Vitamin D facts

"The average person needs 2000 IU of Vitamin D a day"

-- Dr. Michael Holi-- Dr. Michael Holick, Professor of medicine and physiology at the Boston University School of Medicine and a pioneer in the study of Vitamin D

Human skin manufactures vitamin D from exposure to sunlight. Those who live in Southern hemisphere benefit from more exposure to sun, but new findings indicate that even Southerners may not get enough of this necessary vitamin throughout the year. Because the body does not manufacture vitamin D when needed, it must be obtained from sunlight or from food sources that most people do not eat.

In addition to the well-known benefits to our bones of Vitamin D, remarkable new findings show that many common diseases could be easily prevented with adequate intake of Vitamin D.

A recent article in Science News states,

"Over the past decade and especially the past 5 years, research has linked a broad range of additional benefits to having ample vitamin D. It's shown that the nutrient fights cancers and diabetes, is the pivotal feedstock for a hormone that protects muscle, and inhibits autoimmune disorders from multiple sclerosis and lupus to inflammatory bowel disease".


  DO YOU KNOW THESE FACTS ABOUT VITAMIN D?

  • Vitamin D affects Bone health AND Cellular health AND Cancer risk
  • Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is the preferred form since it is more readily absorbed than vitamin D2.
  • People with dark skin need almost twice as much sun as those with lighter skin to obtain the same amount of vitamin D
  • D prevents rickets in children
  • Ice Cream, yogurt and cheese do not contain any vitamin D. Very few commonly consumed foods are natural sources of Vitamin D
  • The average multi-vitamin does not meet physician recommended amounts of Vitamin D
  • Sunscreen higher than spf 8 blocks vitamin D by up to 95%
  • Dermatologists are now recommending supplementation of D with use of sunscreen
  • Infants fed only breast milk are low in Vitamin D
  • D promotes a healthy immune system
  • A decrease in outdoor activities in today's adolescents creates a Vitamin D deficiency
  • Boys & Girls ages 9-17 deposit 50% Calcium in their bones. Vitamin D is essential to efficiently utilize dietary calcium.
  • 40 to 60% of aging Americans are deficient in Vitamin D, contributing to brittle bones and osteoporosis. In adults, vitamin D malnutrition can lead to osteomalacia, which results in muscular weakness in addition to weak bones.
  • D3 is activated in the liver and kidneys. Activated vitamin D inhibits Cancer.
  • As people age, skin cannot synthesize vitamin D as efficiently and the kidney is less able to convert vitamin D to its active hormone form
  • To maximize bone and cellular health, elderly folks 70+ years of age need at least 1000 IU of D3 (cholecalciferol) per day to offset low sun exposure and maintain circulating concentrations of vitamin D.
  • obesity is a contributing factor to deficiency, requiring double dosage

Common foods containing vitamin D International
Units(IU)
per serving		 Percent Daily Value per serving*
Cod liver oil, 1 Tablespoon 1,360 340
Salmon, cooked, 3½ ounces 360 90
Mackerel, cooked, 3½ ounces 345 90
Tuna fish, canned in oil, 3 ounces 200 50
Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 1¾ ounces 250 70
Milk, nonfat, reduced fat, and whole, vitamin D fortified,
1 cup 		98 25
Margarine, fortified, 1 Tablespoon 60 15
Pudding, prepared from mix and made with vitamin D fortified milk, ½ cup 50 10
Ready-to-eat cereals fortified with 10% of the DV for vitamin D, ¾ cup to 1 cup servings (servings vary according to the brand) 40 10
Egg, 1 whole (vitamin D is found in egg yolk) 20 6
Liver, beef, cooked, 3½ ounces 15 4
Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce 12 4

Research Reprinted from Wikipedia:

The U.S. DRI Tolerable Upper Intake Level of vitamin D for children and adults is 50 micrograms (2,400 IU) per day. The exact long-term safe dose of vitamin D is not entirely known, but dosages up to 2,400 IU/day in healthy adults are believed to be safe.

In 2005, scientists released a study which demonstrated a beneficial correlation between vitamin D intake and prevention of cancer. Drawing from a meta-analysis of 63 published reports, the authors showed that intake of an additional 1,000 international units (IU) of D daily reduced an individual's colon cancer risk by 50% and breast and ovarian cancer risks by 30%. Research has also shown a beneficial effect of high levels of calcitriol on patients with advanced prostate cancerving 1,200 women, published in April 2007, reports that vitamin D supplementation resulted in a 6% reduction in cancer incidence, during a four-year clinical trial.

Research has linked Vitamin D deficiency to colon cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes, heart disease, auto immune disease, SAD & osteoporosis.

†Statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Statements are not intended to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any disease.
Back to Directory My Cart