D-fense! - tanTALK

eileen · 06-17-2008, 10:01 PM

June 17, 2008

D-fense!

Are you getting your daily dose of Vitamin D from the sun and other sources?

By Barb Berggoetz
barb.berggoetz@indystar.com Chances are pretty good that you aren't getting enough vitamin D, the "sunshine vitamin" that's getting a new nickname -- wonder drug.
Sixty percent of the population is deficient, estimates the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For the elderly, it's seven out of 10. For dark-skinned people, it's a whopping nine out of 10.
So is this a big deal? It could very well be.
A growing legion of studies has found that this vitamin, known for helping to build strong bones, could also play a significant role in warding off some cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, arthritis and other autoimmune conditions, and even boost longevity.
That sounds like a powerful punch for a mere vitamin.
But vitamin D is different. It's actually a steroid hormone that relays chemical messages in the body, which no other vitamin does. For example, it signals the intestines to absorb calcium from foods.
Health experts, though, disagree on how much people need daily. How much vitamin D you should get from the sun or tanning beds is hotly debated, too. The skin makes vitamin D when exposed to ultraviolet B rays. But many people lack vitamin D -- especially in the winter -- because of spending less time outdoors and using sunscreen to lessen the risk of skin cancer.
Among other health researchers, Dr. James E. Dowd, author of "The Vitamin D Cure," is beating the drum to increase government-recommended levels of vitamin D and get more people to boost their intake through supplements, sunlight and the right food.
"Evidence is convincing (that) this is an important molecule we need to pay a lot of attention to," says Dowd, a pediatric rheumatologist and associate professor of medicine at Michigan State University. "Evidence is also convincing (that) most of the American public is short on vitamin D."
Not everyone shares his zeal for the powers of vitamin D.
"I don't think vitamin D is some miracle drug," says Dr. Juanita Albright, an internal medicine physician at St. Vincent Primary Care Network. "It's important to take a supplement, but taking super dosages isn't a cure-all for a lot of things.
It's undisputed that not getting enough vitamin D leads to rickets in children and often creates low calcium levels, which can cause osteoporosis. What researchers are more excited about now is its other health benefits, such as deterring cancer growth by stopping out-of-control cell division. Higher blood levels of vitamin D have been linked to lower rates of prostate, breast and colon cancers, too.
To gain these greater health benefits, experts say, vitamin D levels need to be much higher than current recommended daily levels, which are 200 IU for up to age 50, 400 IU for ages 51 to 70 and 600 IU for older persons. Some, including Albright, say not enough large studies have been done yet to merit higher dosages.
How much vitamin D is enough? A growing number of experts say 800 to 1,000 IU would not only strengthen bones but offer health benefits, such as lowering cancer risk.
Dowd and other experts go even further by saying that the general population probably needs 2,000 IU a day. Some people need even more, depending on their weight and other risk factors.
But you can't get nearly that amount from food, and you'd have to take many supplements to reach high levels. Few food sources, other than salmon, tuna and other oily fish, have significant levels. A 3.5-ounce serving of salmon has 360 IU, and an 8-ounce glass of milk has 100 IU.
While supplements are good, Dowd also supports limited sun exposure without sunscreen, but it needs to be when the sun's rays are hot enough to allow the skin to make vitamin D. He created a formula, based on the sun's UV index and skin type, to determine what he considers safe exposure levels (www.thevitamindcure.com).
That doesn't fly with Dr. Lawrence Mark, a dermatologist at the Indiana University School of Medicine and dermatology chief at Wishard Health Services.
"I see so much skin cancer on a daily basis, and people who die of it," Mark says.
He's among doctors who say people get enough casual exposure to sun -- and vitamin D production -- during 10 to 15 minutes a day going to work or doing errands. At other times, Mark says, people should use sunscreen with at least SPF 15. He doesn't recommend using tanning booths and believes people can become addicted to tanning.
Indoor Tanning Association spokesman Sarah Longwell says scary rhetoric like that ultimately harms people because they avoid the sun and don't get enough vitamin D.
"We preach a message of moderation," said Longwell. Her group recently bought major newspaper and TV ads to "help crack the myth that all sun exposure is bad."
An average of 15 to 20 minutes of sunshine without sunscreen a few times a week or 5 to 7 minutes in a tanning bed two to three times a week is enough to get adequate vitamin D, she says.
But it's hard for Dr. Cathy Yoder to advise patients to get unprotected sun exposure. She recognizes, though, that using sunscreen is largely why many don't get enough vitamin D.
The safer remedy, said Yoder, who practices at the Southside Family Medical Group, is using supplements, up to 800 IU daily for post-menopausal women. While she's not ready to back higher dosages, partly due to potential side effects, Yoder says preliminary data on its cancer impact is "very encouraging."
Dowd, though, has seen enough. He says vitamin D could save millions of lives and lower health-care costs. "It might be the most potent cancer-fighting drug we've ever discovered," he said.

