for sugar), and olives.

Friendly bacteria have a powerful, beneficial effect on your gut’s immune system, your first line defense against pathogens, and aid in the production of antibodies.

3. Raw Organic Eggs From Free-Range Chickens

Before you wrinkle up your nose, raw eggs are an inexpensive and amazing source of high-quality nutrients that many people are deficient in, especially high-quality protein and fat. I am a proponent of raw eggs because they have been so helpful to my own health.

As long as you have a good source for fresh, organic raw eggs, you need not worry about salmonella. To find free-range pasture farms, try your local health food store, or go to http://www.eatwild.com or http://www.localharvest.com.

4. Grass-Fed Beef or Organ Meats

Grass-Fed beef comes from cows that eat what they were meant to eat—grasses, not corn or grains. This results in far greater health benefits for you the environment[i].

Grass-fed beef is very high in vitamins A and E, omega-3 fatty acids, beta carotene, zinc and CLA. CLA (conjugated linoleic acid, a fatty acid) is three to five times higher in grass-fed animals than grain-fed animals and is an immune system enhancer.

Don’t confuse “organic” with grass-fed, since many organically raised cows are still fed organic corn, which you don’t want. However, most grass-fed cows are raised organically. And if you can find organic AND grass-fed, that’s ideal.

5. Coconuts and Coconut Oil

Besides being excellent for your thyroid and your metabolism, coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, which converts in your body to monolaurin. Monolaurin is the actual compound found in breast milk that strengthens a baby’s immunity.

A great deal of research has been done establishing the ability of lauric acid to enhance immunity. This medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) actually disrupts the lipid membranes of offending organisms.

When selecting coconuts and coconut oil, make sure you choose organic ones that are unrefined, unbleached, made without heat processing or chemicals, and non-GMO.

6. Locally Grown Organic Vegetables Appropriate for Your Nutritional Type

When it comes to fighting off pathogens, you simply can’t do any better than eating a variety of fresh, organic and preferably raw vegetables for the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes they contain. However, the amount and type of vegetables you should eat daily will depend on your nutritional type.

Make sure the veggies you choose are fresh. The nutrient value drops to practically zero once a fruit or vegetable is canned. For example, take a look at the ORAC value of peaches.

ORAC Values

ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, and an ORAC unit or ORAC “score” is a standardized method of measuring the antioxidant capacity of different foods and supplements. The higher the ORAC score, the more effective a food is at neutralizing free radicals. The less free radicals you have, the healthier you will be.

Back to peaches.

A raw, fresh peach has an ORAC score of 1,814. A can of peaches in heavy syrup has an ORAC score of 436, meaning that more than 75 percent of the antioxidants are lost in the canning process.

You can check the ORAC score for many different things at www.oracvalues.com. The higher the score, the better. Please be aware, though, that the total antioxidant capacity of a food alone does not determine its health benefit, which depends on how it is absorbed and utilized by your body. ORAC score is a useful guide, but it is only part of the picture.

7. Blueberries and Raspberries

Blueberries and raspberries rate very high in antioxidant capacity (ORAC of 6,520), compared to other fruits and vegetables. Wild blueberries in particular are potent immune boosters. They contain powerful phytochemicals, such as anthocyanin, which is the pigment that gives blueberries their color. And they are lower in sugar than many other fruits.

8. Mushrooms

Mushrooms strengthen your immune system because they are rich in protein, fiber, vitamin C, B vitamins, calcium and other minerals, and even vitamin D -- one of the only foods that can provide you with this essential immune strengthener.

Mushrooms make up a large part of the fabric of the earth. According to Paul Stamets, one of the world’s leading authorities on the health benefits of mushrooms, one cubic inch of soil can contain eight miles of mycelium.[ii]

Mushrooms also contain powerful compounds called beta glucans, which have been long known for their immune enhancing properties. The beta glucans in medicinal mushrooms (especially Reishi, Shiitake and Maitake) are notable for their ability to activate/modulate the immune system.

Beta glucan[iii] enhances immunity through a variety of mechanisms, many of which are similar to those of echinacea or astragalus root. For example, it binds to macrophages and other scavenger white blood cells, activating their anti-infection activities.[iv] Numerous studies support this.

9. Chlorella

As foods go, chlorella is nearly perfect.

Chlorella is a single-cell freshwater algae that acts as an efficient detoxification agent by binding to toxins, such as mercury, and carries them out of your system. It is the chlorophyll in chlorella that makes it so powerful. Chlorophyll helps you process more oxygen, cleanses your blood and promotes the growth and repair of your tissues.

For a full review of all the benefits of this superfood, go to my chlorella page.

10. Propolis

Propolis is a bee resin and one of the most broad-spectrum antimicrobial compounds in the world, if not the broadest spectrum, according to master herbalist Donnie Yance. Propolis is also the richest source of caffeic acid and apigenin, two very important phenolic compounds that aid in immune response.

11. Teas

The two best types of tea for fending off microinvaders are Matcha green tea and tulsi tea.

Green Tea and Matcha

Matcha is the most nutrient-rich green tea and comes in the form of a stone-ground powder, completely unfermented. The best Matcha comes from Japan and has up to seventeen times the antioxidants of wild blueberries, and seven times more than dark chocolate.

Green teas are rich in polyphenols, in the form of natural chemicals called catechins. The most powerful catechin in tea is epigallocatechin (EGCG), which was found in one study to be 25 to 100 times more potent than antioxidant vitamins C and E. And Matcha is more than 100 times as potent in EGCG as regular brewed green tea.

Tulsi

Tulsi tea, coming from the holy basil herb, has been used for thousands of years in the Ayurvedic medicine of India. Not only is this tea loaded with antioxidants, but it has multiple positive health benefits, including supporting your immune health, memory, heart health and vision.

