Bob Barefoot's Best Vitamin D

The relationship between vitamin D and adult bone health is well-understood. However, until recently, less has been known about the relationship between maternal vitamin D status and infant bone health. A new study out of the University of Manitoba sheds new light on this subject by examining the relationship between maternal vitamin D status and two measures of infant dental health: enamel hypoplasia (EH) and early childhood caries (ECC).

206 pregnant women enrolled in the study during their second trimester. Serum vitamin D analyses revealed that more than a third of the women were vitamin D deficient (34.5%, deficiency defined as <= 35 nmol/L). Only 21 women had adequate levels of vitamin D (10.5%, adequacy defined as >= 80 nmol/L).

Over the next two years, 135 infants returned for a dental health examination. 21.6% had EH while 33.6% had ECC. Mothers of children with EH had lower vitamin D concentrations during pregnancy, though the result didn’t quite reach statistical significance (43.2 vs 51.4 nmol/L, p=0.07). However, mothers of children with ECC had significantly lower vitamin D levels than those whose children were caries-free (43.9 vs 52.8 nmol/L, p=0.034).

This study is the first to provide evidence for a correlation between maternal vitamin D levels and infant dental health, and additional research currently underway should shed further light on this important issue.

Schroth R, Lavelle C, Moffatt ME. 2008. Influence of maternal vitamin D status on infant oral health. Proc Int Assoc Dent Res Meet, Abs 1646.

Read this excellent reference to vitamin-d deficiency:

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Please Understand this First!

Not only are the current "recommendations" in serious question by most vitamin D experts, many vitamin D scientists (many of them published in AJCN, etc.) are frustrated by the lack of action by government agencies to increase the recommendations because of the serious consequences of insufficient vitamin D intake.

An article published online on October 26, 2010 in the journal Cancer Research reveals an association between higher levels of serum vitamin D and a lower risk of bladder cancer in men. The finding adds another cancer to the list of those for which vitamin D appears to have a protective benefit.

The current study involved 500 participants in the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study, a randomized, double-blinded trial of Finnish male smokers conducted to determine the effects of alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene supplementation on cancer risk. Participants were cancer-free at the beginning of the study. Blood samples drawn upon enrollment between 1985 and 1988 were analyzed for serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and other factors.

The National Cancer Institute researchers compared 250 subjects who were diagnosed with bladder cancer through April, 2005 and an equal number of participants who did not have the disease. Cases and controls were matched for age and date of blood draw. A low level of vitamin D was associated with a significantly greater risk of bladder cancer. Men whose vitamin D level was less than 25 nanomoles per liter experienced a 73 percent greater adjusted risk of the disease than those whose levels were at least 50 nanomoles per liter. Similar risks were observed for those whose levels fell between 25 and less than 37.5, and from 37.5 to less than 50 nanomoles per liter.

"These findings are consistent with previous cell culture, in vivo, and genetic evidence suggesting that greater exposure to vitamin D could have a role in protecting against bladder cancer," Alison M. Mondul and coauthors write. "Higher serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D may be associated with greater urinary excretion and concentration of free and conjugated vitamin D metabolites. Increased exposure of the bladder mucosa to these metabolites could promote transitional cell differentiation and apoptosis and, thus, reduce epithelial proliferation and neoplasia."

"Future studies should examine the association in other populations, especially nonsmokers and women, and evaluate possible effect modification by season of blood draw, physical activity, and intake of other nutrients, including vitamin E," they recommend.

So in conclusion, Online Coral Calcium asks, "Are you ordering and taking your Vitamin D3 regularly "EVERYDAY" to not gamble with the most important entity you own - "YOUR LIFE"!

 From www.mercola.com:

A meta-analysis of 50 trials looking at mortality rates for “doctor recommended” synthetic vitamin D2 supplements versus natural vitamin D3 shows a six percent risk reduction among those who used D3, compared to a two percent increased risk among those who used D2

Research shows vitamin D3 is approximately 87 percent more potent in raising and maintaining vitamin D concentrations and produces 2- to 3-fold greater storage of vitamin D than does D2. D3 is also converted into its active form 500 percent faster

Optimizing your vitamin D levels may be one of the most important steps you can take in support of your long-term health. The ideal way to do this is by exposing large amounts of skin to sunlight or a safe tanning bed, but if you need to use an oral supplement, make sure you’re taking vitamin D3

The most important factor is your vitamin D serum level, which should ideally be between 50-70 ng/ml. When taking an oral vitamin D supplement, you should take enough to reach and maintain this therapeutic level. As a generic guideline, adults need to take about 8,000 IU’s a day to reach this level

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From Mercola.com

Vitamin D has a remarkable role to play in your health, influencing nearly 3,000 of your 25,000 genes, and playing a critical role in your immune response -- a role far superior to the synthetic (and often harmful) immune responses that vaccines elicit. Vitamin D could rightly be described as a “miracle nutrient” for your immune system, as it enables your body to produce well over 200 antimicrobial peptides, which are indispensable in fighting off a wide range of infections.

