Vitamin D Can Help Improve Our Health

What we know now:

Today, scientists have found that vitamin D deficiency is a major epidemic for children and adults in the United States. Specifically, it has been estimated that 30-40% of children and 40-50% of adults in the United States are at risk for vitamin D deficiency.

In 1900, about 80% of the children in the US had rickets, a disease in which the legs bowed outward or inward (in “bowleggedness” or “knock knees”) due to poor calcification of the bones. A teaspoon of cod liver oil daily [containing 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D] was found to prevent the disease which is known to be due to vitamin D deficiency. However, more recent studies have shown that 400 IU is not enough to prevent other manifestations of vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamin D functions as a hormone that is produced by the skin when it is stimulated by rays (ultraviolet radiation) from the sun. Mattapan Community Health Center likes to call it the “Sunshine Hormone.”

Vitamin D has long been understood to be crucial to the growth and maintenance of strong bones and of calcium regulation in the body. Now scientists have found that vitamin D is important for overall health and well-being.

Studies show that the populations that are at the highest risk of not producing enough vitamin D to maintain overall good health, include:

• African Americans and other Persons of Color

• The Elderly

• Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women

• Infants

Humans get vitamin D through three sources: adequate sun exposure, foods such as oily fish, and by supplement through food such as certain brands of orange juice, and milk, and dietary supplements in tablet or capsule form.

It has been shown that an adequate supply of vitamin D from sun exposure and food sources in much of the United States is not reliable. Therefore, the literature points out that:

• There is a need to assess the vitamin D levels of individuals in the United States to be sure that they are getting an adequate amount.

• The burden of chronic disease in our society can be significantly decreased by addressing this widespread deficiency.

Research shows that insufficient amount of vitamin D in the body has been found to be associated with low birthweight babies and many chronic diseases such as:

• Diabetes

• High Blood Pressure

• Muscle Stiffness, Pain and Weakness

• Most Cancers (especially prostate, breast, lung, colon, pancreatic, and ovarian)

• Multiple Sclerosis

• Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Falls in the Elderly

• Chronic Fatigue

Symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency include:

• Unexplained chronic bone and muscle pain

• Muscle weakness

• Chronic fatigue, low energy

• Light sleeping

Dr. Michael Holick, a pioneering researcher of Vitamin D, states that the best method for treating Vitamin D deficiency is an oral dose of 50,000 IU per week of vitamin D2 for 8 weeks, then re-checking 25 (OH) levels. In some cases, this regimen is recommended for another 8-week course to boost the 25 (OH) D levels into the desired range of more than 30 to 50 ng/ml. Alternatively, 1000 IU of Vitamin D3 intake should be maintained after the first 8-week course of vitamin D.

Most experts recommend a daily intake of 1000 IU or greater to maintain an adequate level of vitamin D in the range of 30-100 ng/ml.

Vitamin D intoxication is rare and usually occurs when the blood level reaches 150 ng/ml. To reach a blood level of this magnitude, it world require doses of 10,000 IU of vitamin D3 (made through the skin) per day for six months or more.

Further Steps to Spreading the Word:

• Learn about the science and benefits of vitamin D for our overall health and well being.

• Support experts in research on vitamin D and in putting a public health awareness campaign in place.

• At the same time, provide support for health education programs for physicians and public health officials who are not aware of the vitamin D epidemic that we currently face and the extent of its health consequences.

For more information, please contact Mattapan Community Health Center at 617/898-9020 or email kelleyj@matchc.org.

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