12. Herbs and Spices

Herbs and spices are at the top of the list of high ORAC value foods on planet Earth[v]. There are simply too many good ones to summarize here! So I will simply highlight a few that deserve special mention.

Garlic

Garlic, although not at the top of the ORAC chart (5,346), is incredibly beneficial to your immune system because it offers a triple-whammy: it’s antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal. You should be eating garlic every day. One of the best things about garlic is that bacteria, viruses, and yeast build up no resistance to it, unlike with synthetic antibiotics.

For optimal benefits, garlic should be fresh since the active ingredient is destroyed within one hour of smashing the garlic cloves. In other words, garlic capsules are basically useless.

Garlic contains allicin, a chemical that is anticarcinogenic. It also has been shown to lower LDL, lower total cholesterol, lower blood pressure, reduce your risk of blood clots and stroke, lower homocysteine, and even prevent insect bites -- including mosquitoes and ticks.

Herbs and Spice and Everything Nice

Immunity from common infections involves not only preventing pathogens from taking hold, but also moderating the immune response to invading pathogens.

Complications arise when you experience an over-response to the infection, which is why H1N1 is taking its toll on healthy young adults. Their bodies are over responding -- something called a “cytokine storm.” It’s basically a severe inflammatory response.[vi]

One wonderful thing about plants (and herbs especially) is that they don’t all stimulate the immune system—some modulate it, or act as a buffer.

Here are some of the best herbs and spices for building a strong immune system that functions correctly:

*
Honeysuckle and chrysanthemum: good antivirals
*
Artemisia: antimalarial
*
Andrographis, aka “King of Bitters”: antiviral, and helps modulate inflammatory response[vii]
*
Licorice: buffers the inflammatory response by increasing steroid output by the adrenal glands; a good buffer if your immune system is over responding to the flu.
*
Turmeric: ORAC score of 159,277; general immune system booster due to its high antioxidant capacity, and an anticancer agent as well; turneric is 5 to 8 times stronger than vitamins C and E, and even strong enough to scavenge the hydroxyl radical, which is considered by some to be the most reactive of all oxidants
*
Black Pepper: Increases the bioavailability of just about all other foods--herbs and other things
*
Oregano: ORAC 13,970; active agent is rosmarinic acid, a strong antioxidant; one tablespoon of oregano has the antioxidant capacity of one medium apple
*
Cinnamon: ORAC 267,536; powerful antimicrobial agent—found to kill E. coli and many other bacteria; also has antiinflammatory compounds
*
Cloves: THE BIG ORAC GRAND PRIZE WINNER AT 314,446, highest of all foods tested! Contains eugenol; its mild anaesthetic benefits are useful for toothaches and sore throats; good antiinflammatory[viii]

Finally, I recently had a fascinating interview with herbalist Donnie Yance, who shared his basic remedy for flu, should you come down with one.

Make this special tea from a combination of herbs that synergistically cause your body to sweat -- which is very desirable if you want to eradicate a virus from your system. And then drink it hot and often:

1. Elderflower (this has been used for hundreds of years for flu)

2. Boneset (eupatorium)

3. Yarrow

4. Linden

5. Peppermint

6. Ginger

By incorporating some of these fantastic foods, you’ll not only evade the circulating viruses but improve your overall health and longevity at the same.



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Vitamin D: key to preventing cancer and heart disease

Make sure you're drinking your milk because it gives you a strong healthy heart?

It's the latest in research about vitamin D that's linking it to everything from protecting you against heart disease to preventing cancer.

And with nearly 60 days cloudy days on average during the winter, it's no wonder so many of us are vitamin D deficient, and that's not a good thing.

Recent studies on the vitamin have found it might be more important to the body than any other, "It is represented in over 13 different organ systems in our body. Our central nervous system, our pancreas, our intestines, our muscles our bones." Dr. Mark Gostine with Michigan Pain Consultants in Grand Rapids has been studying the affects of vitamin D on the body for nearly a decade.

"What we're finding out is vitamin d has tremendous impact on multiple diseases."

Gostine says it can aid in preventing cancer and protecting you against heart disease, "Vitamin D can dampen the inflammation that leads to the hardening of the arteries and that of course can lead to heart failure."

That's a theory that's recently been supported by the American Heart Association. A recent study of nearly 28,000 patients showed that those who were deficient in vitamin D were twice as likely to have diabetes and high blood pressure.

But it's not just heart disease where doctors are discovering the benefits of vitamin D, Dr. Gostine believes it may even help in the prevention of certain cancers like breast and prostate, "The immune system is probably the common denominator here with vitamin D."

Vitamin D is actually a hormone steroid not a vitamin. So the body uses it to regulate the immune system which helps the body in the fight against cancer. "By up regulating the immune system it can help the white cells and all the immune components that are looking for the cancer trying to stamp out the cancer when it's very small when it can still be treated by the bodies immune system.", says Gostine.

So how much vitamin d should we get every day?

Dr. Gostine believes that the 400 units in your multi-vitamin aren't nearly enough because the recommended daily allowance for vitamin D supplements was based on a child's dosage in the 1940's

Dr. Gostine would like to see adults get at least 4,000 units a day or more depending on your level of deficiency.

Melissa Cooper has suffered with back pain for nearly a decade undergoing two unsuccessful surgeries before being recommended to Dr. Gostine. The first thing he did was check to see if she was vitamin d deficient, "I just couldn't believe it when they said my vitamin d level was so low."

In fact it was one of the lowest levels Dr. Gostine had ever seen and immediately placed her on 50,000 units of vitamin D a week. It took more than three months to get Melissa up to normal levels.

Once she was, she endured a third back surgery, this time it was more than successful.

A side by side comparison shows that Melissa actually grew bone in her spine.

