vitamin d benefits

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(NaturalNews) Whilst avoiding the harsher elements of direct sunlight
is not only wise but is necessary, avoiding the sun all together and
as the result, not getting enough direct sunlight on our skin, is even
more problematic. So, let's examine the benefits of healthy sun
exposure without getting burnt or promoting sun damage.

Did you know that according to a June 2007 study (1), not getting
enough direct sunlight increases our chances of cancer by at least
70%? Why? Because our bodies need natural sunlight to synthesize
adequate amounts of vitamin D in order to keep our bones strong and
healthy, as well as support the immune system.

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D, in the form of calciferol (vitamin D3) is a fat-soluble
vitamin. It is found in food, but also can be made in your body after
exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun. Vitamin D exists in several
forms, each with a different function. Some forms are relatively
inactive in the body, and have limited ability to function as a
vitamin. The liver and kidneys help convert vitamin D to its active
hormone form known as calcitriol; so, in actual fact, vitamin D
technically is sunlight derived pro-hormone calcitriol. Vitamin D in
its active pro-hormone form of calcitriol is important in determining
how our cells express themselves and is vital in the production of
various hormones and neurotransmitters (messengers in the brain). For
the purpose of more clarity and understanding we will refer to
calcitriol as vitamin D.

The major biological function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood
levels of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D helps us absorb calcium,
and thus helps to form and maintain strong bones and teeth. It
regulates bone mineralization in unison with a number of other
vitamins, minerals, and hormones. In short, without vitamin D, bones
start to become thin, brittle, soft, or misshapen. Vitamin D prevents
rickets in children, osteoporosis and osteomalacia in adults.

What does the latest research on Vitamin D offer us?

It offers us practical advice in preventing some serious health
issues.

Exciting new research conducted at the Creighton University School of
Medicine in Nebraska has revealed that supplementing with vitamin D
and calcium can reduce your risk of cancer by at least 60 percent.
This includes breast cancer, colon cancer, skin cancer and other forms
of cancer. This research provides strong new evidence that vitamin D
is the single most effective medicine against cancer, far outpacing
the benefits of any cancer drug known to modern science.

The Nebraska 4-year placebo-controlled study has revealed that the
group receiving the calcium and vitamin D supplements showed at least
60 percent decrease in cancers. Note that these astonishing effects
were achieved on what many nutritionists consider to be a low dose of
vitamin D. Exposure to sunlight, which creates even more vitamin D in
the body, was not tested or considered, and the quality of the calcium
supplements was likely not as high as it could have been (it was
probably calcium carbonate and not high-grade calcium aspartate,
oratate or citrate).

So what is the bottom line of all this?

The bottom line is that if you take good-quality calcium supplements
(for better health avoid pasteurized milk) and get adequate natural
sunlight exposure or supplement with a good source of vitamin D (such
as high quality cod liver oil), you could easily improve on the 60
percent reductions recorded in this study... but why is it better to
get vitamin D from the sun?

Vitamin D, as calciferol (D3) is found in the foods listed below. Most
people would not eat these foods on a daily basis all year round and,
for this reason would need to get the active form of vitamin D with
careful exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun. Please note it has
to be ultraviolet rays of the sun (UV) as these are the only ones that
actually trigger the synthesis of vitamin D in our body. So if you
rely on solariums or sun tan beds to get your natural sunlight, check
if they radiate some ultraviolet rays.

Foods that contain Vitamin D3 and the amount in International Units
(IU):

1. Tablespoon Cod Liver Oil - 1,360 IU

100gr Salmon, cooked - 360 IU

100gr Mackerel, cooked - 345 IU

100gr Sardines, canned in oil, drained - 270 IU

 250ml Milk, nonfat, reduced fat, and whole, vitamin D fortified - 98
IU

1. whole Egg soft boiled, (vitamin D is present in the yolk) - 25 IU

Source: (http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/9...)

