Search for Supplements
Earl Mindell's Vitamin Bible for the 21st Century
Vitamins and Minerals
The A-Z Guide to Drug-Herb and Vitamin Interactions
Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements : The Essential Guide for Improving Your Health Naturally
Lack
of Vitamin D Linked to Pain
Mayo Clinic Proceedings Vitamin D Deficiency as a Contributor to Multiple Forms
of Chronic Pain
Wonder pill. Really. - Los Angeles Times
How The Sunshine Vitamin Zaps Disease
ScienceDaily: Vitamin D May Cut Pancreatic Cancer Risk By Nearly Half
Vitamin D Council | Understanding
Vitamin D Cholecalciferol
Vitamin D:
What's Enough?: Science News Online, Oct. 16, 2004
Vitamin
D Newsletter Jun-Jul | Is Vitamin D An Antibiotic? |
The two types used for nutritional supplementation are secosterols
ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) which is derived from fungal and
plant sources and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3), derived from
animal sources.
Vitamin D is the principal
regulator of calcium in the body. It enhances the efficiency of calcium
absorption, and, to a much lesser extent, phosphorus absorption.
Vitamin D also plays a role in the immune system and in blood cell
formation. A deficiency is characterized by demineralization of the
skeleton.
Sources of Vitamin D
Most vitamin D intake from foods comes from fortified foods such as milk
products and breakfast cereals. Foods that naturally contain vitamin D include fish and fish liver oils (like cod liver oil). Vitamin D can be produced in our bodies by the action of sunlight on
7-dehydrocholesterol (a compound in the body that can be manufactured from
cholesterol).
Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and therefore its absorption is
adversely affected in those with malabsorption disorders such as Crohn's
disease. Those with
chronic liver disease, cystic fibrosis, Crohn's disease, diabetes, Whipple's disease
and sprue are prone to vitamin D deficiency. Those with reduced exposure
to the sun or who use sunscreen are also at risk.
Vitamin D, diabetes and blood
sugar
Vitamin D supplementation is associated with a decreased
risk of type 1 diabetes. In a study of 10,366 children, vitamin D
supplementation decreased the frequency of type 1 diabetes.4
In several studies that we reviewed, a high percentage of
diabetic's and subjects at risk for diabetes were low in Vitamin D.
Low vitamin D is associated with insulin resistance.5.
In a study of 171 subjects who were ‘at-risk’ for
diabetes, 47% were vitamin D deficient. Glucose tolerance and
insulin secretion were directly related to vitamin D in those with low
vitamin D but not in those with normal vitamin D levels.
It was shown that Vitamin D treatment prevented worsening
of glucose tolerance and reduced insulin resistance.6
Another study suggests that vitamin D3 deficiency may at
least partly contribute to the impairment of insulin secretion and
probably of insulin action.7 This
study and others suggest that vitamin D supplementation (in those that are
deficient) is shown to be helpful in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Osteoporosis and Vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiency in adults can lead to osteoporosis.
In one study that used vitamin D alone, supplementation with vitamin D
was shown to reduce hip fractures by 60%. 1
Rickets & Osteomalcia
Vitamin D deficiency causes demineralization of the skeleton and inadequate mineralization of the skeleton is the cause of rickets in
children and osteomalcia (soft bones) in adults.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and Vitamin D
A study conducted by the University of Minnesota, shows a link between
musculoskeletal pain and vitamin D deficiency.
Undetermined Musculoskeletal Pain? Check Your Vitamin D Levels
[Fibromyalgia News]
Some doctor's feel that Vitamin D deficiency is often
misdiagnosed.
Vitamin D Deficiency: Common Cause of Many Ailments?
"A lot of people with aches and pains and marginal weakness
could be helped by vitamin D supplements," said Dr. Paresh Dandona of the
State University of New York at Buffalo who reported the first five cases
of vitamin D deficient myopathy three years ago."
Vitamin D is Key: Deficiency Linked to Chronic Diseases (Fibromyalgia &
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome News)
According to Dr. Teitelbaum, Vitamin D deficiency has been
implicated in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Please see the link below:
Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients: Simplifying nutritional
support in CFS/Fibromyalgia. (Highly Effective Treatments for Pain and
Fatigue).
Obesity and Vitamin D Defeciency
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked with obesity.8
Some speculate that those who are obese are more likely to be deficient
because obesity appears to alter the body's ability to produce vitamin D
in the skin and to absorb it through the intestines. Others think
that Obesity decreases bioavailability of vitamin D(3) because it is
deposited in body fat where it is unavailable for use.