Dr.. Gostine is a firm believer vitamin D made the difference, "I don't think there was any question that that was the reason."

Is it the next miracle vitamin? - that's yet to be determined.

But in the meantime it never hurts to soak up the sun when you get the chance.



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Low vitamin D linked to high risk of premature death

People with lower blood levels of sunshine vitamin D in their blood appear to have an increased risk of death from all causes and from cardiovascular diseases, according to an Austrian study in the June 23 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

The study found that people with the lowest level of vitamin D in their blood were twice as likely to die from any cause including death from heart disease during an eight-year period as those who had a high level.

Vitamin D is naturally produced in the body when the skin is exposed to sunshine. Exposure of the face and both hands for 20 minutes to strong sunshine is believed to generate enough vitamin D, while a dietary regimen is needed to have a preventative effect against certain diseases or death, particularly in dark-skinned individuals and the elderly who produce less vitamin D.

An estimated 50 to 60 percent of older people in North America and the rest of the world do not have sufficient vitamin D levels, and a similar percentage of young people have the same problem, according to the background information in the report.

Previous studies have linked blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in the blood lower than 20 to 30 nanograms per milliliter with risk of falls, fractures, cancer, immune dysfunction, cardiovascular disease and hypertension.

In the study, Harald Dobnig, M.D., an internist and endocrinologist at the Medical University of Graz, Austria, and colleagues measured 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels in 3,258 patients of an average age of 62 years who underwent coronary angiography testing between 1997 and 2000.

During the 7.7-year follow-up, 22.6 percent of participants died and among the dead, 62.8 percent were from cardiovascular causes.

Death rates from any cause and from the cardiovascular causes were higher in those with their blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in the lower 50 percent and in the lowest one-fourth of 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels, the study found.

Low 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were also linked with markers of inflammation such as c-reactive protein, as well as signs of oxidative damage to cells, the study found.

"Apart from the proved effects that vitamin D has on bone metabolism and neuromuscular function, appropriate serum levels (that may also be higher than in the present investigation) are associated with a decrease in mortality," the researchers concluded.

"Although not proved, it seems possible that at least part of this effect may be due to lowering of a risk profile promoting atherosclerosis [narrowing of the arteries] and preventing cardiovascular end points," the researchers said.

"Based on the findings of this study, a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of 20 nanograms per milliliter or higher may be advised for maintaining general health." (Editor’s note: many other studies have suggested that 30 nanograms per milliliter are needed.)

The current study merely established an association between the serum vitamin D level and death risk and it did not prove that taking vitamin D supplements to increase its level in the body would actually reduce the risk of death from all causes although the possibility cannot be excluded either.

However, many clinical trials have already demonstrated the preventative effect of vitamin D against premature deaths from all causes including cardiovascular causes.

One study meta-analyzed data from 18 separate trials of 57,000 participants who had a dietary supplement of vitamin D at a dose ranging from 300 to 2000 International Units and found that those who took vitamin D had a 7 percent lower risk of death than those who did not.

The study was conducted by Philippe Autier, M.D., of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France, and Sara Gandini, Ph.D., of the European Institute of Oncology in Milan, Italy, and published in the September 10, 2007 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Overall, earlier studies showed that deficiencies in vitamin D are associated with a higher risk of death from cancers (including breast, prostate, and colon cancer), heart disease, and diabetes-illnesses, which overall are responsible for 60 to 70 percent of deaths in developed countries.

Another study conducted by Edward Giovannucci, M.D., Sc.D., at the Harvard School of Public Health and colleagues revealed that it is 2.42 times more common to find people with 15 nanograms per milliliter of blood or less (deficiency) than it is to find those with a sufficient amount (30 nanograms per milliliter). The findings were published in the June 9, 2008 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

The researchers came to this conclusion after they compared 454 men ages 40 to 75 who had non-fatal heart attacks or fatal heart disease during the follow-up period with 900 men who did not have a history of cardiovascular disease.

Sunshine is the basic source of vitamin D. But readers should be careful about the advice they receive from news media, a health observer affiliated with foodconsumer.org suggested. Exposure to ultraviolet rays is widely viewed as a risk for developing skin cancer, and people are often urged to use screens to block exposure to sunshine. Be aware though that vitamin D deficiency can put an individual at a higher risk of dying from other more serious types of cancers and a variety of other chronic diseases.

Other sources include fortified foods such as fortified milk and cereals, natural foods such as cod liver oil, fatty fish such as cooked salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines, egg yolks, liver, and supplements.

The current recommended daily allowance for vitamin D is 200 IU per day for people under 50, 400 IUs for those between 50 and 70, and 600 IUs for those over 70. Older people need higher doses. Research has found that healthy people can tolerate intake of up to 10,000 IU per day. Vitamin D experts have already complained that the current RDA is too low to have a protective effect, and have recommended that the RDA should be increased to at least 1,000 IU per day.



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Vitamin D reduces asthma severity

Although the committee charged with determining the recommended daily amount of nutrients cannot currently agree on how much vitamin D we need (New York Times), there is now plenty of research supporting its many health advantages. Dr. Mercola, author of the mercola.com site, states that some of the newest reports are indicating that low vitamin D levels in children can increase the severity of asthma.

Studies have shown that children who were hospitalized with asthma-related problems typically had low levels of vitamin D in the bloodstream. This data seems to corroborate an Australian study from 2006 which showed that exposure to sunlight reduced the severity of asthma in mice.

And, according to the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, mothers who have adequate vitamin D supplementation while pregnant can actually reduce the risk that their children will later develop asthma between the ages of 3 and 5.

Jane Brody, who refers to vitamin D as the “sunshine vitamin,” reported in a recent column that since the powers that be are still in a quandary over optimal levels of the vitamin, it’s up to the consumer to look at the some of the research and decide how much to take.

