Sunshine Vitamin D

THE ESSENTIAL VITAMIN YOUR BODY NEEDS TO THRIVE

Most experts estimate that between 20 to 90 percent of people don't get enough vitamin D. This deficiency is one of the root causes of a number of dangerous chronic conditions, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, obesity , and more. 

Sunlight is the best source of vitamin D, but recent years people have been avoiding sun exposure or sun experience for fear that it will contribute to skin cancer.  However, the latest research shows that survival rates from melanoma can actually be improved with safe exposure to sunlight. 

Physician Zoltan Rona explains :

* The role  vitamin D plays in disease prevention and the restoration of health ; 

* why the sun is still the best source of this vitamin D ;

* misconceptions about the right time of day for sun exposure/experience ;

* what supplements afford the best protection ;

*the pros and cons of sunscreens ;

* and why the recommended dosage of vitamin D is increasing. 

This information will enable you to ENJOY THE SUNSHINE SAFELY and PROVIDE a clear understanding of the Powerful Benefits of Vitamin D. 

Sun phobia, sunscreens, and spending too much time indoors have all contributed to the problems of vitamin D insufficiency. 

Vitamin d From Head To Toe

Vitamin D is needed for optimal health , including the following:

1. adrenal gland health

2. aging prevention and longevity

3. blood sugar control

4. bone metabolism

5. brain and nervous system development and function

6. digestion and nutrient absorption

7. fertility

8. hair follicle health

9. hearing

10. heart and circulation health

11. immune system health

12. mood, mind, memory and behaviour

13. muscle, nerve and athletic performance

14. normal blood pressure

15. pancreatic health

16. respiratory health

17. skin health

18. sleeping

19. vision

20. weight control especially carbohydrate and fat metabolism

All cells, tissues, and organs in the human body have vitamin D receptors, meaning that they await the arrival of the vitamin D to perform various vital functions. 

Can you imagine what would happen if a drug company come out with a single pill that reduces the risk of cancer, heart attack, stroke, osteoporosis, PMS, SAD, and various autoimmune disorder?  There would be a media frenzy the likes of which has never been seen before ! Well, guess what ? Such a drug exists . . . it is the sun. -MICHAEL HOLICK, physician, researcher, author, and vitamin D expert.

We need exposure to UVB rays to manufacture our own vitamin D.
The truth is that the benefits of ultraviolet light have been underestimated, while its danger have been grossly exaggerated. Evidence in the medical journals and in the news media about the benefits  of exposing bare skin to ultraviolet light is reported practically every day.  For example, on February 5, 2005, the BBC News reported that more sunshine helps melanoma patients because their tumors become less aggressive. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is another type of cancer that can be helped by increased exposure to ultraviolet rays. In this case, the risks of developing the disease are reduced by up to 40 percent with exposure to either the sun or ultraviolet producing sunlamps. The studies concluded that cancer rates decreased because the skin produced much more vitamin D from the increased ultraviolet light exposure. 

It is important to realize that it is ultraviolet A (UVA) light and not UVB light that is responsible for skin damage, aging, and wrinkles.  UVA rays are also thought to cause cancer, while UVB rays create vitamin D, which protects the body from melanoma and other skin cancers.  Additional differences between UVA and UVB are highlighted is a study published by Dianne Godar of the U.S. FDA. For example, UVA light is able to pass through window glass, making you vulnerable even when indoors. UVB light cannot travel through glass. UVB light is strongest between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM, whereas UVA is stronger at other times. To maximize vitamin D production, most people need ten to twenty(10-20) minutes of sun exposure between 10:00 AM an 2:00 PM. Beyond that, unless your skin colour is fairly dark, you risk some sun damage and even sun burns. Both UVA and UVB can cause sunburn. 

There is no plausible evidence that the most dangerous form of skin cancer, melanoma, has anything to do with sun damage. 

Since 1940, the incidence of melanoma has increased, mostly occurring in people who work indoors. 

Suntanning does not mean sunburning. Never allow yourself to burn.

