Vitamin D is Not Just For the Bones

YOU MAY HAVE UNDIAGNOSED VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY! Keep reading…

Introduction

  • Years and years of reading and researching about chronic fatigue issues led me to believe that there are many, many people who may have undiagnosed Vitamin D deficiency.
  • Indeed, since I started checking for blood levels of Vitamin D on my patients whose clinical presentation is suspicious for Vitamin D deficiency, I have consistently seen abnormal results (indicating insufficiency or deficiency) in majority of them in the order of 80-90%.
  • To my pleasant surprise my established patients with refractory depression and anxiety experienced remarkable recovery when I added Vitamin D to their treatment; and my new patients different from the previous years seem to recover faster and to a greater degree,which I have attributed to correcting the low vitamin level (B12 and Vitamin D confirmed by blood tests) while initiating antidepressant treatment.
  • I also explore with my patients the possible underlying reason/s for their malnutrition (malbasorption, etc?) and proceed to address them as well.
  • I concur with world-renowned Integrative Physician, Dr. Julian Whitaker of Newport Beach, CA when he made reference to Vitamin D as a “super nutrient”. Read more….

Source of the article from this point forward: Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institute of Health

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp

INERT VITAMIN D MUST UNDERGO ACTIVATION TO BECOME USEFUL

  • Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in very few foods, added to others, and available as a dietary supplement.
  • It is also produced endogenously when ultraviolet rays from sunlight strike the skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis.
  • Vitamin D obtained from sun exposure, food, and supplements is biologically inert and must undergo two hydroxylations in the body for activation. The first occurs in the liver and converts vitamin D to 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], also known as calcidiol. The second occurs primarily in the kidney and forms the physiologically active 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D], also known as calcitriol.

LOW LEVELS OF VITAMIN D LEADS TO POOR CALCIUM ABSORPTION

  • Vitamin D is essential for promoting calcium absorption in the gut and maintaining adequate serum calcium and phosphate concentrations to enable normal mineralization of bone and prevent hypocalcemic tetany. It is also needed for bone growth and bone remodeling.
  • Without sufficient vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle, or misshapen. Vitamin D sufficiency prevents rickets in children and osteomalacia (bone pain) in adults.
  • Together with calcium, vitamin D also helps protect older adults from osteoporosis.

VITAMIN D IS NOT JUST FOR THE BONES

  • Vitamin D has other roles in human health, including modulation of neuromuscular and immune function and reduction of inflammation.
  • Indeed clinical studies have shown the protective function ‘Vitamin D in the prevention of infectious and inflammatory conditions as well as some forms of cancer.
  • Furthermore, many expert agree that many chronic pain including Fibromyalgia pain and chronic back pain may be due to underlying Vitamin D deficiency.

MAKE SURE YOUR DOCTOR ORDERED THE RIGHT BLOOD TEST TO MEASURE VITAMIN D LEVEL

  • Serum concentration of 25- Hydroxy Vitamin D or 25(OH)D is the best indicator of vitamin D status. It reflects vitamin D produced by the skin and that obtained from food and supplements which has a fairly long circulating half-life of 15 days .
  • However, serum 25(OH)D levels do not indicate the amount of vitamin D stored in other body tissues.
  • Circulating 1,25 dihydroxy D or 1,25(OH)2D is generally not a good indicator of vitamin D status because it has a short half-life of 15 hours and serum concentrations are closely regulated by parathyroid hormone, calcium, and phosphate. Levels of 1,25(OH)2D do not typically decrease until vitamin D deficiency is severe.
  • There is considerable discussion of the serum concentrations of 25(OH)D associated with deficiency (e.g., rickets), adequacy for bone health, and optimal overall health . A concentration of <20 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL).

RETURN TO THE TOP

Read more:

Sources of Vitamin D

Groups At Risk For Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D Intake And Status

Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D and Health

Health Risks from Excessive Vitamin D

Interactions with Medications

BBC Articles: Vitamin D as Protection and/or Treatment Against SeriousIllnesses like cancer, diabetes, chronic lung problems, etc)

Vitamin D A Super Nutrient???Dr. Julian Whittaker Thinks So

Click here to view the Vitamin D3 (Cholecaliferol) products featured here.

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