These new associations between asthma severity and vitamin D are simply verification that the “sunshine vitamin” could be coming into its own. Brody writes that vitamin D has been shown to regulate balance in older people, and has been linked to a reduction in cancers of the breast, ovary, rectum, prostate and stomach.

Currently, the recommended daily allowance of vitamin D is 400 IUs, which, according to Dr. Mercola, is ten times less than the amount necessary for optimal health.



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Try Vitamin D If You Want To Live Longer

Writing in the journal Clinical Endocrinology, scientists from the Netherlands, Austria, and the U.S. report that low blood levels of the sunshine vitamin are associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality, and mortality from heart disease, in the elderly.

The research follows hot on the heels of similar findings published in Nutrition Research and in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

The new study used data from 614 people participating in the Hoorn Study, a prospective population-based study with men and women with an average age of 69.8. Blood levels of 25(OH)D were measured at the start of the study. After an average of six years of follow-up, 51 deaths had been documented, 20 of which were due to cardiovascular health.

People with the lowest average vitamin D levels were found to be at a 124 and 378 percent increased risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality, respectively.

Commenting on the potential mechanism, the researchers note:

“Apart from the maintenance of muscular and skeletal health, vitamin D may also protect against cancer, infections, autoimmune and vascular diseases, suggesting that vitamin D deficiency might contribute to a reduced life expectancy.”

Adults with lower blood levels of vitamin D may also be more likely to die from heart disease or stroke. Scientists in Finland compared blood levels of vitamin D, and deaths from heart disease or stroke over time in more than 6,000 people. Those with the lowest vitamin D levels had a 25 percent higher risk of dying from heart disease or stroke.

In addition, in a study of 166 women undergoing treatment for breast cancer, nearly 70 percent had low levels of vitamin D in their blood, according to a study presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Breast Cancer Symposium. The analysis showed women with late-stage disease and non-Caucasian women had even lower levels.

Said Luke Peppone, Ph.D., research assistant professor of Radiation Oncology, at Rochester’s James P. Wilmot Cancer Center:

“Vitamin D is essential to maintaining bone health and women with breast cancer have accelerated bone loss due to the nature of hormone therapy and chemotherapy. It’s important for women and their doctors to work together to boost their vitamin D intake."



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Twenty reasons why vitamin D is better than a swine flu vaccine

The news is out: Vitamin D is better than the swine flu vaccine at halting H1N1 infections. In fact, without vitamin D, chances are that a vaccine won't generate much of an immune response in the first place.

That's because vitamin D is essential for healthy, active immune function. That's just one of the reasons smart people are choosing vitamin D instead of the swine flu vaccine. Here are nineteen more reasons:

#1 Vitamin D activates your immune system to respond to any viral exposure (not just one virus).

#2 Vitamin D naturally belongs in your body.

#3 Vitamin D has been functioning as medicine in the human body since the beginning of the human species.

#4 Vitamin D is available right now and there's no shortage of it.

#5 Vitamin D won't cause your brain to swell and put you into a coma.

#6 Vitamin D doesn't require an injection with a scary needle.

#7 Vitamin D is found naturally in many foods such as sardines or salmon.

#8 Vitamin D has a perfect safety record. No one ever died from consuming it.

#9 Vitamin D is affordable. You can even get it for free (from sunlight).

#10 Vitamin D doesn't contain viral fragments from diseased animals (like vaccines often do).

#11 Vitamin D doesn't contain thimerosal or other chemical preservatives.

#12 Vitamin D doesn't need a warning sheet describing possible side effects.

#13 Vitamin D doesn't hurt your arm when you take it.

#14 Vitamin D also improves sugar metabolism, bone density and healthy moods.

#15 Vitamin D is safe for the environment.

#16 Vitamin D doesn't contain squalene or other inflammatory adjuvant chemicals.

#17 Vitamin D works on everyone and is safe for everyone, including infants and children.

#18 Vitamin D is made in nature, not a laboratory.

#19 Vitamin D is found naturally in breast milk.

#20 You can walk, and chew gum, and generate vitamin D from sunshine all at the same time!

Skip the vaccine. Get more Vitamin D!



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The Hottest Vitamin Under the Sun ( Part 3 )

New products fortified with vitamin D may help the many who are deficient. Recent studies have shown pregnant women who lived at a latitude of 54 to 55 degrees north (about as north as Central Canada) had insufficient levels, even among those who use supplements.² Mothers-to-be who have lower levels of vitamin D are more likely to give birth via cesarean section.³ And Turkish researchers encouraged pregnant women to supplement their diets with vitamin D in order to reduce the risk of their children contracting acute lower respiratory infections.⁴

Once the children are out of the womb, they may still not be getting all of their vitamin D needs. In the United States, 61 percent of children aged 1 to 21 years who completed the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2004 had insufficient levels of vitamin D.⁵ Only 4 percent had taken a 400 IU/d supplement of vitamin D for the past 30 days. That same study found deficiency was associated with elevated parathyroid hormone levels, higher systolic blood pressure, lower serum calcium and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels.

The heart-health benefits of vitamin D don’t stop with the youth. A University of Colorado study found an inverse relationship between vitamin D levels and cardiovascular disease (CVD), as well as all-cause mortality.⁶ A review in The American Journal of the Medical Sciences states cross-sectional studies found vitamin D deficiency was associated with increased risk of CVD, including hypertension, heart failure and ischemic heart disease.⁷ And Reuters reported at a September 2009 meeting of the American Heart Association in Chicago, researchers presented study that found younger white women with vitamin D deficiencies are about three times more likely to have high blood pressure in middle age than those with normal vitamin levels.

