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i copied this from a website my dr just put me on vit d 50,000 2x a week
I wrote an article online about the dangers of Vitamin D deficiency and thought it would be fitting for this site.
I never realized until I was diagnosed with a serious Vitamin D deficiency what all problems this could cause. My doctor was very concerned because my levels were dangerously low and he immediately put me on a high dose Vitamin D supplement. Some other health problems my doctor told me Vitamin D deficiency could cause include heart disease, chronic pain, Fibromyalgia, hypertension, arthritis, depression, inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, PMS, Crohns Disease, cancer, MS and other autoimmune diseases.
The Vitamin D Council states that Vitamin D deficiency can also cause stroke, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting and birth defects.
The American Society of Anesthesiologists released a report in October of 2007 that stated approximately one in four patients who have chronic pain issues were also found to have low levels of Vitamin D. This was according to a new study that the American Society of Anesthesiologists conducted. Their study also found that those with lower levels of Vitamin D required higher doses of morphine over a longer period of time.
According to the Vitamin D Council, if you are someone who completely avoids the sun you will need to take approximately 4,000 units of Vitamin D per day. You would have to drink 40 glasses of milk a day or take 10 multivitamins a day to get the required amount of Vitamin D. Naturally neither one of these methods is recommended so what are we to do? Many people now fear the sun due to the increasing awareness and prevalence of the deadly skin cancer, Melanoma. The Vitamin D Council says that most people typically make about 20,000 units of Vitamin D after 20 minutes of sun exposure, which is about 100 times more than the daily amount of Vitamin D the FDA says we need. Tanning beds are another option to get the required amounts of Vitamin D also. Personally I will not use a tanning bed or spend excessive amounts of time out in the sun due to fear of skin cancer.
There is another option if you are not a sun worshiper. You can have your physician administer a 25-hydroxyvitamin test to determine if you have optimal levels of Vitamin D in your blood. The Vitamin D Council considers optimum levels to be approximately 50 nM/L. The 25-hydroxyvitamin test measures the amount of calcidiol (a prehormone found in the blood that is produced in the liver). This is considered the most reliable form of testing for Vitamin D deficiency. If this test shows that you are indeed Vitamin D deficient, there is also a supplemental vitamin D3 cholecalciferol you can take.
In order to get the proper amount of Vitamin D your body requires, you need to be able to find a healthy balance of sunlight, but still reduce your risk of skin cancer, particularly Melanoma. Wear sunscreen every time you are in the sun and keep your sun exposure to 20 minutes at a time.
Sources used for this article include:
ImmuneSupport.com - Vitamin D Inadequacy May Exacerbate Chronic Pain
Vitamin D Council - Vitamin D Research and Research Requirements Link
Posted on 07/09/08, 10:07 am
I wrote an article online about the dangers of Vitamin D deficiency and thought it would be fitting for this site.
I never realized until I was diagnosed with a serious Vitamin D deficiency what all problems this could cause. My doctor was very concerned because my levels were dangerously low and he immediately put me on a high dose Vitamin D supplement. Some other health problems my doctor told me Vitamin D deficiency could cause include heart disease, chronic pain, Fibromyalgia, hypertension, arthritis, depression, inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, PMS, Crohns Disease, cancer, MS and other autoimmune diseases.
The Vitamin D Council states that Vitamin D deficiency can also cause stroke, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting and birth defects.
The American Society of Anesthesiologists released a report in October of 2007 that stated approximately one in four patients who have chronic pain issues were also found to have low levels of Vitamin D. This was according to a new study that the American Society of Anesthesiologists conducted. Their study also found that those with lower levels of Vitamin D required higher doses of morphine over a longer period of time.
According to the Vitamin D Council, if you are someone who completely avoids the sun you will need to take approximately 4,000 units of Vitamin D per day. You would have to drink 40 glasses of milk a day or take 10 multivitamins a day to get the required amount of Vitamin D. Naturally neither one of these methods is recommended so what are we to do? Many people now fear the sun due to the increasing awareness and prevalence of the deadly skin cancer, Melanoma. The Vitamin D Council says that most people typically make about 20,000 units of Vitamin D after 20 minutes of sun exposure, which is about 100 times more than the daily amount of Vitamin D the FDA says we need. Tanning beds are another option to get the required amounts of Vitamin D also. Personally I will not use a tanning bed or spend excessive amounts of time out in the sun due to fear of skin cancer.
There is another option if you are not a sun worshiper. You can have your physician administer a 25-hydroxyvitamin test to determine if you have optimal levels of Vitamin D in your blood. The Vitamin D Council considers optimum levels to be approximately 50 nM/L. The 25-hydroxyvitamin test measures the amount of calcidiol (a prehormone found in the blood that is produced in the liver). This is considered the most reliable form of testing for Vitamin D deficiency. If this test shows that you are indeed Vitamin D deficient, there is also a supplemental vitamin D3 cholecalciferol you can take.
In order to get the proper amount of Vitamin D your body requires, you need to be able to find a healthy balance of sunlight, but still reduce your risk of skin cancer, particularly Melanoma. Wear sunscreen every time you are in the sun and keep your sun exposure to 20 minutes at a time.