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From Mercola.com 

Some 40 leading vitamin D experts from around the world currently agree that the most important factor when it comes to vitamin D is your serum level. So you really should be taking whatever dosage required to obtain a therapeutic level of vitamin D in your blood.

However, while there is no specific dosage level at which "magic" happens, based on the most recent research by GrassrootsHealth—an organization that has greatly contributed to the current knowledge on vitamin D through their D* Action Study—it appears as though most adults need about 8,000 IU's of vitamin D a day in order to get their serum levels above 40 ng/ml. This is significantly higher than previously recommended! For children, many experts agree they need about 35 IU's of vitamin D per pound of body weight.

At the time GrassrootsHealth performed the studies that resulted in this increased dosage recommendation, the optimal serum level was believed to be between 40 to 60 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml). Since then, the optimal vitamin D level has been raised to 50-70 ng/ml, and when treating cancer or heart disease, as high as 70-100 ng/ml.

Read the Article "click" here

Study supports previously reported positive links between vitamin D and testosterone

A new study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, released in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology, suggests that maintaining a high level of vitamin D supplementation increases the level of testosterone in men. Researchers concluded that this study supports previously reported positive associations between vitamin D and testosterone.

Testosterone plays a key role in health and well being in men. Lower testosterone levels have been associated with poorer cognitive function, higher body mass index, declining muscle mass and strength and impaired general and sexual health in aging men. Low testosterone levels have also been linked to a higher incidence of coronary artery disease.

Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble prohormones that plays many vital roles in the body and is essential for healthy bones and immune systems, and reducing the risk of numerous cancers. Experimental studies and a cross-sectional study suggest that vitamin D may increase testosterone levels in men, however, using vitamin D alone is not as effective as physician prescribed testosterone therapy.

AAG Health closely monitors hormone levels, including testosterone, and provides bioidentical hormone replacement therapy to optimize hormone levels and reduce the adverse effects of aging the risk for degenerative diseases. In addition, AAG Health can perform ongoing laboratory testing to monitor each patient's vitamin levels to identify potential deficiencies.

"The link between vitamin D and testosterone levels is key for healthy age management for men," said Dr. Victor Shabanah, Medical Director AAG Health "I recommend getting about twenty minutes of sunshine a day. If our patients can't achieve that ideal amount then we here at AAG Health can provide the right amount of vitamin D supplementation."

Visit AAG Health: http://www.aaghealth.com

From Mercola.com:

Sun exposure is the best way to optimize your vitamin D levels, because when you expose your skin to sunshine or a safe tanning bed, your skin synthesizes vitamin D3. I believe this is a very compelling reason to really make a concerted effort to get ALL your vitamin D requirements from exposure to sunshine, or by using a safe tanning bed. If neither of these are feasible options, then you should take an oral vitamin D3 supplement. For more information, see my recent video below on how to know if you are getting enough vitamin D from sun exposure.

Click" Here to go to the USNO Azimuth Table

Vitamin D may reduce stress fracture risk in girls

By Stephen Daniells, 06-Mar-2012

Increased intakes of vitamin D may reduce the risk of stress fracture in adolescent girls, says a new study that adds to the potential health benefits of the sunshine vitamin. Girls with the highest average intakes of vitamin D were 51% less likely to suffer from stress fractures, compared with girls with the lowest average intakes, according to findings published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

“Our findings support the Institute of Medicine’s recent increase in the Recommended Dietary Allowance for vitamin D for adolescents from 400 IU/d to 600 IU/d,” wrote researcher led by Kendrin Sonneville, ScD, RD, of Children’s Hospital Boston. “Because too few participants had a vitamin D intake higher than 600 IU/d, we were unable to explore the potential benefits of vitamin D intake in excess of the Recommended Dietary Allowance.”

Sunshine vitamin

Vitamin D refers to two biologically inactive precursors - D3, also known as cholecalciferol, and D2, also known as ergocalciferol. Both D3 and D2 precursors are transformed in the liver and kidneys into 25- hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), the non-active 'storage' form, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D), the biologically active form that is tightly controlled by the body.

While our bodies do manufacture vitamin D on exposure to sunshine, the levels in some northern countries are so weak during the winter months that our body makes no vitamin D at all, meaning that dietary supplements and fortified foods are seen by many as the best way to boost intakes of vitamin D.

Vitamin D deficiency in adults is reported to precipitate or exacerbate osteopenia, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, fractures, common cancers, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases and cardiovascular diseases. There is also some evidence that the vitamin may reduce the incidence of several types of cancer and type-1 and -2 diabetes.