Because vitamin D is necessary for calcium absorption into the body, vitamin D is closely associated with bone health. In fact, one Swiss study found among men and women, vitamin D status seems to be the dominant predictor of bone mineral density (BMD) relative to calcium intake.⁸ In the study, only women with vitamin D concentrations less than 50 nm seem to benefit from a higher calcium intake alone. In a later review of eight randomized controlled trials, those same researchers found supplemental vitamin D in a dose of 700 to 1,000 IU/d reduced the risk of falling among older adults by 19 percent.⁹ However, doses of supplemental vitamin D of less than 700 IU or serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations of less than 60 nmol/l did not reduce the risk of falling.

McBurney added supplementing with vitamin D is good for bone health throughout life. “Bones are remodeled every day, all our life,” he said. “So it is important to build bones when one is young, and to maintain adequate vitamin D status to maintain strong bones for life.”

The benefits of vitamin D go well beyond the heart and bones. Keeping vitamin D levels high may also protect against colon cancer,¹⁰ cold and flu,¹¹ Alzheimer’s disease,¹² multiple sclerosis,¹³ ovarian cancer¹⁴ and weight gain.¹⁵

With all the new studies finding vitamin D’s health benefits (every study referenced in this article is from 2009), the sunshine vitamin’s future is, well, sunny. “Scientists are discovering new insights into the role of vitamin D,” McBurney said. “With the unraveling of the human genome, we are living in a period of discovery unprecedented in history. The future is very exciting.”



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Vitamin D Deficiency: Children Need Vitamin D

This nation has many costly health care problems, but vitamin D deficiency shouldn't be one of them.

A new analysis focusing on U.S. children ages 1 through 11 says about a fifth of youngsters that age aren't getting the minimally required level of vitamin D. Many more may fall short of the optimal dose.

The deficiency puts those children - disproportionately African-American - at risk of ailments such as rickets, a disease that can cause a weakening of growing bones and cartilage.

Rickets was thought to have been conquered in this country shortly after the turn of the 20th century, when it was discovered that sunlight and food supplements could both prevent and treat the disease. But pediatricians have seen a reappearance of rickets in the United States in recent decades.

Sunshine and vitamin D-fortified milk are two key sources of vitamin D. But as an Associated Press article published Monday noted, many children don't drink the multiple glasses of milk a day that would be needed to get the recommended dose of vitamin D.

Sunshine, with its ultraviolet light that the human body turns into vitamin D, is readily available in Florida, but not in the North.

SUPPLEMENT FOR SAFETY

The potential for damage from vitamin-D deficiency in young children is so clear that the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that youngsters get a 400-unit, daily supplement.

The new research supports that recommendation, said Dr. Jonathan Mansbach, lead author on the study, which was reported in the November issue of the journal Pediatrics.

Some evidence indicates that teens and adults may need much more vitamin D, well beyond what would be consumed in a good diet. This too suggests that daily supplements would be helpful.

Many questions about vitamin D levels remain unanswered. Health experts should accelerate research into the causes of deficiencies, particularly the prevalence among people of color.

No one should overlook the benefits of fresh air, sunlight and adequate milk intake. But when these are not enough, the growing sentiment among health experts is to recommend a daily supplement.

This solution - accessible, relatively cheap and easy to administer - is far preferable to the possible consequences of vitamin D deficiency.

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Vitamin D: How to Determine Your Optimal Dose

In the wide world of supplements, vitamin D is the superstar. For the last few years, this humble nutrient has been featured prominently in allopathic and alternative circles alike. It has basked in the rays of media publicity, and has survived an onslaught of scientific scrutiny. And while such widespread publicity is often good cause for skepticism in the realm of health and medicine, vitamin D appears to be the real deal. Whether we`re talking about heart disease, cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, or Alzheimer`s disease, the "sunshine vitamin" delivers benefits unseen before our time (1).

Given the remarkably powerful benefits of vitamin D, many find themselves wondering how to actually go about obtaining it. We know that vitamin D is good for us, but how much do we need, and where do we get it? Most people know that sunlight is somehow involved in vitamin D production, but is sunlight alone sufficient to produce the incredible results demonstrated by recent vitamin D research? What about supplements? There are so many different preparations - with doses ranging from 400 IU to 50,000 IU - that it can get a little confusing. Are such supplements necessary, and if so, how much should we be taking?

Everyone is Different

One might suppose that this question is as easily answered as saying, "Everyone needs to spend 15 minutes in the sun every day." Or, "Everyone needs to take x amount of vitamin D per day." But it`s not like that. Not at all. There are a multitude of variables unique to you that determine how much vitamin D is required on a daily basis (2). And because there are so many individual variables, it really is impossible to recommend a single amount for everyone. Fortunately, however, there are many circumstantial clues to look for that will suggest whether you need to be paying better attention to your vitamin D status. Furthermore, personally optimizing your vitamin D level is fairly easy and inexpensive.

Are you at risk for vitamin D deficiency?
-How much sun exposure do you get every day?
-Where do you live? Above or below the 35 N latitude line? (3)
-What is your age? Over 40?
-Is your skin light, dark, very dark?
-Are you overweight?
-Do you have a chronic illness?

How do each of these factors affect vitamin D status?

Sun Exposure: Catching some rays each day is definitely desirable, and healthy young people can usually get the vitamin D they need from around 10 to 30 minutes of sun exposure per day - depending on their location and the time of year. Most adults in today`s modern world, however, do not even attempt to get this much sun exposure - much less achieve it. But even if they did, would it matter, or are there other variables standing in the way?

Location: Vitamin D is produced in the skin from a cholesterol derivative when we are exposed to UVB radiation from the sun. However, because of the axial tilt of the earth, the further north one lives, the less the sun`s UVB rays will be able to activate vitamin D in the skin. So sun exposure does not necessarily equal optimal vitamin D status if you`re living in the wrong location. Living down south is better, of course (south of the 35 N latitude line seems to be the best), but there is still more to consider.