 CHECK SUNSCREEN INGREDIENTS CAREFULLY.
Here are the sunscreen ingredients to avoid: 

1. avobenzone

2. dioxybenzone

3. homosalate

4. methyl anthranilate

5. octocrylene

6. octyl methoxycinnamate

7. oxybenzone (2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone)

8. PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid)

9. padimate A

10. padimate O

11. phenybenzimidazale

12. sulisobenzone

13. trolamine salicylate

14. 2-ethylhexyl p-methoxycinnamate

15. 2-ethylhexyl salicylate, octyl salicylate, and other forms of salicylic acid (aspirin)

By the way, dioxybenzone and oxybenzone are two of the most powerful free radical generators ever formulated in a laboratory.  Check labels very carefully.

The best natural ingredients that block UVA and UVB rays are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.  Other ingredients that are often used in 'natural" commercial sunscreen and that are safe to use include the following:
1. aloe vera

2. coconut oil

3. eucalyptus oil

4. glycerin

5. jojoba oil

6. lecithin

7. shea butter

8. sunflower seed oil

9. vitamin E (tocopherol)

Unfortunately , even these natural sunscreens prevent skin from manufacturing adequate levels of vitamin D. 

VITAMIN D DOWN THE DRAIN

About getting enough vitamin D from exposure to sunshine: We know that vitamin D is formed when skin is exposed to UVB radiation from the sun or a tanning bed. The vitamin D formed in this way does not immediately travel through the skin into the blood stream.  This process takes up to forty-eight (48) hours. Showering and scrubbing your skin within forty-eight hours of exposure could conceivably wash away the vitamin D on the skin's surface and prevent absorption into the blood stream.  This may be why so many people are vitamin D deficient despite long hours of sun exposure.  They may actually be wiping away the vitamin D long before it can be absorbed. 

Showering only every two days is not realistic, particularly if you live in  a warmer climate. You can still shower daily, rinsing the entire body with warm water and using soap principally on the underarms, genitals, and feet ; just take care not to scrub off the vitamin D from your arms and legs.

TEST YOUR VITAMIN D BLOOD LEVELS.

As you will be consistently reminded as you read this blog; I highly recommend blood tests for vitamin D levels. Here is the information you need to know about testing for vitamin D levels.

1. Ask your doctor to check your blood level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D, sometimes referred as 25(OH)D.  Do not use the 1,25-dihydroxy test, which is not as accurate. In addition , check ionized calcium level. What is normal ionized calcium level?
The plasma level of calcium is closely regulated with a normal total calcium of 2.2-2.6 mmol/L (9-10.5 mg/dL) and a normal ionized calcium of 1.3-1.5 mmol/L (4.5-5.6 mg/dL). The amount of total calcium varies with the level of serum albumin, a protein to which calcium is bound. A serum calcium blood test measures the total calcium in your blood. There are several different forms of calcium in your blood. These include ionized calcium, calcium bound to other minerals called anions, and calcium bound to proteins like albumin. Ionized calcium, also known as free calcium, is the most active form.

Normal Levels

Normal levels of ionized calcium are different in adults and children. In adults, a level of 4.64 to 5.28 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) is normal. In children, a normal ionized calcium level is 4.8 to 5.52 mg/dL.

Abnormal Levels
If you have low levels of ionized calcium in your blood, it can indicate:

1.hypoparathyroidism, which is an underactive parathyroid gland.
2.inherited resistance to parathyroid hormone.
3.malabsorption of calcium.
4.a vitamin D deficiency.
5.osteomalacia or rickets, which is a softening of the bones (in many cases due to a vitamin D deficiency).
6.a magnesium deficiency.
7.high phosphorus levels.
8.acute pancreatitis, which is an inflammation of the pancreas.
9.kidney failure.
10.malnutrition.
11.alcoholism.

If you have a high level of ionized calcium in your blood, it can indicate:

1.hyperparathyroidism, which is an overactive parathyroid gland.
2.sedentary lifestyle or lack of mobility.
3.milk-alkali syndrome, which is high levels of calcium and alkali in the body due to having too much milk or antacids over time.
4.multiple myeloma, which is cancer of the plasma cells (a type of white blood cell that produces antibodies)
5.Paget’s disease, which is a disorder that results in deformity due to abnormal bone destruction and growth.
6.sarcoidosis, which is an inflammatory disease that affects the eyes, skin, and other organs.
7.tuberculosis, which is a potentially life-threatening disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
8.a kidney transplant.
9.the use of thiazide diuretics.
10.certain kinds of tumors.
11.an overdose of vitamin D.