It is interesting to note here that one would need to drink at least a
litre of milk a day to get the minimum requirements of vitamin D,
which is around 400 IU. If we were to expose at least 20% of our skin
to sunlight all year round for up to 10 minutes a day without any SPF,
then we would ensure adequate amounts of vitamin D. The fairer your
skin the less direct exposure is needed to activate vitamin D
synthesis. For people with very fair skin, just a short burst of
sunshine on their skin would also be enough.

As we know the liver and kidney help convert vitamin D to its active
hormone form. If anyone has impaired liver or kidney functions then
they would require more vitamin D synthesis either from direct
sunlight or good quality supplements.

It is imperative to have a simple blood test that a General
Practitioner can request, to check your current levels of vitamin D
before considering any supplementation. This is because over
supplementing with vitamin D could have serious consequences, such as
bone resorption (breaking down of the calcium) and soft tissue
calcification (hardening). It is very important to know this before
considering taking any cod liver oil or other vitamin D supplements.
It is very wise to have your vitamin D levels checked 3-4 months after
initial supplementation to see if a deficiency is still present.

Deficiency or insufficiency of natural sunlight and vitamin D has been
associated with the following conditions:

adrenal insufficiency

Alzheimer's

allergies

 autoimmune disorders including multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid
arthritis

cancers of the colon, breast, skin and prostate

depression, seasonal affective disorder (SAD)

diabetes, Type 1 and 2

gluten intolerance, lectin intolerance

heart disease, hypertension, Syndrome X

infertility, sexual dysfunction

learning and behavior disorders

misaligned teeth and cavities

obesity

osteopenia, osteoporosis, osteomalacia (adult rickets)

Parkinson's

PMS

psoriasis

source: Krispin Sullivan (http://www.sunlightandvitamind.com)

Here is an overview of some obvious health related issues from Vitamin
D deficiency

 Vitamin D and Bone Health: Having adequate levels of vitamin D in
your body helps keep your bones strong and helps prevent osteoporosis.
Vitamin D deficiency (which often masquerades as calcium deficiency)
has been associated with greater incidence of hip fractures. A greater
vitamin D intake from diet and supplements has been associated with
less bone loss in older women. Since bone loss increases the risk of
fractures, vitamin D supplementation may help prevent fractures
resulting from osteoporosis.

 Diabetes: Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with insulin
deficiency and insulin resistance. In fact it was shown in a 2001
study (2) that vitamin D deficiency is likely to be a major factor
contributing to the onset of type 1 diabetes in children, as human
milk often lacks vitamin D.

 Infertility and PMS: Infertility is associated with low vitamin D,
and PMS has been completely reversed by the addition of calcium,
magnesium, boron and vitamin D.

 Fatigue and Depression: Activated vitamin D as calcitriol, in the
adrenal gland regulates tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate limiting enzyme
necessary for the production of dopamine, adrenaline and
noradrenaline. The adrenal glands pump these hormones to help us cope
with daily stress. Hence, when adrenals have been pumping these
powerful hormones for some time our bodies begin to experience
constant exhaustion which leads to chronic fatigue. Not having
adequate levels of vitamin D may contribute to chronic fatigue and
depression.

 Syndrome X: Vitamin D deficiency has been clearly linked with
Syndrome X – fat gain around the middle section (3). Syndrome X
results from insulin resistance (the inability to properly deal with
dietary carbohydrates and sugars), abnormal blood fats (such as
elevated cholesterol and triglycerides), overweight, and high blood
pressure. Syndrome X condition requires a complete lifestyle and
dietary change, focusing on reducing stress levels, which activate
these adrenal hormones and promote weight gain, for improvement and
long term management.

Vitamin D and Steroids

Steroids, like prednisone, are often prescribed to reduce inflammation
related to a variety of medical problems. These medicines may be
essential for a person's medical treatment, but they have potential
side effects, including decreased calcium absorption.