Study details

The new study adds to the bone health potential of vitamin D. Dr Sonneville and her co-workers explain that stress fractures, a relatively common sports-related injury, occur when stresses on a bone exceed its capacity to withstand and heal from those forces. The Boston-based researchers analyzed data from 6,712 pre-adolescent and adolescent girls participating in the Growing Up Today Study. During seven years of follow-up, the researchers report that 3.9% of the girls developed a stress fracture.

Intakes of dairy and calcium did not influence the stress fracture risk, they said, but vitamin D was associated with a significant reduction in stress fracture risk. “Given the limited knowledge of modifiable risk factors for stress fracture among adolescent girls, the results of this study provide important information regarding the role of dietary factors in the prevention of stress fracture,” wrote Dr Sonneville and her co-workers.

Source: Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine Published online, doi:10.1001/archpediatrics.2012.5 “Vitamin D, Calcium, and Dairy Intakes and Stress Fractures Among Female Adolescents” Authors: K.R. Sonneville, C.M. Gordon, M.S. Kocher, L.M. Pierce, A. Ramappa, A.E. Field

*ROGER COMMENT- I wish I had read this article when my daughter was running track. It sure would have saved us a bunch of time and medical bills. Every track and cross country coach needs to be aware of this research data if they want to keep their team members strong and injury free of this common problem. Please pass this information along to those who need it. The Eniva liquid D3 is one of the most bio-available D’s in the game right now. No artificial ingredients, dyes or flavors. It is all natural and tastes great and priced to sell. Check out Eniva’s Vibe and Vitamin D3 products for good dosage of Vitamin D3. http://shop.enivausa.com/434491/en-us/product.aspx?id=9003

A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found an association between, what the authors referred to as, ‘very high’ levels of vitamin D and ‘all-cause mortality’ or in other words, death from all causes. Turns out that having very high levels of vitamin D is associated with similar risk for death as are very low levels, or does it?

Vitamin D is a pre-hormone that is converted by the body, as needed, into the active hormone calcitriol where it helps to turn on, and off, numerous genes in our DNA. It’s estimated that there over 2700 vitamin D binding sites on our DNA, sites that are near genes associated with almost every chronic disease known to humankind. Getting too little vitamin D is well known to increase the risk for many diseases and death.

What are less clear are the optimal blood level for health and the level at which vitamin D may backfire and work against us. To answer the question, is there such a thing as too much vitamin D – of course there is, you can get too much of anything but is it what this study is alluding to?

This particular study design was a retrospective observational cohort study. In this kind of design, the researchers gathered the participants’ vitamin D levels from past records and then followed up on them, in this case, for about 3 years.

Compared to those with vitamin D levels of 30ng/L, or 75nmol, those with levels below 10ng/L, or 25nmol, had a 200% increased risk of dying and those with vitamin D levels over 56ng/L or 140nmol had a 40% increased risk of dying.

Should you throw away your vitamin D supplements? Not at all. A study like this only shows an association, it doesn’t prove that higher vitamin D caused the increase in death. The authors also note that the people in the study had voluntarily approached their doctors for a variety of health related issues and during those visits had a vitamin D test done. It doesn’t tell us anything about their health history, exiting diseases or other health habits.

As one commentator of the study pointed out, maybe those who were the sickest or at highest risk for chronic diseases, decided to take more vitamin D because they were motivated to, in other words, those that ended up dying may have also been sicker who just happened to take more vitamin D. A study like this is one that generates hypotheses, which leads to better studies and more research, but cannot be used to conclude that vitamin D at levels greater than 50ng/L increase the risk for dying.

Another caveat is the way in which statistics are reported. The more common way to report results is as a ‘relative risk’ versus an ‘absolute risk’. If for example, a study found that in one group 10 people out of 100,000 died versus 14 in a second group of 100,000, the relative increase would be 40% which sounds greater than 4 people dying. While those lives are valuable, expressed in that manner, the message is tempered a bit.

It’s also worth noting that 56ng/L, or 140nmol, is not considered high if you compare that to what’s naturally found in humans and animals that can make vitamin D from the sun. Those living in sun-rich environments, in fact all human beings given the right conditions can easily achieve vitamin D levels like these, and they do so, all year round. It’s also worth reminding people that vitamin D cannot work alone and it isn’t wise to simply take extra without giving consideration to the supporting nutrients that work together with vitamin D. Nutrients that not only help vitamin D to work better but also help to prevent vitamin D toxicity, these include vitamin A, K2, magnesium, zinc and boron.

More on this study:Vitamin D Overdose: A New Study by Dr. Zoltan Rona, MD

"It is not unusual for people with depression to be deficient in vitamin D and treating the deficiency may make a huge difference in how they feel," Pathuk says. 

"Click" Here to read the WebMD Article