Your doctor will discuss your results with you. They’ll also help determine your next steps if any are needed.

2.Get tested every three months.

3. Optimal 25-hydroxy vitamin D blood levels should be between 100 and 250 ng/ml. Levels below 50 are considered insufficient  . levels below 25 are definitely in the deficiency category.

4. As research on vitamin D continues, I predict these numbers will all change, so stay tuned. 

My conclusion is that vitamin D2 is as safe and effective as vitamin D3 as a supplement. Blood testing will certainly tell you whether or not you are getting adequate blood levels, regardless of the type and amount of vitamin D supplement you are using. 

I consider 10,000 IU to be the optimal daily dose of vitamin D. At that dose, I have  never seen anyone run into side effects or toxicity symptoms in over thirty years. 

SHOULD YOU MEGADOSE WITH VITAMIN D?

Some of you may be surprised to know that there are many physicians who prescribe as much as 50,000 IU of vitamin D daily as a treatment for a long list of chronic diseases. According to the world research authorities on vitamin D, the Vitamin D Council, fears of high-dose vitamin D are irrational. To quote the Vitamin D Council from their website : " The single most important fact anyone needs to know about vitamin D is how much nature supplies if we behave naturally, e.g., go into the sun. Humans make at least 10,000 units of vitamin D within thirty minutes of full-body exposure to the sun, what is called a minimal erythemal dose.  Vitamin D production in the skin occurs within minutes and is already maximized before your skin turns pink." 

Reinhold Vieth says, 'Fear of vitamin D toxicity is unwarranted, and such unwarranted fear, bordering on hysteria , is rampart in the medical profession.  If there is published evidence of toxicity in adults from an intake of 250 ug (10,000 IU) per day, and that is verified by the 25(OH)D concentration, I have yet to find it." 

Physician ad author Jonathan Wright of the Tahoma Clinic in Washington State says, " It's very likely that if you're over forty and supplement your diet with a generous amount of vitamin D, you can lower your your risk of prostate cancer, breast cancer, and bowel cancer, along with your risk of 'essential' hypertension, osteoporosis, and tuberculosis."

I first learn about high-dose Vitamin D therapy fro one of Norm Shealy's newsletters (www.normshealy.com ) Physician Norm Shealy relates, " Recently I had the good fortune to spend a couple of hours with Joe Prendergast, an endocrinologist and diabetologist. he has managed over fifteen hundred (1500) diabetic patients and, in the last decade, not one of his patients has had a stroke or heart attack. Only one has even been hospitalized! His secret -- 50,000 units of vitamin D3 daily." 

Joe Prendergast,  a California physician and author, further reports these benefits from large doses of vitamin D : 

1. control of many cancers, including breast cancer, braintumors, colon cancer, leukemia, myeloma, and prostate cancer

2. cure of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

3. cure of depression and many other mental disorders

4. cure of Hashimoto's thyroiditis

5. cure of Multi Sclerosis (MS)

6. improvement in allergies

7. prevention of influenza

8. regression of rheumatoid arthritis

9. reversal of advanced coronary disease

10. reversal of advanced lung disease, avoiding lung transplant

11. reversal of osteoporosis

Norm Shealy also has this to say : " Most of you know that I personally take 50,000 units of D3 daily and have for eighteen months. I recommend it to most people who weight at least 140 pounds ( 63.6kg) or more and take no calcium supplements. One of my audience informed me that he developed a very high blood calcium that affected his kidneys. I have not been able to learn whether he took calcium supplements. but, if you do the daily D3, I would advise a blood calcium level at three months and at six months intervals. I have not seen this in hundreds of others, but be advised. "

John Cannell, physician and head o of the Vitamin D Council, recommends doses as high as 50,000 IU of vitamin D daily for  quickly getting rid of a cold or flu but has not generally advocated such high doses. One of the problems with supplementing with such high doses of vitamin D is the effect it may have on calcium, specifically the deposit of calcium in the arteries and organs. Apparently, this is a problem if you are also taking high calcium doses as a supplement. In any event, if you decide to supplement with high doses of vitamin D, make sure that blood tests are done every three months to check calcium levels. 