There is some evidence that steroids may also impair vitamin D
metabolism, further contributing to the loss of bone and development
of osteoporosis associated with steroid medications. For these
reasons, individuals on chronic steroid therapy should consult with
their physician or nutritionist about the need to increase vitamin D
intake through carefully monitored dietary supplements.

The World Health Organization states that 70% of all cancers are
easily preventable through dietary and lifestyle changes. The latest
Nebraska research shows us that sunlight and calcium supplements can
reduce cancer risks by 77% in women. The question is why won't
conventional medicine embrace this low-cost, safe and highly effective
method for preventing cancer?

Another question we might ask is why do we not hear as much about the
importance of vitamin D as we hear about calcium? The reasons for
this, as most would already know, there are no profits in promoting
natural sunlight, not for the cancer council or for the
pharmaceuticals industry.

In conclusion of the safest way of ensuring adequate vitamin D,
getting at least some early morning direct sunlight is very beneficial
for all of us. The best sun exposure during summer would be 10 minutes
approximately of early morning sun before 9 am or late afternoon after
5 pm.

If planning to stay out longer then applying some natural,
chemical-free SPF 15 + sunscreen (you can find these in some health
food stores as they are becoming more popular) would be safe for your
skin. During winter, 20 minutes of direct sun even during the day on
hands, neck, feet, and legs would be ideal. If direct sunlight is not
possible in the winter then carefully supplementing with cod liver
oil, only if the blood tests reveal a vitamin D deficiency would be
beneficial. It is important to understand that the darker your skin,
the more sunlight is needed to activate vitamin D synthesis.
For the albino population (people with very sun sensitive skin as they
lack pigment), the good news is that less direct sun is required, even
a short burst of early morning sun would be enough to stimulate
vitamin D activation in their system.

In addition, having a diet high in antioxidants - the good guys that
prevent premature ageing (antioxidants from super-foods like
Wolfberries, blueberries and pomegranates) - is known to help protect
the skin from rapid sunburn and premature ageing. In fact, some
natural chemical-free sun tan lotions contain fair amounts of
antioxidants such as vitamin A and E. The amount of antioxidants that
we would require daily would be quite high and probably unachievable
for most people. The ideal amount would be more than just a punnet of
blueberries; more like 3 or 4 punnets of organic blueberries daily.
Yet, if we take super-foods such as Ningxia wolfberries then we might
get closer to the ideal antioxidant intake. So, enjoy some fun in the
sun and ensure that you have adequate amounts of Vitamin D in your
system all year round for optimum health, vitality and longevity.

References:

1. Lappe JM, Travers-Gustafson D, Davies KM, Recker RR, Heaney RP.
Vitamin D and calcium supplementation reduces cancer risk: results of
a randomized trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Jun;85(6):1586-91.

2. Ortlepp JR, Lauscher J, Hoffmann R, Diabet Med. 2001
ct;18(10):842-5

3. Henendez C, Lage M, Peino R, J Endocrinol. 2001 Aug;170(2):425-31

McMichael AJ, Hall AJ. Multiple sclerosis and ultraviolet radiation:
time to shed more light.Neuroepidemiology. 2001 Aug;20(3):165-7.

Wortsman J, Matsuoka LY, Chen TC, Lu Z, Holick MF. Decreased
bioavailability of vitamin D in obesity. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000
Sep;72(3):690-3)

(http://sunlightandvitamind.com/Main.htm)

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About the author
================

Teya Skae M.A.
Clinical Kinesiologist/Nutritionist
EFT Expert and Coach
Author/Presenter
Teya is the founder of Empowered Living
www.empowered-living.com.au
and is an internet radio host of TO YOUR HEALTH broadcasted on world
puja network.www.worldpuja.org
Teya offers worldwide phone/skype consultations on optimizing your
wellbeing, energy levels and healthy relationships. Teya specializes
in balancing chronic fatigue/adrenal exhaustion, stress and anxiety
and emotional eating behaviors. In Wellness!

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