SOURCE LINK: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...plate=printart

06-17-2008, 10:01 PM	#1 (permalink)
eileen Join Date: Feb 10 2005 Posts: 8,304 Rep Power: 35	D-fense! June 17, 2008 D-fense! Are you getting your daily dose of Vitamin D from the sun and other sources? By Barb Berggoetz barb.berggoetz@indystar.com Chances are pretty good that you aren't getting enough vitamin D, the "sunshine vitamin" that's getting a new nickname -- wonder drug. Sixty percent of the population is deficient, estimates the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For the elderly, it's seven out of 10. For dark-skinned people, it's a whopping nine out of 10. So is this a big deal? It could very well be. A growing legion of studies has found that this vitamin, known for helping to build strong bones, could also play a significant role in warding off some cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, arthritis and other autoimmune conditions, and even boost longevity. That sounds like a powerful punch for a mere vitamin. But vitamin D is different. It's actually a steroid hormone that relays chemical messages in the body, which no other vitamin does. For example, it signals the intestines to absorb calcium from foods. Health experts, though, disagree on how much people need daily. How much vitamin D you should get from the sun or tanning beds is hotly debated, too. The skin makes vitamin D when exposed to ultraviolet B rays. But many people lack vitamin D -- especially in the winter -- because of spending less time outdoors and using sunscreen to lessen the risk of skin cancer. Among other health researchers, Dr. James E. Dowd, author of "The Vitamin D Cure," is beating the drum to increase government-recommended levels of vitamin D and get more people to boost their intake through supplements, sunlight and the right food. "Evidence is convincing (that) this is an important molecule we need to pay a lot of attention to," says Dowd, a pediatric rheumatologist and associate professor of medicine at Michigan State University. "Evidence is also convincing (that) most of the American public is short on vitamin D." Not everyone shares his zeal for the powers of vitamin D. "I don't think vitamin D is some miracle drug," says Dr. Juanita Albright, an internal medicine physician at St. Vincent Primary Care Network. "It's important to take a supplement, but taking super dosages isn't a cure-all for a lot of things. It's undisputed that not getting enough vitamin D leads to rickets in children and often creates low calcium levels, which can cause osteoporosis. What researchers are more excited about now is its other health benefits, such as deterring cancer growth by stopping out-of-control cell division. Higher blood levels of vitamin D have been linked to lower rates of prostate, breast and colon cancers, too. To gain these greater health benefits, experts say, vitamin D levels need to be much higher than current recommended daily levels, which are 200 IU for up to age 50, 400 IU for ages 51 to 70 and 600 IU for older persons. Some, including Albright, say not enough large studies have been done yet to merit higher dosages. How much vitamin D is enough? A growing number of experts say 800 to 1,000 IU would not only strengthen bones but offer health benefits, such as lowering cancer risk. Dowd and other experts go even further by saying that the general population probably needs 2,000 IU a day. Some people need even more, depending on their weight and other risk factors. But you can't get nearly that amount from food, and you'd have to take many supplements to reach high levels. Few food sources, other than salmon, tuna and other oily fish, have significant levels. A 3.5-ounce serving of salmon has 360 IU, and an 8-ounce glass of milk has 100 IU. While supplements are good, Dowd also supports limited sun exposure without sunscreen, but it needs to be when the sun's rays are hot enough to allow the skin to make vitamin D. He created a formula, based on the sun's UV index and skin type, to determine what he considers safe exposure levels (www.thevitamindcure.com). That doesn't fly with Dr. Lawrence Mark, a dermatologist at the Indiana University School of Medicine and dermatology chief at Wishard Health Services. "I see so much skin cancer on a daily basis, and people who die of it," Mark says. He's among doctors who say people get enough casual exposure to sun -- and vitamin D production -- during 10 to 15 minutes a day going to work or doing errands. At other times, Mark says, people should use sunscreen with at least SPF 15. He doesn't recommend using tanning booths and believes people can become addicted to tanning. Indoor Tanning Association spokesman Sarah Longwell says scary rhetoric like that ultimately harms people because they avoid the sun and don't get enough vitamin D. "We preach a message of moderation," said Longwell. Her group recently bought major newspaper and TV ads to "help crack the myth that all sun exposure is bad." An average of 15 to 20 minutes of sunshine without sunscreen a few times a week or 5 to 7 minutes in a tanning bed two to three times a week is enough to get adequate vitamin D, she says. But it's hard for Dr. Cathy Yoder to advise patients to get unprotected sun exposure. She recognizes, though, that using sunscreen is largely why many don't get enough vitamin D. The safer remedy, said Yoder, who practices at the Southside Family Medical Group, is using supplements, up to 800 IU daily for post-menopausal women. While she's not ready to back higher dosages, partly due to potential side effects, Yoder says preliminary data on its cancer impact is "very encouraging." Dowd, though, has seen enough. He says vitamin D could save millions of lives and lower health-care costs. "It might be the most potent cancer-fighting drug we've ever discovered," he said. SOURCE LINK: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...plate=printart __________________ "under exposure to UV rays is as dangerous as overexposure....this is D life" eileen

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