The treatments needed to reverse vitamin D toxicity are simple : stop taking vitamin D supplements, stay out of the sun, and drink at least four liters of water a day. The clinical symptoms of vitamin D toxicity disappear in several weeks. The blood calcium level becomes normal again after several months. The kidney damage also reverses but takes several more months. 

PRECAUTIONS 

1. MANY ADULTS use statin drugs -- such as Crestor (rosuvastatin calcium) , Lipitor (atorvastatin), Pravachol (pravastatin sodium), and Zocor (simvastatin) -- to lower blood levels of cholesterol. Since vitamin D is a manufactured under the skin from cholesterol, low cholesterol levels created by statin drugs may actually create a vitamin D deficiency. Anyone taking cholesterol-lowering drugs of any kind should definitely keep getting their blood levels of vitamin D monitored. 

2. SOME PRESCRIPTION drugs are known to deplete the human body of vitamin D and lead to bone loss and numerous other diseases. Examples of such drugs are steroids like prednisone, Cortel (hydrocortisone), Decadron (dexamethasone), and dozens pf others.  The weight-loss drugs Alli and Xenical (orlistat) block fat absorption and may actually create a vitamin D deficiency. The cholesterol-lowering drug Questran (cholestyramine) has a similar effect. The anti-epilepsy drugs Dilantin (phenytoin) and phenobarbital increase the liver metabolism of vitamin D, making for a speedier excretion of the vitamin from the body. These then lead to both vitamin D and calcium deficiencies. 

3. Vitamin D can theoretically interact with antacids containing aluminum and with numerous drugs. this does not mean that antacid users should not supplement with vitamin D. rather, the vitamin should be consumed at least two hours before or after the drug has been administered, and the blood levels of both vitamin D and calcium should be monitored more regularly. 

4. For someone with severe kidney disease (renal failure) , vitamin D levels could conceivably escalate to the point that dangerously high calcium levels are achieved. 

5. In cases of hyperparathyroidism (overactive parathyroid gland), calcium levels may already be elevated as a result of a tumor of the parathyroid gland. In such cases, vitamin D supplements should be used with caution but may actually cause a normalization of the blood levels of calcium. 

6. In cases of lymphoma, vitamin D supplements can raise calcium levels and lead to kidney stone formation. Use vitamin D cautiously. 

7. Vitamin D at virtually any supplement level can abnormally elevate blood calcium levels in those suffering from sacoidosis. The same is true for rare disease called histoplasmosis. 

Some good news is that there are no known adverse interactions between vitamin D and foods. 

Vitamin D : The Sunshine Vitamin

YOU MAY NOT BE GETTING THE VITAMIN D YOU NEED!

The Vitamin D Revolution




By Dr. Zoltan P. Rona, M.D., M.Sc. 

“We estimate that vitamin D deficiency is the most common medical condition in the world.”
Dr. Michael F. Holick, Vitamin D expert

When the June 8, 2007 front page of the Toronto Globe and Mail proclaimed the cancer preventing 
benefits of vitamin D (a.k.a.“the sunshine vitamin” or D3) and the Canadian Cancer Society chirped in with their modest recommendation for everyone to take
1100 IU of vitamin D daily, the natural health community may have felt vindicated. Many scientists felt hoodwinked.

This cancer preventive property of vitamin D was 
no big news to world experts and researchers who 
have been touting the numerous benefits of the 
vitamin for well over a decade. The medical 
profession and its various antiquated societies are,
unfortunately, far behind in applying scientific 
data to clinical health concerns. It’s a nice gesture 
on their part to recommend 1100 IU of vitamin D 
a day to prevent cancer but it’s far from enough. 
Current research indicates that the figure for 
cancer prevention should be closer to 10,000 IU daily.