Sources used for this article include:
ImmuneSupport.com - Vitamin D Inadequacy May Exacerbate Chronic Pain
Vitamin D Council - Vitamin D Research and Research Requirements Link
Posted on 07/09/08, 10:07 am
Vitamin D malnutrition may also be linked to an increased susceptibility to several chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, tuberculosis, cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, depression, schizophrenia, seasonal affective disorder and several autoimmune diseases (see role in immunomodulation
I applogize as I did not save the url but if can find it again will post it. I think they should check these levels as part of a physical myself.
Take care always gentle hugs
Gentle hugs
What is the health risk of too much vitamin D?
There is a high health risk associated with consuming too much vitamin D. Vitamin D toxicity can cause nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, constipation, weakness, and weight loss. It can also raise blood levels of calcium, causing mental status changes such as confusion. High blood levels of calcium also can cause heart rhythm abnormalities. Calcinosis, the deposition of calcium and phosphate in soft tissues like the kidney can be caused by vitamin D toxicity.
Consuming too much vitamin D through diet alone is not likely unless you routinely consume large amounts of cod liver oil. It is much more likely to occur from high intakes of vitamin D in supplements. The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine considers an intake of 1,000 IU for infants up to 12 months of age and 2,000 IU for children, adults, pregnant, and lactating women to be the tolerable upper intake level. Daily intake above this level increases the risk of adverse health effects and is not advised.
http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/982088787.html
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Sunlight Can Cut Your Risk of Death in Half
Having low vitamin D levels has been linked with deaths from heart disease and other causes, adding to growing evidence about the "sunshine" vitamin's role in good health.
People with the lowest blood levels of vitamin D were about two times more likely to die from any cause during an eight-year period than those with the highest levels. The link with heart-related deaths was particularly strong in those with low vitamin D levels.
The study involved over 3,000 men and women in southwest Germany. Participants were aged 62 on average, and their vitamin D levels were checked in weekly blood tests.
Its estimated that at least 50 percent of older adults worldwide have low vitamin D levels, and a significant number of younger people may also be affected. Low vitamin D levels may result from spending less time outdoors, air pollution and a decline in your skins ability to produce vitamin D from the sun as you age, the researchers said.
Sources:
USA Today June 23, 2008
Archives of Internal Medicine June 23, 2008;168(12):1340-1349
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
If you want to get in on one of the hottest trends for your health, take a break from your day and spend some time out in the sunshine. This simple action reduces your risk for so many diseases, I believe it is criminal for physicians not to recommend it.
To get the benefits of the sun, you need to expose a significant portion of your skin (shorts and no shirt for men, and shorts and a sports bra or short tank for women) to the sun for anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours a day. The length depends on your skin color (the darker your skin, the longer you need), how close you are to the equator, and the weather that day (if its cloudy, for instance).
My new book, Dark Deception, is coming out shortly and contains all the details you need to keep your vitamin D levels in a healthy range. But in the meantime you can check out my Sunshine Special Report to get the basics down.
Did You Know That Sun Exposure Actually Prevents Cancer?
The study above is the second in a matter of weeks showing the importance of vitamin D for your heart. But vitamin D is also emerging as a potent cancer fighter.
Last year, a groundbreaking study found that 600,000 cases of cancer could be prevented every year just by increasing your levels of vitamin D. Even beyond cancer, the researchers pointed out that increasing levels of vitamin D3 could prevent diseases that claim nearly 1 million lives throughout the world each year!
Why did you not hear about this amazing discovery?
Because large corporations cant make any money from you getting out in the sun.
So nows your chance to listen up. Optimizing your vitamin D levels could help you to prevent as many as 16 different types of cancer including pancreatic, lung, breast, ovarian, prostate, and colon cancers.
Further, optimal vitamin D levels are also known to positively influence the following conditions:
Heart disease
Diabetes
Inflammatory bowel disease
Rheumatoid arthritis
Multiple sclerosis and osteoporosis
This is One Blood Test I Recommend for Everyone
Because the benefits of optimizing your vitamin D levels are so profound, I urge everyone to get their levels tested. There is more than one vitamin D test, so be sure to ask for the 25(OH)D test, also called 25-hydroxyvitamin D.
When you get your results, ignore the normal guidelines the lab sends. Instead, the OPTIMAL value that youre looking for is 45-52 ng/ml (115-128 nmol/l).
Sunlight exposure (without getting burned) is always the best option to increase your vitamin D levels. For the winter months or other times when you simply cant get outside, a vitamin D3 supplement can be used. If you go this latter route, be sure to monitor your vitamin D levels to avoid overdosing.
One final note, when you go outside to get your vitamin D make sure you dont have sunscreen on. By its very nature, sunscreen blocks your bodys production of vitamin D. If youre spending a long time outdoors, I recommend going for the first portion without any sunscreen, then covering up afterward with clothing, or applying a natural, non-toxic sunscreen, to avoid getting burned.