Posted on 10/26/2009 4:21:40 AM PDT by decimon
CHICAGO – At least one in five U.S. children aged 1 to 11 don't get enough vitamin D and could be at risk for a variety of health problems including weak bones, the most recent national analysis suggests.
By a looser measure, almost 90 percent of black children that age and 80 percent of Hispanic kids could be vitamin D deficient — "astounding numbers" that should serve as a call to action, said Dr. Jonathan Mansbach, lead author of the new analysis and a researcher at Harvard Medical School and Children's Hospital in Boston.
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The body also makes vitamin D when sunlight hits the skin, but many children don't spend enough time outdoors. That's one reason why lower vitamin D levels are found in children living in colder climates and those with darker skin, which absorbs less sunlight.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
W&MHH.
Sad to say, I had the same thoughts. This is necessary information but it's disheartening to think where it may go.
I hate to be the guy who ALWAYS says get away from the TV and step outside. Run, jump, chase the other little rug rats around, enjoy the sunshine.
Man - its amazing this dumb stuff
I’ve often said there’s nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse. - Ronald Reagan
Here is some food for thought:
* In 2006, Dr. John Cannell (Staff Psychiatrist at Atascadero State Hospital, California) and colleagues published a paper showing evidence that lower vitamin D blood levels during the winter can account for the increased transmissibility of the influenza virus among children and adults. Studies have proven that Vitamin D stimulates the immune system and disease-fighting cells, called macrophages and T cells. The cells create proteins that have antiviral and antimicrobial properties. Further, we know that macrophages and T cells have vitamin D receptors (VDRs) on them, enhancing their functions.
Dr. Cannell noted that patients in his psychiatric ward who took 2,000 IU of Vitamin D did not get the flu, while the patients in other wards (who did not take Vitamin D) did. The patients intermingled with each other so cross exposure was certain. The study demonstrated that Vitamin D supplementation could prevent one from developing the flu.
A generation of “go-too-far” parents who have kept kids out of the sunshine because of menanoma fears. (Well, that and video games that are more fun than actually playing outside. Virtual dodgeball, anyone?)
Dr. Cannell has been pushing 5,000 IU as a ‘threshold’ amount for adults. It should be mentioned that Cannell has a financial interest in selling vitamin D through Purity Products. Nothing wrong with that but it should be mentioned.
But...but...but....I thought MSM (Main Stream Medicine) said that vitamin supplements were a waste of money. I’m confused.
But I’ve been taking 6000 IU D3/day for years now. And, yes, in my opinion, all disorders associated with vitamin D deficiency — and there are MANY — should be considered iatrogenic in nature. Between MSM’s terrifying people about the “risks” of taking more than 400IU as supplements, and their terrifying people about the risks of sun exposure, all Vitamin D associated disease can be laid at the feet of the FDA, AMA, and MSM.
darker skin absorbs less sunlight???
20 minutes in the sun will give a person the 5000 IU’s of vitamin D that’s required.
Now all that needs to be done is develop a television that can be seen outside in direct sunlight and put the playstation, XBox, or nintendo in the backyard. LOL
I was flipping channels a couple of weeks ago and caught a lecture done by a Phd from UCLA on their "Universityhouse" channel on Dish Network. This prof delved into and discussed six Vitamin D deficiency studies that showed links to not only immune system function, but several types of cancer, Type 1 diabetes and MS. The case was very well presented. The gist of the discussion was that humans need to get their Vitamin D blood serum levels up to 40-60 ug/ml, which is way above the current recommended daily amount.
As a redhead who has already spent way too much time in the sun I tend to avoid direct exposure if at all possible. I don't drink a lot of milk, so I started taking 2000 IU's of Vitamin D the next day. I'm going to have a blood test done in six weeks or so and see how my Vitamin D levels are looking.
In my medical career, I have had the opportunity to care for several patients who were intoxicated with fat-soluble vitamins, two with Vitamin A and two with Vitamin D. In only one was the intoxication not iatrogenic and she died.
The two patients with hypervitaminosis D both survived, however they were very ill for weeks.
I’d really rather not go there again, thank you.
From all I've read, yes.
And older skin. The story is that skin becomes less efficient at producing vitamin D from the sun as it becomes older. Skin covering a body, that is.
The summer sun, with enough skin exposed. I think it's NIH.gov with the info that, on the east coast, from Boston and up, for at least four months, Nov. through Feb., sunlight will produce no vitamin D in humans.
Did that need more commas?
Say it ain't so, Joe.
A little more info, por favor. What was the source of the vitamin D? If the source was through supplement then why do sunbathers not suffer the same?
I get skin cancer. My doc advised me to stay out of the sun for the rest of my life. He said that vitamin D was important and I need to force it, and I told him I take multivitamins he said “Wah, you need way, way more than that”.
CholeraJoe,
Could you share with us what the symptoms of vitamin D overdose are? Also, what was the level of supplementation your patients were taking, and for how long? Was it viatmin D3? And where did the 25-hydroxy test when the toxicity was diagnosed? Thanks,
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