Vitamin D is really not a vitamin but a steroid
hormone precursor that plays a major role in many
diseases. It is created under the skin by ultraviolet
light and is found in few foods commonly
consumed by most Canadians. Vitamin D
deficiency or insufficiency (sub-optimal levels)
plays a role in causing seventeen types of cancer 
(especially breast, prostate and colon) as well as 
heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune 
diseases like multiple sclerosis, diabetes, 
depression, especially seasonal affective disorder,
chronic pain, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, osteo-
porosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth 
defects, and periodontal disease.

In my practice, at least half the patients I see for 
chronic health problems have insufficient blood 
levels of vitamin D despite consuming vitamin D
fortified dairy products or taking a multiple 
vitamin supplement. Sun phobia, a condition 
imposed on the population by sun paranoid 
dermatologists, sunscreens and spending too 
much time indoors have all contributed to the 
vitamin D insufficiency problem. One of the worst
offenders in creating vitamin D deficiency is the 
use of commercial sun blocks. Studies now 
indicate that while these may prevent sunburns, 
they do virtually nothing to prevent melanoma, 
the most dangerous form of skin cancer.

Research indicates that to get 4000 IU of vitamin D
daily if you totally avoid the sun, you must drink 40
glasses of milk a day or take 10 typical multivitamin
pills daily. As mentioned earlier, a more optimal 
daily dose of vitamin D is 10,000 IU daily. If your
blood levels of vitamin D are below the optimal 
levels research indicates that it will take at least 4000
IU of vitamin D daily to push the levels back to the
desirable range.

The purported toxicity of vitamin D is overstated. 
According to well documented research, a person 
standing in the summer sun for an hour at noontime
in a southern latitude in swim trunks, would 
naturally produce about 10,000 IU of vitamin D 
through skin exposure but sun poisoning from 
vitamin D overdose has never been reported anywhere.

For those who cannot tolerate the sun and prefer 
to take supplements, Dr. Reinhold Vieth PhD, 
researcher at the University of Toronto, notes that 
vitamin D toxicity begins at 40,000 IU daily only 
after many weeks of use. Taking 10,000 IU daily 
for months at a time provided there is no sun 
exposure is perfectly safe. Blood levels can be 
done periodically to verify this.

“Because vitamin D is so cheap and so clearly
reduces all-cause mortality, I can say this with 
great certainty: Vitamin D represents the single
most cost-effective medical intervention in the
United States.”
Dr. Greg Plotnikoff, Medical Director,
Penny George Institute for Health and Healing,
Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.

Besides Cancer, Why Take Vitamin D?

Vitamin D supplementation is not only effective
for cancer prevention (60% of all cancers 
prevented) and treatment but for a long
list of other conditions. Below are a rapidly growing number of health problems that have been proven to be either prevented or
treated effectively by boosting the blood levels of vitamin D:

1. Rickets – even conventional medicos know this childhood bone disease is caused by vitamin D 
deficiency and was the major reason why milk became fortified with tiny doses of the supplement.

2. Osteoporosis – even though this is common knowledge numerous individuals who suffer from 
osteoporosis are low in their D levels and simply need to take more.

3. Heart disease – hardening of the arteries is caused by calcium deposition and vitamin D is an 
anticalcifying agent when at optimal levels in the bloodstream; both extremely high and low intake
levels of vitamin D induce calcification of arteries but calcification from overdose of vitamin D
requires many hundreds of thousands of international units and is rare; vitamin D 
deficiency is common and calcified arteries are a direct result of deficiency. Also, as is noted below, heart disease 
is often triggered and perpetuated by inflammation and vitamin D is anti-inflammatory.

4. Diabetes – evidence is mounting that vitamin D can improve insulin resistance and favorably affect Type 2 diabetes.

5. Hypertension – emerging evidence has 
compared the blood pressure lowering effects of 
vitamin D to ace (angiotensin converting enzyme) 
inhibitors, a class of blood pressure lowering 
drugs commonly prescribed by conventional 
doctors; don’t go off your blood pressure pills yet 
but consider high dose supplements of vitamin D 
and get the blood levels checked along with your blood pressures.