Age: Say you do live close to the equator, or are significantly below the 35 N latitude line. That`s a good thing, and it probably helps. If you`re around 35-40 years old or above, however, you`re likely losing the ability to activate sufficient levels of vitamin D in your skin, even in the unlikely event that you`re getting adequate UVB sun exposure (4).

Dark Skin: What if you have dark skin? If you have a lot of pigment in your skin, this is going to shield you from the UVB radiation you need, and you`re probably deficient in vitamin D.

Weight: Vitamin D requirements are also relative to body weight. If you`re overweight, your body requires more vitamin D than if you are not overweight. If you get a lot of sun, but are on the heavy side, you`re probably still not getting enough vitamin D.

Chronic Illness: Chronically ill? Have cancer? The body demands more vitamin D when you`re sick, and is probably using it up faster than you can get it from the sun.

When one considers that many Americans are victims of not just one but many of the above drawbacks, it becomes readily obvious as to why there is such a widespread vitamin D deficiency epidemic. Not getting enough sun is bad enough, but lack of sun exposure combined with being middle-aged, overweight, and chronically ill is an absolute disaster - and it is the devastating situation that many (most?) Americans find themselves in today.

Is Sun Exposure Really Not Enough?

Yes, sun exposure is a good thing, but too often, it`s simply not sufficient to achieve the kind of levels necessary for disease prevention and treatment. This applies even in places like Hawaii, where individuals get plenty of sun exposure, and the latitude is around 21 (5, 6). The role of sunlight should not be downplayed too much, however. If you`re healthy, young, and live in a subtropical region, then you might have sufficient vitamin D levels. In fact, some young people in the subtropics who get sun exposure all day long have levels between 80-100 ng/ml. This is incredible, and it means that sun exposure really does work provided the conditions are right.*

The point being made in this article is simply that not everyone is young, not everyone is healthy, not everyone lives in Houston, and not everyone gets enough sun exposure every day. It is those people who need to supplement with vitamin D. This also happens to be most people.

Blood Testing is Crucial

How do you know if you`re getting enough vitamin D, and how much is enough? The only way to know is by testing your blood. Fortunately, testing vitamin D, as far as blood testing goes, is pretty cheap. You can set this up with your doctor, order tests online and get blood drawn at a local lab, or order a vitamin D home test kit, whereby you simply order the test, prick your finger, send in the blood, and wait for the results to come back to you.

Here are some basic guidelines:

-Make sure you are getting the right test. You must test for 25(OH)D, not 1,25(OH)D. They look similar, but 1,25(OH)D is a measure of kidney function, and is not the test you want for measuring vitamin D levels.

-Ideally, your blood level should be around 60-80 ng/ml, as this allows the body to have some vitamin D in reserve, and it duplicates the higher levels found in young, healthy individuals who spend a decent amount of time in a sun-rich environment.

-Begin taking vitamin D at least eight weeks prior to being tested. This will help you customize your dose once you receive your test results. To determine a basic, starting dose, it has been suggested, as per Dr. John Cannell of the Vitamin D Council (7), that you take 1,000 IU per 25 pounds of body weight. A person who weighs 150 pounds, for instance, would take 6,000 IU per day as a starting dose (150/25 = 6. 1,000 x 6 = 6,000). Do this for at least eight weeks, and then test. Perhaps this dose will put you in the ideal range, but there`s no guarantee since we are all so different, and have unique vitamin D receptor genotypes. The idea is to hopefully get somewhere in the ballpark with this method and then tweak your daily dose once the test results come back. If your results are still suboptimal, Dr. Cannell has estimated that each 1,000 IU increase in supplemental vitamin D will generally produce a 10 ng/ml increase in the vitamin D blood level (8). For example, if you have been taking 5,000 IU per day for 8+ weeks, and your results come back at 40 ng/ml, you would want to increase your dose to at least 7,000 IU (2,000 IU = ~20 ng/ml rise in blood level) to achieve a minimum of 60 ng/ml. Again, keep in mind that this is necessarily generalized, and additional blood testing every several months is recommended to further customize the dose appropriate to you.

What Kind of Supplements Should I Use?

In order to achieve consistent and predictable results, it is important to use the proper carrier form of vitamin D supplements. The absolute best form is an oil-based vitamin D preparation. Dry preparations, like tablets and capsules, should be avoided. Vitamin D is fat soluble, and needs to be taken with fat in order to be properly absorbed - hence the oil-based recommendation.

Oil-based versus dry preparations aside, there are two common types of vitamin D: Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) and Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol). You will need to avoid supplementing with vitamin D2 (9), which is a synthetic product made by exposing certain plants to ultraviolet radiation. D2 is not what the human body naturally uses, and compared to D3 it falls far short in terms of efficacy (of course, D2 happens to be what many vitamin D prescriptions are made of). D3 is what your body uses and prefers. No prescription necessary.

You can buy D3 in oil-based softgels, or, if you don`t like taking pills or have trouble doing so, you can get it in liquid drops.

Summary

Vitamin D status is important year around, but whenever fall and winter are upon us, the importance of evaluating this vital nutrient is even more urgent. In summary, here are the steps you should take if you are wanting to optimize your vitamin D level:

1) Start taking oil-based vitamin D3 according to your body weight, as explained above.

2) After at least 8 weeks, have your blood tested by a good lab. There are home finger-prick test kits that are also very good.

3) Remembering that the goal should be blood levels of 60-80 ng/ml of 25(OH)D, adjust your vitamin D3 dose to achieve this level. Each 1,000 IU increase will generally lead to a 10 ng/ml increase in blood levels.

4) Recheck blood levels every several months to make sure you are still in the optimal range and taking the proper dose.

