More Complementary & Integrative Healthcare Articles
Vitamin D and Your Health
Among the many benefits of having Vitamin D in our daily diet, current research indicates that adequate amounts of this vitamin contribute to a significant decrease in the incidence of osteoporosis, heart attacks, cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, musculoskeletal and back pain. It is especially important at this time of the year to be aware that we have less exposure to the sunshine we need to maintain adequate levels of Vitamin D. Approximately 60-80% of Americans will be deficient at some point during the winter months.
General new guidelines suggest that at least 1000 -2000 IU/d is necessary to prevent disease. There are no established adverse effects to taking daily doses of Vitamin D3 up to 10,000 IU/d daily for extended periods of time. Safe guidelines suggest 2000 IU/d of Vitamin D3 for all individuals aged 12 years and older, and 1000 IU/d for individuals from 6 months to 11 years old.
In women of postmenopausal status (55 years of age) adequate amounts of calcium and Vitamin D substantially reduces all cancer risks by half according to a study in June 2007 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The Journal of Nutritional Reviews, published in August 2007, reported that a 50% reduction of colon cancer incidence in North America could be prevented by maintaining blood serum levels of 34 ng/ml of Vitamin D. They also state that as much as 30% of breast cancers could be reduced with Vitamin D levels of 42 ng/ml. That would require an adult individual to be taking 2000 IU/d of Vitamin D3 for preventing colon cancer and 3500 IU/d Vitamin D for breast cancer.
A clinical study conducted at the Mayo Clinic in 2003 determined that 93% of patients with non-specific musculoskeletal pain were Vitamin D deficient with serum levels of 12ng/ml. In another study published in 2003 in Spine Magazine, 360 patients (aged 15-52 years old) with chronic low back pain demonstrated low levels of Vitamin D measuring less then 22.5 ng/ml.
A study published in Pain Medicine in March 2008 demonstrated that patients with low levels of Vitamin D3 (less than 30 ng/ml) required twice the amount of pain medication for adequate pain management treatment. The authors concluded that Vitamin D inadequacy may represent an under-recognized source of increased pain receptors in the body, and impaired neuromuscular functioning with chronic pain.
In cardiology research an article published in the Archives of Internal Medicine earlier this year stated that men were almost two and a half times more likely to have a myocardial infarction with low levels of Vitamin D less than 30 ng/ml.