6. The common cold and the flu – ditch that 
mercury and formaldehyde laden flu shot; vitamin 
D has strong antibiotic properties and some studies
indicate that optimal blood levels will prevent the 
flu far better than those toxic flu shots. Dr. John 
Cannell, the director of the Vitamin D Council, 
suggests high-dose vitamin D (50,000 IU) be 
consumed for 3 days at the first sign of a cold or 
the flu. If you have an infection, you need more 
vitamin D. That’s a given.

7. Arthritis – Any kind of arthritis, especially
osteoarthritis, benefits from optimal levels of 
vitamin D. Ideally, vitamin D supplementation 
should be accompanied by omega-3 from the diet 
or supplements.

8. Autism - Research has shown that low maternal
vitamin D levels can adversely affect the 
developing brain and lead to autism and that 
vitamin D supplements can improve some of the 
signs of autistic behavior. Since most of the medical
and conventional treatments for autism are so 
dismal, supplementing with vitamin D may be well worth a try.

9. Inflammation – vitamin D is anti-inflammatory; 
if you have inflammation (arthritis, iritis, 
thyroiditis, pancreatitis, anything ending in “itis”), 
you need more vitamin D.

10. Autoimmune Disease – multiple sclerosis, 
psoriasis, scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, 
fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and 
numerous other diseases where the immune 
system attacks various organs involves inflam-
mation that can be arrested by high dose vitamin D.

11. Melanoma – this most deadly form of skin 
cancer is now thought to be caused by a sunlight/
vitamin D deficiency coupled with a deficiency in
omega-3 oils; safe sun exposure actually helps 
prevent melanoma, a counter intuitive finding 
confusing the heck out of dermatologists.

12. Obesity – vitamin D levels are significantly
lower in overweight individuals; taking a 
vitamin D supplement certainly beats dieting but 
check your blood levels first.


For more info on the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and disease, see my book, “Vitamin D, The Sunshine Vitamin.”




“No other method to prevent cancer has been identified that has such a powerful impact.”
Dr. Cedric Garland, Vitamin D expert

The Bottom Line

The only way to ensure vitamin D adequacy is to expose yourself to the sun regularly. In Canada and other northern latitude countries, this is next to impossible at any time other than the summer. As discussed earlier, drinking milk is not the answer.

For people who are not making frequent trips south, there are oral supplements that will do the trick. One choice would be cod liver oil or halibut liver oil liquid or capsules. The only problem here might be the high vitamin A (each capsule may contain as much as 5000 IU of vitamin A) that comes along with the vitamin D (usually 200 – 400 IU per capsule). If you want to take 2000 IU daily of vitamin D, this might be suitable. If you want to push the dose up to 10,000 IU of vitamin D daily, you might be getting too much vitamin A. There is also some new evidence indicating
that excessive amounts of vitamin A will interfere with the action of vitamin D in the body.

An alternative to cod or halibut liver oil would be 
a capsule containing only vitamin D3 (cholecalci-
ferol). These usually come in dosages of 400 IU 
or 1000 IU per capsule. Higher potencies per 
capsule are available by prescription only.

Why Micro Emulsified Vitamin D?

There are many individuals who have a problem
absorbing vitamin D from the gastrointestinal 
tract. In my practice, certain people taking even
50,000 IU of vitamin D daily for months fail to
boost their blood levels sufficiently. This may be
due to various bowel diseases like celiac disease
or various forms of inflammation (Crohn’s disease
or colitis), food allergies, bacterial flora
imbalances, candidiasis, digestive enzyme 
deficiencies or because of the use of numerous 
drugs affecting the gastrointestinal tract. These 
people can only achieve successful absorption 
with a micro emulsified form of vitamin D. 
Essentially, this converts a fat soluble vitamin 
into a water soluble form.

This most bioavailable form of vitamin D is most
suitable for people who have problems with 
absorption. The liquid form can be taken straight 
from the bottle or mixed into any food or 
beverage. Emulsified Vitamin D used to be only 
available at a high price from some health care 
practitioners or pharmacies specializing in natural
remedies. It is now available at much more 
reasonable prices at your neighborhood health 
food store without a prescription.

