Saturday, July 26, 2014

Vitamin D: The Facts Exposed

There is so much misinformation and confusion out there regarding Vitamin D. What we do know is that the number one source is the sun. We also know that a lack of Vitamin D affects our mood. Especially those living further away from the equator feel this in the fall and winter more than ever. I am a Northwest native and I can vouch for the drop in energy and even enthusiasm for being active or sociable when the lack of sunshine is apparent. It’s gloomy, cold, and possibly just plain icky out. I feel more lazy, unmotivated, and my personality is dampened a little.

But let’s discuss some very important and, might I add, *vital*, facts on a more scientific level so that we can better understand how crucial Vitamin D is for us and that the sun is the foundation for our survival- literally. This may be lengthy, but I desire to point out every angle so that you can take away a strong grasp of this vitamin.

Vitamin D deficiency is the main cause for many chronic and autoimmune diseases such as Rickets, Ostoporosis, Osteomalacia, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Infectious Diseases, Heart Disease, and Common Cancers. It can also contribute to the risk of C-Sections and Obesity.

Vitamin D is a catalyst for Calcium. Calcium is needed for bone growth and density. You may have heard that Rickets is a huge result of Vitamin D deficiency, which causes bone malformation and stunted bone growth in children. Many tests over the years have taken place to reverse these effects, one of which was the Mercury Arc Lamp radiation treatment performed on children during the Industrial Revolution which showed obvious improvement. 

In 1931, in fact, the government gave the US a recommended dose of sunlight to prevent Rickets. Soon after, we started to see Vitamin D irradiate in such foods as milk. Then, of course, we have been told to protect ourselves from the sunlight and to avoid direct sun exposure due to the harmful UV rays which can lead to skin cancer and aging.

Let’s step back for a moment- to the dinosaur or neanderthal age. Scientists have concluded that the bottom line of their extinction is the lack of Vitamin D. Other factors did contribute, but the only organism that survived the asteroid that seemingly destroyed life on the planet was a nocturnal rodent- the mole, which still exists today.

Now, back to today. If we think in general of the pigmentation of our skin depending on where we live- the darker the pigment the closer you are to the equator, and the lighter the pigment the farther away you are. Isn’t that amazing? We were designed with the proper skin according to where we live! If your skin is naturally dark, you are more protected by the sun, whereas the more pale you are, the more sensitive you are to it. I, being a native to the northwest, naturally have a paler pigment because the sun isn’t as available to me in this region. I don’t need that extra protection. Someone who is native to South Africa, however, has very dark pigment as they are never faced with cloudy days like I am.

So, You get 95-99% of Vitamin D from the sun, which is good and needed. But, too much sun exposure can cause cancer and aging of the skin. If you use an SPF sunscreen, you are blocking both. So, what do you do? Do you take a VItamin D supplement? Well, most over-the-counter Vitamin D supplements you find at the grocery store are low-quality and synthesized, meaning, they have no whole food quality to them. Purchasing a higher quality supplement at a health food store or holistic pharmacy is your best bet- they are directly derived from foods and plants. But, I recommend a little sun and the proper amount of certain foods in your diet instead.

Having a regulated and limited amount of sun is GOOD. Do not feel that you need to slap on that SPF 50 every time you step outside. Don’t fear for your child, either. Your child, in fact, needs it the most! There is less than 2% of Vitamin D in a mother’s breast milk, so a child needs to obtain their vitamin D through the mother in natural forms such as in food or the sun while in the womb as well as while breastfeeding and thereafter.

A study was done using tanning beds and the results after 24 hours of using the bed for 15 minutes 2 times a week showed an astounding level of 10-20,000 IU of Vitamin D in the patients. The recommended daily intake of Vitamin D is 1,000 IU a day! You do the math!

And am I saying that going to a tanning salon is okay? Well, yes and no. I’ve been doing it for the past 19 years on and off and only for 1-2 times per week, especially in the fall and winter seasons. In recent years, in fact, tanning salons have been given permission by the FTC to solicit tanning beds as a sufficient source of Vitamin D. I am not saying that indoor tanning is completely safe, but I will not scoff at anyone who does it in moderation. What I’ve elaborated on here is what is not being told to the general public. Abide by the limit given above, and you should be okay, but you can’t hold me to it. There is always a risk. Below is an *amazing* article on the debate of sun exposure and tanning.

And, as a side note, there are ways you can keep your immune system boosted, free radicals at a low, and help avoid getting melanoma or other cancers by eating certain foods (do some research or ask me).
Speaking of foods, you can still incorporate Vitamin D into your diet. Foods that are rich in D are fish, sardines, shrimp, oysters, and cod liver oil (Yes to Omega 3 fatty acids!), fortified cereals, fortified dairy, salami, ham, sausage and mushrooms. Good cholesterol (HDL) sources also help synthesize Vitamin D.

*Note that you can obtain toxicity of Vitamin D through foods but you cannot gain toxicity through sun exposure. There is, however, the risk of skin cancer.

Thank you for reading- I hope you have found this information valuable! Stay tuned for more!

Links and references:
The controversy on tanning salons-
http://www.fairwarning.org/2012/08/burned-by-health-warnings-defiant-tanning-industry-assails-doctors-sun-scare-conspiracy/
Dr. Michael Holick-

http://www.bumc.bu.edu/endo/faculty/holick/

transferred- original post date 7/26/2014

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