It is beyond ironic that for quite some time now, everyone has been encouraged by the "authorities" to avoid the sun in order to keep from getting cancer, yet it is that very sun exposure that would help in avoiding cancer in the first place! "Avoid midday sun, or you`ll get melanoma!" we`re told. But melanoma is mostly triggered by UVA rays from the sun - not UVB. When is cancer-causing UVA exposure the lowest? Right around midday. When is UVB exposure the highest? Also right around midday. A high UVB:UVA ratio (high UVB and low UVA) is the best for creating vitamin D in the body, and this occurs when the sun is highest in the sky - exactly the time (ironically) that is often suggested to be avoided.

Supplementation is not recommended for everyone. Certain conditions, such as sarcoidosis and some lymphomas, can produce excessive amounts of vitamin D, and in these instances, one should move forward cautiously under the supervision of a healthcare professional.



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Information about Vitamin D

One should have information that vitmain d belongs to the group of fat-soluble prohormones having two categories like vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. Its very common that vitamin d is abstracted from sun exposure, food , and supplements . In this way vitamin d act as biologically inert undergoing two hydroxylation reactions which must get activated in the body. Also calcitriol is another active form of vitamin d showing its prescence in the body. One should alos know that vitamin d also meaning metabolites. Vitamin d is important for human body as it plays several functioning like inhibition of calcitonin which is released from the thyroid gland. The vitamin d stops the emergence of calcitonin as it lead to bone resorption and degrading the cartilage.

One should also know that vitamin D helps in stopping the parathyroid hormone secretion which occurs from the parathyroid gland along with modulating neuromuscular and immunity functions and inflammation reduction. Generally it is seen that lack of vitamin d leads to make the bone thinner, brittle and misshapen in one’s body bones. The lackness of vitamin d exists in not having proper intake of those foods who is having vitamin d along with lackof sun exposure, disorders who stops in absorbing the sunlight, situations which stops the vitamin d converting into metabolites like liver adn kidney disorders and certain reasons of hereditary disorders etc. Not only this vitamin d deficiency eradicates bone mineralization resulting into bone softening diseases, appearance of rickets among children, osteomalacia among adults and biggest negativity is playing role in osteoporosis.

The important work of vitamin d is maintaining the different organs of the system of the body. The main function is to supply calcium in the blood stream by allowing the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the diet from the intestinal part of the body. One should have information that reabsorption of calcium from the kidneys helps in mineralization of bones which aovids the chances of hypocalcemic tetany. Vitamin d shows its prescence in bone growth along with bone remodeling with the help of osteoblasts adn osteoclasts. So users of vitamin d and its supplements must gather important information about vitamin d before opting for its usage on one’s body.



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Vitamin D Deficiency found in 6 million U.S. Kids

A new study has revealed that over 6 million American children are getting too little of vitamin D which is an essential nutrient. The optimal amount of vitamin D is still a subject of debate but its deficiency could lead to a number of health problems.

Dr. Jonathan Mansbach, lead author of the new analysis and a researcher at Harvard Medical School and Children's Hospital in Boston said, “Almost 90 percent of black children between the ages 1-11 years and 80 percent of Hispanic kids could be vitamin D deficient- “astounding numbers” that should serve as a call to action.”

This recent study has just added to the already existing evidence regarding the vitamin D deficiency in children, teens and adults. There is more concern because of the recent studies which suggest that vitamin D might help prevent serious diseases, including infections, diabetes and even some cancers.

Despite all these studies there is still no solid evidence that the lack of vitamin D leads to diseases or that high levels of it prevent them.

Doctors have not yet reached a consensus on the optimal levels of vitamin D. They are waiting for guidance expected in an Institute of Medicine report on vitamin D due next year. It is a advisory group of the government which sets dietary standards.

The study is the first of its kind to analyze the varying vitamin D levels in children aged 1 through 11.

Some previous studies had found low levels of vitamin D in teens and also kids with low levels having high blood pressure and cholesterol levels that were also likely to be overweight.

The new analysis uses data from 2001-06 government health survey involving almost 3,000 children. Vitamin D levels were measured by blood tests.



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Vitamin D2 effectively treats vitamin D deficiency

A new study by researchers at Boston University School of Medicine researchers has shown that 50,000 International Units (IU) of vitamin D2, given weekly for eight weeks, effectively treats vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamin D2 is a mainstay for the prevention and treatment of vitamin D deficiency in children and adults.

Continued treatment with the same dose of vitamin D2 every other week for up to six years after the initial eight-week period prevents vitamin D deficiency from recurring with no toxicity.

Vitamin D is essential for strong bones because it helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus from the food we eat.

Vitamin D deficiency can lead to rickets in children and the painful bone disease osteomalacia in adults. Vitamin D deficiency can also cause osteoporosis and has been linked to increased risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases and infectious diseases including influenza.

Of the 86 patients researchers studied, 41 patients who were vitamin D deficient received eight weeks of 50,000 IU of vitamin D2 weekly prior to starting maintenance therapy.

For those patients, the mean pre-treatment 25-hydroxyvitamin D status (25(OH)D) level was 19 ng/ml, which increased to 37 ng/ml after eight weeks of weekly therapy. These patients were then treated with 50,000 IU of vitamin D2 every other week and had a mean final 25(OH)D level of 47 ng/ml.

For the 45 patients who received only maintenance therapy of 50,000 IU of vitamin D2 every two weeks, the mean pre-treatment 25(OH)D level was 27 ng/ml and the mean final level was 47 ng/ml.

‘Vitamin D2 is effective in raising 25(OH)D levels when given in physiologic and pharmacologic doses and is a simple method to treat and prevent vitamin D deficiency,’ said senior author Michael F. Holick, PhD, MD, director of the Bone Healthcare Clinic and the Vitamin D, Skin and Bone Research Laboratory at Boston University School of Medicine.