Conclusion

If you are suffering from any chronic health 
problem, ask your doctor to check your blood level
of 25-hydroxy vitamin D, the most accurate indicator of vitamin D status. The optimal blood levels should be between 100 and 250 nanomoles/ml. Levels below
75 are considered insufficient and levels below 25 are definitely in the deficiency category. With continued research, I predict
these numbers will all change, so stay tuned.

Dr. Zoltan P. Rona practises Complementary Medicine in Toronto and is the medical editor of
“The Encyclopedia of Natural Healing.” He has also published several Canadian best-selling
books, including “Return to The Joy of Health” and “Vitamin D - The Sunshine Vitamin.”







Imagine capturing
sunshine in a bottle
• Helps to prevent Vitamin D
deficiency
• Vitamin D may reduce the
risk of developing Osteoporosis
when combined with calcium
intake, a healthy diet and
regular exercise
• Helps in the development and
maintenance of bones and teeth
• Helps in the absorption and use
of calcium and phosphorus
Vitamin D
Emulsion
1000 IU
Available in liquid
drops or capsules.





http://topshelfbook.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/NaturalMedicine.pdf







Vitamin D, disease and therapeutic opportunities


The major source of vitamin D3 is through ultraviolet irradiation of 7-dehydrocholesterol in skin. The liver 25-hydroxylase enzyme (possibly encoded by CYP2R1) then converts vitamin D3 to 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OH-D3), the major circulating form of the vitamin. Generation of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 occurs primarily in the kidney by the 25-OH-D-1α-hydroxylase enzyme (encoded by CYP27B1), which is tightly regulated by blood calcium and phosphorus levels, and transcription of this enzyme is directly altered by parathyroid hormone (PTH).

Get into the morning/evening Sun.

Human body naturally produce cholesterol, and the skin under sunlight will manufacture the vitamin D for its usage.

Don't Forget This Heart-Healthy Nutrient
Their findings were presented at a recent American Heart Association meeting. Dr. Tami Bair and Dr. Heidi May, of the Intermountain Medical Center in Utah, highlight yet another study that shows that vitamin D deficiency can keep the heart from functioning in optimal health.

And while the researchers aren’t suggesting that inadequate levels of vitamin D cause an unhealthy state of the heart, they do suggest a link between the two—especially in light of vitamin D’s role in supporting healthy blood pressure, inflammation and blood sugar levels. All of those are critical for overall heart health.†

Surprised? Thought so.

Vitamin D has long been known to assist with proper calcium absorption and for supporting bone health, but vitamin D does far more than that.† For instance, there’s increasing evidence that vitamin D is active in many aspects of metabolism.†

Dr. Joseph B. Muhlstein, a researcher with Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Utah, and one of the authors of the study says, “What’s been discovered in the last few years is a significantly greater role for vitamin D. There are perhaps 200 different important metabolic processes that use vitamin D as a co-factor.” That includes heart-related function.

“A growing body of evidence suggests that low levels of vitamin D may adversely affect the cardiovascular system,” says Thomas J. Wang, M.D., assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. “Vitamin D receptors have a broad tissue distribution that includes vascular smooth muscle and endothelium, the inner lining of the body’s vessels. Our data raise the possibility that treating vitamin D deficiency via supplementation or lifestyle measures could support heart health."†

And the call for increased vitamin D intake continues.

In fact, in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 15 experts from around the world called for international agencies to “reassess as a matter of high priority” dietary recommendations for vitamin D because current advice is out of date and puts people at risk for deficiency. In fact, a review of the science indicated that the tolerable upper intake level for oral vitamin D3—which is 2,000IU in the U.S.—needs to be increased fivefold to 10,000IU per day.

James H. O’Keefe, M.D., director of preventive cardiology at the Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, Mo., says, “Vitamin D deficiency is an unrecognized, emerging issue, which should be screened for and responded to. Vitamin D is easy to assess, and supplementation is simple, safe and inexpensive.”

So there you have it. Vitamin D…it’s one potent nutrient you don't want to come up short on.

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