Vitamin D studies 'inconsistant': doctors warn

AFP ^ | November 30, 2010 | Kerry Sheridan

[decimon]

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Vitamin D and calcium have been hailed as a possible antidote for cancer, heart disease and more, but a panel of US and Canadian doctors said Tuesday that the duo's only sure benefit is bone health.

After reviewing about 1,000 studies on the supposed links between low vitamin D levels and higher risk of serious diseases, the panel concluded that they showed inconsistent results, sometimes due to shoddy research methods.

The experts also issued new guidelines -- the first since 1997 -- for North Americans, saying people should take between 700 and 1,300 milligrams of calcium and anywhere from 600 to 800 international units of vitamin D each day.

Most people "probably don't have vitamin D deficiency, that is the first message," said Glenville Jones, a Canadian doctor who was on the 14-member committee for the US-based Institute of Medicine.

"We think there has been an exaggeration of the public's interest in vitamin D deficiency. (People) should be reassured that vitamin D deficiency is quite rare in North Americans at this point in time."

Just by eating a balanced diet and possibly taking a vitamin supplement in the winter, because sun exposure boosts vitamin D levels, most North Americans would have no difficulty meeting the recommended allotment, he said.

[decimon]

Question 1)How many people have died from a Vitamin D over dose?

I'd guess that would be few. But what amounts to an overdose seems to vary by individuals and, from what I've read, some people do overdose. By 'overdose' I mean an amount where the effects become deleterious.

[Dasaji]

"Anyone eating a balanced diet does not need supplements. Pill popping is a rather new phenomenon—humans certainly did not evolve to require nutritional supplements to survive. The only time such supplements are actually needed is when there is clearly malnutrition. We have a good food supply—most of us have never even seen someone with malnutrition."

It is also a rather new phenomenon that humans stay indoors because of "warnings" of skin cancer from the Bad Sun. Or they slather themselves in chemicals (all over the body's largest organ) to "prevent" the sun's rays from penetrating skin. . .this absolutely leads to a Vit. D deficiency.

Add to this (recent phenom) the nutritional depletion in just about all of the foods we purchase from the grocery store shelves...soil depletion and better-living-thru-chemistry has turned the food supply into a toxic soup. Think the body doesn't need some extra help through supplementation to overcome the effects?

There's enough clinical and experiential data out there showing the benefits of increased Vit. D supplementation in higher doses than the gov't's RDA of a miniscule 400IU per day.

"Mal"nutrition comes in many forms - not just starving Ethiopian children. . .we see it EVERYDAY in the form of the increase of degenerative disease.

[Sprite518]

I like what you wrote, but the soil is not rich in minerals like it use to be.

[Sprite518]

You can check the poison center. That is where it would fall under. I already know the answer to both.

1) Zero
2) Over 100,000 annually.

This is real simple. Follow the money. There is BIG money in pharmaceuticals compared to the Vitamin industry. No comparison what so ever. Look how much the average multi vitamin, or even Vitamin D. Compare that to the average cost of a pharmaceutical drug.

[Logic n' Reason]

1) I have not been sick in over 3 years. Not even so much as a cold.
2) I no longer get my annual allergies in the Spring that I use to get every year since I was 12.
3) My eczema is gone.
4) I use to have chest pains. They are all gone.
5) I find myself very energized and alert.

OK....what exactly are you taking and in what quantities? How old are you now? Do you have any "genetic" issues?

I'd really like to know.

[exDemMom]

We don’t need to define a balanced diet, nor do I think it is possible.

You can tell for yourself whether you are eating properly or not. First of all, your body, if you know how to listen to it, gives signals that direct your food choices.

Obviously, someone who eats only celery every day is not consuming a balanced diet. Someone who eats a variety of foods every day is.

[Sprite518]

Sure I take the following,

1) Flaxseed Oil ( I purchased it liquid form only and keep it in the fridge)

2) Fish Oil ( Most people do not, but you need to put it in your Fridge)

3) Multivitamin

4) B6

5) B complex (I know it has B6 in it but not enough)

6) C

7) E Multi-Tocopherol (Most stores only sell the Alpha. You also need the Beta, Gamma and Delta Tecopherols too)

8) Magnesium

9) Orderless Garlic Gel pills

10) Ginkgo Bilba

I take 3/4 of them after my first meal of the day and the remaining 1/4 after my last meal. Time to take all these pills through out the day. Maybe 10 minutes total.

It’s a lot, but many of the foods we eat do not have the proper vitamins and minerals we need. That is another debate. Thus, why I take supplements.

[bert]

Amen....

The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Flu season is coming...... I’m protected with Vitamin D

[Sprite518]

Regarding the genetics issue. My grandfather was a diabetic. I am not so far.

[oh8eleven]

links between low vitamin D levels and higher risk of serious diseases
After 25-30 years of the 'gubmint scaring mothers into smearing their children with sunblock every time they walk out the door, this is the end result.
Of course we also have two generations of children who are so busy with their computer games, they don't even go out.

[Logic n' Reason]

If I may be so “indelicate”....age?? And gender?

[Stalwart]

What research I could find surmises that little of the vitamin D stored in fat does not enter the bloodstream during say, weight loss. Rather, the D stored in fat gets excreted in the bile, and is gone.

That’s the theory, anyway, based on study of fat metabolism and tested D levels.

[palmer]

Every now and then you should take a few days off without supplements, give your body a break.

[Stalwart]

Sorry, bobbled that reply.

Little amounts of D enter the bloodstream from fat stores during weight loss, meant to say.

[Liberty Ship]

Have you forgotten the prevalence of goiters prior to iodine supplementation?

And how about rickets prior to Vitamin D supplementation?

Vitamin D RDA’s were developed to stop rickets and rickets only. To that extent, it was short sighted. And Vitamin D deficiency, while it can be corrected with “pill popping,” is not a matter of eating a “balanced diet.” It is a matter of latitude and living indoors.

I see people with what I call sub-clinical malnutrition every day. You can be fat and malnourished.

[Sprite518]

40 male

[Sprite518]

I do that.

[Ditter]

Good for you! I am 70 and have very few health issues other than allergies. If I could lose 30 pounds I probably would not have to take this blood pressure pill which is the only prescription drug I take. A year ago my doctor said I was low normal for Vit. D and put me on 1000 units a day. I can't tell that it has done anything but I still take it.

[decimon]

Little amounts of D enter the bloodstream from fat stores during weight loss, meant to say.

Thanks. I don't think all possible situations can be considered so I supplement.

[Sprite518]

Thanks for the support. Just increase your water intake a day up to half your body weight in ounces. Oh and be sure to do about 1/4 to 1/2 a teaspoon of Sea Salt every 32 ozs. That way you do not hurt your kidneys. That should help you with your weight. Initially you may pee a lot. Oh and stay away from soda, tea and caffeine. I still have to have my cup of coffee in the Morning, but I couter it with 16 ozs of water to zero out my PH level.