‘While treating and preventing vitamin D deficiency, these large doses of vitamin D2 do not lead to vitamin D toxicity,’ he added.

According to Holick, this is the first study demonstrating the efficacy of a prescription therapy to prevent vitamin D deficiency long-term in routine clinical practice.

The study appears online in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.



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Vitamin D research may have doctors prescribing sunshine

The sun is a good thing. Dr. Michael Holick says that ultraviolet radiation helps the body produce Vitamin D.

The reason is that vitamin D increasingly seems important for preventing and even treating many types of cancer. In the last three months alone, four separate studies found it helped protect against lymphoma and cancers of the prostate, lung and, ironically, the skin. The strongest evidence is for colon cancer.

No one is suggesting that people fry on a beach. But many scientists believe that "safe sun" — 15 minutes or so a few times a week without sunscreen — is not only possible but helpful to health.

One is Dr. Edward Giovannucci, a Harvard University professor of medicine and nutrition who laid out his case in a keynote lecture at a recent American Association for Cancer Research meeting in Anaheim, Calif.

His research suggests that vitamin D might help prevent 30 deaths for each one caused by skin cancer.




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Vitamin D plays an important role in health

It seems like almost every day a new use for an old vitamin surfaces. Vitamin D is in the group known as fat-soluble vitamins. It comes in two major forms. There is vitamin D-2 or (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D-3 (cholecalciferol).

The vitamin D obtained from sun exposure has to undergo change before it can be an active vitamin D. The active form of vitamin D is the vitamin D-3.

Vitamin D plays an important role in many organ systems. It is important for the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from food. It also is important in re-absorption of calcium from the kidneys. Vitamin D is important for the health of the body's skeletal system.

Vitamin D also is important in the body's hormonal system and it is very important in preventing multisystem diseases which include such chronic conditions as high blood pressure, infections, periodontal disease, chronic pain, memory loss, maybe even in diabetes and certain cancers.

Vitamin D can be obtained in certain foods such as cod liver oil, fatty fish, whole eggs, beef, liver and mushrooms. Certain food products are fortified with vitamin D. An example of this is dairy products.

The amount of vitamin D a person needs is being investigated on a regular basis. At one time, it was thought that as little as 2000 units a day was adequate. Now, there is thought that a higher amount might be indicated.

It is a good idea to see your family physician to determine what vitamin D level you currently have. The standard for deficiency has been changing as well. Many authorities believe the optimal level of vitamin D in a person should be between 30 and 100 nanograms per milliliter.
Because vitamin D is fat soluble, it can, in excess, lead to toxicity. A person should not take vitamin D tablets without talking it over with a doctor.

A lot of research is being conducted today about vitamin D's role in a person's health. There is reason to believe that vitamin D deficiency can actually lead to the body's immune system not being able to function properly. Research today is suggesting that vitamin D may play a role in causing cancer cells to die. A study by the National Cancer Institute recently has found that vitamin D was beneficial in preventing colo-rectal cancer.

Also, there is reason to believe that vitamin D may play a role in preventing prostate, pancreatic and breast cancer. There is no question that vitamin D deficiency plays a significant role in osteoporosis. Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to be associated with increase in blood pressure and cardiovascular risk. One study suggests that all caused mortality is higher in people that have low serum vitamin D levels. Other studies have suggested that vitamin D deficiency has some role in dementia.

It is a good idea for a person to eat a good and balanced diet. It is equally important for a person to have a good examination by a doctor.



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The Importance Of Vitamin D

Versatility of Vitamin D

If you've ever gone to nutritional store and browsed through the vitamin section of your grocery store, you've seen hundreds of different vitamin supplements. Vitamin D is probably one of the most popular vitamin supplements on the market today. One reason is that Vitamin D provides us with many important and valuable benefits for a healthy life. Another reason is that most people prefer to take a Vitamin D supplement rather than the natural form of the vitamin. This is because with the exception of milk, some of the food sources for Vitamin D may be difficult to cook.

Food Source of Vitamin DThere are many different food sources of Vitamin D. Most of the food sources for Vitamin D are found in fish live oils or fish such as catfish, mackerel, salmon, tuna, sardines and eel. Although fish is a popular food for many people, some of these sources are not foods that we keep in our kitchen on a regular basis. In addition, some of these fish are quite expensive when served in a restaurant. Some other foods that we consume on a daily basis are yogurt, margarine, milk, bread, pastries and oil spreads are enriched with Vitamin D. While they aren't as high in Vitamin D as the fish are, many individuals consume them regularly and still choose to take a Vitamin D supplement.

Cod Liver Oil As An Important Vitamin D

SupplementCod liver oil has been sold in supermarkets for years and is actually popular considering how nasty it can taste to many people. For those that are looking for a natural supplement of Vitamin D, cod liver oil is an excellent choice. One tablespoon of cod liver oil provides you with 1,360 IU of Vitamin D. Lucky for many, there is a gel form of a pill for cod liver oil that is much easier to swallow than a tablespoon of the liquid. If you feel that you may be Vitamin D deficient, this pill may be the easiest and best choice for you.

The Purpose of Vitamin D

As with all vitamins, they all have their own purpose for our body. The purpose of Vitamin D is to promote that necessary ingredient, calcium, in our body. Calcium is a necessity because it is what gives up strong bones. Although many people feel that Vitamin D and calcium is needed when we are young and growing, the truth is that we need it all of our lives, especially as we get older. Elderly and postmenopausal women need supplements ofVitamin D if they are not getting enough in their daily diets. At this stage in their lives, their bodies do not produce enough calcium on their own, which can lead to osteoporosis, a crippling disease caused by weakened bone mass. It is vital that this group of individuals get the correct amount of Vitamin D.

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