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 and Multiple Sclerosis

Research has come up with new developments regarding Vitamin D and Multiple Sclerosis. Let’s reduce the incidence of MS by making sure Vitamin D levels are supplemented vigorously.

You don’t hear much about multiple sclerosis — mostly because it’s a disease that continues to stump doctors and researchers. While there are a handful of treatments that can alleviate some of the symptoms, there’s no cure for it. But last month, researchers from the UK and Canada did even better. They made a discovery that may prevent it from occurring in the first place.

And the missing link is none other than vitamin D.

Researchers from the University of Oxford and the University of British Columbia examined genetic factors involved in multiple sclerosis (MS) risk. They found that one of the genes known to have the strongest effect on MS risk interacts closely with DNA and proteins that rely on vitamin D to activate them.

If your body doesn’t have enough of this essential nutrient to activate those proteins, the nearby gene may be altered. And your risk of developing MS may increase as a result.

The researchers actually believe that this vitamin D deficiency-MS risk relationship begins before we’re even born. According to the article I read about this study “They believe that vitamin D deficiency in mothers or even in a previous generation may lead to altered expression of the gene in their offspring.”

In theory, this could mean that if women get ample vitamin D throughout their lives — and during pregnancy — it could potentially wipe out MS altogether.

Granted, it is still theoretical at this point. But it certainly can’t HURT. And while vitamin D may or may not be the MS savior, it does play a critical role in many, many other aspects of your health.

Dr. Wright recommends 4,000 IU of vitamin D daily for adults and teenagers, 1,000 IU for infants and small children, and 2,000 IU for everyone in between.

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Low Vitamin D Levels Linked to Increased Risk of Death

Supplementing with the sunshine vitamin could save your life.

If you’ve been keeping up with your nutritional news, you know that you should be supplementing with vitamin D. The benefits associated with the "sunshine vitamin" are many and include reduced risk for a number of diseases. But that isn’t all: getting ample amounts of vitamin D could extend your life, according to two new studies which prove that vitamin is nothing short of a nutritional miracle.

Researchers reported in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society that people with low vitamin D levels were three times more likely to die from heart disease and two and a half times more likely to die from any cause than those with optimal vitamin D levels. The scientists wrote: “Current dosage recommendations for vitamin D supplementation appear to be inadequate in most older adults to support [the] higher levels that are associated with optimal general health and reduced mortality.”

In addition, a multi-center study published in the August 2009 issue of Nutrition Research found that vitamin D deficiency placed women at an increased risk of death. While recent study out of China found that 94% of people between the ages of 50 and 70 were vitamin D deficient, which increased their risk of metabolic syndrome — a group of symptoms that occur together and promote the development of coronary artery disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Other research has linked the lack of vitamin D to osteopenia, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, fractures, common cancers, autoimmune diseases, infectious disease and cardiovascular disease.


The Anti-Aging Bottom Line:

These are just two of many studies highlighting the dangers of low D intake. While the RDA for the vitamin is currently just 400 IU, many experts recommend that 1,000 to 5,000 IU is what's needed to achieve optimum levels. Don't let a vitamin D deficiency put you at risk for health problems as you age. Ask your doctor to check your vitamin D levels so you can be sure you are taking enough supplemental vitamin D to keep your blood levels within a safe range.



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Vitamin D Supplements Improve Risk Factors for Diabet

Many health benefits are credited to vitamin D, and a new study from New Zealand has added another one to the list. Researchers found that supplements of the vitamin may improve insulin resistance and sensitivity, which are risk factors for diabetes.

Insulin resistance is a condition in which a person’s tissues have a reduced response to insulin, a hormone that is secreted by the pancreas to help regulate glucose levels in the body. This resistance causes the body to produce larger quantities of insulin in an attempt to maintain normal levels of glucose in the blood.

In the randomized, controlled, double-blind trial, the results of which were published in the British Journal of Nutrition, the investigators studied 81 South Asian women, ages 23 to 68 years, who had insulin resistance. Half of the women were given 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) of vitamin D3 daily; the other half were given a placebo. The treatment period lasted six months.

At the end of six months, the women who had taken vitamin D showed significant improvement in both insulin resistance and sensitivity compared with those who took placebo. The best results were seen in women who had blood levels of vitamin D in the range of 80 to 119 nanomoles per liter (nmol/L). The Vitamin D Council states that the optimal blood level of vitamin D is at least 125 nmol/L (50 ng/mL), yet most Americans have levels less than 30 ng/mL.

This study follows a recent meta-analysis that showed an association between low intakes of vitamin D, calcium, or dairy products and type 2 diabetes. The authors in the current study note that along with improving insulin resistance and sensitivity, their results indicate the importance of increasing the daily recommended intake of vitamin D. The findings of this study and others highlight the concern that the dietary recommended daily intake values (DRIs) in the United States are too low. Currently the DRIs are 200 IU for adults 19 to 50 years, 400 IU for people 51 to 70, and 600 IU for people older than 70.



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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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