The Marshall Protocol and Vitamin D
The Marshall Protocol was developed to treat sarcoidosis.
Part of the treatment is to avoid all forms of vitamin D, including the
sun. According to the theory, reducing 1,25-D makes it harder for
bacteria to slip in and out of the cells they have infected. For
further reading see:
Dr. Marshall's
Interview at ImmuneSupport.com 07-06-04
The Marshall Protocol -- simple explanations - ESSENTIAL INFORMATION ABOUT
THE MP
Warnings:
An overdose of vitamin D can be toxic with serious side effects.
Vitamin D is contraindicated in those with hypercalcemia and in those with
hypersensitivity to any component of a vitamin D containing product.
Patients with sarcoidosis or hyperparathyroidism should not take vitamin D
without consulting with their physician.
Interactions
Supplemental vitamin D should be used cautiously in those on digoxin or
any cardiac glycoside. Concomitant use of thiazides and pharmacologic
doses of vitamin D may cause hypercalcemia in some. Vitamin D may
interfere with the effectivness of Verapamil. People taking Verapamil should ask their prescribing doctor or a nutritionally oriented
doctor before using vitamin D containing supplements.2
Anticonvulsant
drug therapy can interfere with vitamin D activity as can Isoniazid, an
antibiotic used to prevent and treat tuberculosis. Steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs and heparin and Cimetidine may reduce the body's
ability to activate vitamin D. Bile acid sequestrants (Cholestryamine,
Questran; Colestipol, Colestid) may prevent absorption of fat soluble
vitamins such as vitamin D. Doctors can measure levels of activated
vitamin D (called 1.25 dihydroxycholecalciferol) to determine whether a
deficiency exists.2
Before taking any supplements, consult with your
health care provider. This information is not intended
to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. We do not accept
any responsibility for the accuracy of the information or the consequences
arising from the application, use, or misuse of any of the information
contained herein.
References
1. B. Dawson-Hughs et al.,
"Rates of Bone Loss in Postmenopausal Women Randomly Assigned to One of
Two Dosages of Vitamin D",
Am J. Clin Nutr 61 (1995): 1140-45
2. Schuyler W. Liniger, Jr. DC, editor in chief, Alan R. Gaby MD, Steve
Austin ND, Forrest Batz PharmD, Eric Yarnell ND, Donald J. Brown ND,
George Constantine RPh, PHD
"A-Z guide to drug-herb-vitamin interactions",
pg. 17, 28, 47, 61,108, 118
3. Skye W. Liniger, DC, editor in chief, Alan R. Gaby MD, Steve
Austin ND, Donald J. Brown ND
"The Natural Pharmacy",
pg. 219
4. Hypponen E, Laara E, Reunanen A, Jarvelin MR, Virtanen SM.,
"Intake of vitamin D and risk of type 1 diabetes: a birth-cohort study.",
Lancet. 2001 Nov 3;358(9292):1500-3.
Entrez PubMed
5.Chiu KC, Chu A, Go VL, Saad MF., "Hypovitaminosis D is associated with
insulin resistance and beta cell dysfunction.", Am J Clin Nutr. 2004
May;79(5):820-5.
Entrez PubMed
6. Dr Barbara Boucher, "Vitamin D deficiency in the aetiology
of diabetes: repletion with Vitamin D as a measure for prevention of
non-insulin dependent diabetes." 29 June 2000
Research Findings
Register: summary number 190
7. Borissova AM, Tankova T, Kirilov G, Dakovska L, Kovacheva R.,
"The effect of vitamin D3 on insulin secretion and peripheral insulin
sensitivity in type 2 diabetic patients.", Int J Clin Pract. 2003
May;57(4):258-61.
Entrez PubMed
8. Snijder MB, van Dam RM, Visser M, Deeg DJ, Dekker JM, Bouter LM,
Seidell JC, Lips P., "Adiposity in relation to vitamin D status and
parathyroid hormone levels a population-based study in older men and
women.", J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005 Apr 26; [Epub ahead of print]
Entrez PubMed
9. Wortsman J, Matsuoka LY, Chen TC, Lu Z, Holick MF., "Decreased
bioavailability of vitamin D in obesity.", J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005
Apr 26; [Epub ahead of print]
Entrez PubMed
|
