Vitamin D--The Sunshine Vitamin

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Vitamin D is a very stable fat soluble vitamin. Like other fat soluble vitamins, the body is capable of storing Vitamin D for later use. Because it is stable, it is not broken down during food preparation or exposure to heat sources.

Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and this in turn helps keep bones strong and less prone to breaks and brittleness. Ample amounts of Vitamin D greatly reduce the risks of developing osteoporosis and joint damage. It can slow down the effects of arthritis and keep back pain under control. Vitamin D is also required for proper absorption of phosphorus.

Vitamin D is currently being studied as an effective way to protect the body against colorectal cancer and the development of certain types of autoimmune diseases. Early results are promising.

Vitamin D promotes the body's absorption of calcium, which is essential for the normal development and maintenance of healthy teeth and bones. Calcium is also important to nerve cells, including the brain.

Vitamin D also helps maintain adequate blood levels of calcium and phosphorus.

When the activated form of vitamin D binds to receptors in muscle tissue, it promotes growth and strengthens muscles.

Vitamin D Deficiency

A vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteoporosis in adults or rickets in children.

Rickets, a disease thought to be under control, is beginning to appear again, especially in children who do not get sufficient quantities of Vitamin D. The primary symptoms of this disease are soft bones and bones that develop abnormally. Infants that do not get sufficient Vitamin D can develop a condition in which bones do not harden. This results in bowed legs, stunted growth and a lot of pain.

In later stages of life, insufficient levels of Vitamin D can cause osteoporosis, a condition in which bones become weak and fracture easily. Since Vitamin D is absorbed in the small intestines, diseases in the gall bladder, liver, intestines and the pancreas can impede absorption and lead to deficiencies.

Note that health-related problems can result from over-supplementation. Excessive amounts of calcium can lead to the development of kidney stones and over-calcification of teeth and bones. Calcium deposits in the arteries can cause arteries to harden.

Excessive doses of vitamin D can result in increased calcium absorption from the intestinal tract. This may cause increased calcium resorption from the bones, leading to elevated levels of calcium in the blood. Elevated blood calcium may then cause calcium deposition in soft tissues such as the heart and lungs. This can reduce their ability to function.

Kidney stones, vomiting, and muscle weakness may also occur due to the ingestion of too much vitamin D.

The best way to get the daily requirement of essential vitamins is to eat a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods from the food guide pyramid.

Specific recommendations for each vitamin depend on age, gender, and other factors (such as pregnancy).

The recommended daily intake for adults is 200-400 IU (International Units). Individuals aged 50 70 should increase their intake to 400 IU and those older than 70 should get even more, 600 IU/day. It is also suggested that breastfed babies be given a Vitamin D supplement.

A new report in the Journal of Nutrition claims that the toxicity level of vitamin D has been set arbitrarily low out of excessive caution. Dr. Reinhold Vieth states there that studies show that the current limit "... of (200 I.U.) per day is too low by at least 5-fold.

Unlike chemotherapy and radiation which kill cancer (and healthy) cells or surgery, it does not kill anything. Surprisingly, it returns cancer cells to a normal state!

Its remarkable properties have only been explored in the cancer field in the past few years. Scientists the world over say it could become the prime weapon against all cancers, that is, as the information about it filters down to physicians. For prevention it should be an easy score.

Following is a brief sampling of the scientific studies on this amazing substance:

"In conclusion, (vitamin D) is a potent modulator of the growth of cultured (colon cancer) cells." *

"We have recently determined that (vitamin D) may be involved with the (normal processes) of the ...prostate. ...(it)significantly inhibits bone cell cancer...."

"...after three weeks of treatment (in animals, vitamin D) resulted in an 88% inhibition of tumor volume, a 75% reduction in the number of new lung sites and an 85% reduction in the size of tumors in these sites." **

"In recent years however, it has become clear that .....(it) regulates cell proliferation, cell (return to normality,) and the immune system. The author***references studies, including his own which show the beneficial effects of vitamin D against prostate cancer in the journals Cancer Research, Urology Oncology, Endocrinology, etc., etc.