It’s Summer. Are you hiding from the sun? If so, you are missing out on the all important nutrient Vitamin D which has been so much in the news lately.
It is critical to maintaining good health and can be very helpful in healing a variety of ailments. Perhaps then, you should be at least as afraid of Vitamin D deficiency as you are of getting some good sunshine. Herein, a primer: everything you always wanted to know about what Vitamin D can do for you. Following the riveting post on Child Abuse? or Vitamin D Deficiency Rickets, we offer a guide to using Vitamin D. Courtesy of the Vitamin D Council.
This is a very long newsletter. I will answer questions about oil versus water-soluble Vitamin D, depression, mental clarity, malignant melanoma, Crohn’s disease, an imagist poet, multiple sclerosis, sun-exposure, high-intensity red light and collagen repair in the skin, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, influenza, the 1918 influenza pandemic, statins, the new Food and Nutrition Board, thyroid disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, athletes, the upcoming 14th Vitamin D Workshop, prostate cancer, the wrong blood test, pregnancy, autism, Alzheimer’s disease, soap and sebum, asthma, sleep, the co-factors vitamin D needs to work (all contained in spinach), and—my favorite—UVC light and Vitamin D.
Here are the questions. All questions have been edited for clarity, spelling, grammar, brevity, and privacy.
What Type of Vitamin D3?
Dr. Cannell: I am confused as to what type of vitamin D3 to use. I am currently using the dry powder tablet, but I have read that oil-based D3 is better and the dry is of no value at all because it is hard to absorb. Can you just clear this up for me? Andrew, Arizona
Water-soluble dry vitamin D absorbs just fine unless you have bowel disease with steatorrea (fat malabsorption) and then no oral products work very well. I am unaware of any controlled head-to-head absorption studies on the effectiveness of water versus fat-soluble vitamin D. If anyone knows of such a study, let me know. If you are concerned about absorption, take the vitamin D with a meal, although I am unaware this improves absorption.
Mental Clarity, Improved Mood, Fewer Colds and Flu
Dr. Cannell: I wanted to thank you for your informative website! I have told many of my friends and colleagues at work about your website and how Vitamin D is so important to us all. At least 10 of my colleagues have started on Vitamin D thanks to your website and my prodding them! After I started the D, I noticed that I felt better mentally…the people that I have mentioned Vitamin D to, including my daughter, have all told me the same thing.
Three months ago, I started 5,000 a day but have upped it to 10,000 a day a month ago, due to my age and weight, which is 330 lbs. I could not get my doctor to test, so I ordered the Vitamin D Council’s 25(OH)D lab test. That was really neat. I must tell you, without fail, I usually get a cold of some sort every winter, and even sometimes in the summer. In my profession, that is not good…I sing professionally, so colds and flu are not welcomed. I have not had a cold or sore throat; it has to be the Vitamin D as there is nothing else that I have changed in my routine. Many of my colleagues here have had the flu or a repeated bad colds/sore throats this season, and have had to cancel some of their performances, but not me!! This is the first time in many years that I have been free of a cold/flu. I don’t take flu shots. Peter, New York
Thank you. Mental clarity, improved mood, and reduction in colds and flu are one of the more immediate consequences (3–4 months) of adequate vitamin D supplementation (5,000 IU/day). Because tremendous genetic variation exists in how one metabolizes vitamin D, a 25(OH)D blood test is crucial. I recommend people save money by not ordering a 25(OH)D blood test until you have been on 5,000 IU/day for 3–4 months.
We are selling in-home vitamin D tests because some doctors refuse to order the 25(OH)D blood test. If they do order it, they often order a 1,25-vitamin D, the wrong test. Everyone should get copies of their vitamin D blood tests and make sure they say 25-hydroxy-vitamin D and not 1, 25-dihydroxy-vitamin D. Even if the doctor orders the right test, 25(OH)D, many do not know how to interpret it, another reason to get a copy of the actual lab report. Acceptable levels of 25(OH)D are 50–90 ng/mL (125–225 nmol/L) .
The cost of the correct test through your doctor may be substantial, one or two doctor visits plus the cost of the test. For that reason, the Vitamin D Council offers an accurate, in-home Vitamin D test, the correct test, used in-home, with accurate reporting of results. The cost is usually much lower than going to the doctor, unless you have good insurance. Even if you go to the doctor, the other problems remain. The Vitamin D Council receives a $10.00 donation for each test ordered and that helps us out a lot. Those who want to help can do so, by telling friends and family about the test. For further information about the test please see Am I Vitamin D Deficient?
Crohn’s Disease: Better Results With Tanning Bed?
There is much more to this post. CONTINUE READING
LEARN MORE!
The following books will facilitate your further study of this important subject. The more information you have, the more you can do for your own health and that of your loved ones!
The Vitamin D Revolution: How the Power of This Amazing Vitamin Can Change Your Life
Vitamin D Prescription: The Healing Power of the Sun & How It Can Save Your Life
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