The Risks of Vitamin D Deficiency

I am sure that each of you is asking the same question that I have on my mind as I look out the windows of my clinic at the rain: Where is our spring?! It seems like this rain has moved in as a permanent resident, and won't be letting up for some time. In most areas of the country, people are already pulling out swim suits and digging in their bathroom closets for last year's sun screen. But for us, it's still raincoats and umbrellas for another month. Obviously, direct sunlight is in scarce supply here in the Pacific Northwest, and that presents a problem from a physiological standpoint. Aside from being almost impossible to get that natural sun-kissed glow to our skins, we also face a higher-than-normal rate of Vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamin D and your health:

Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) There has been a lot of information in the news lately regarding research into Vitamin D and its beneficial effects on the body. Everyone knows that Vitamin D is a key factor in allowing your body to bind calcium into a useful form for bone creation. But you may not realize the other benefits of Vitamin D and the health risks associated with being deficient in this powerful vitamin. Your body uses a few different forms of Vitamin D, but current research indicates that the most important form is Vitamin D3, also known as cholecalciferol. Your body's skin naturally produces this form of the vitamin through exposure to sunlight. However, studies show that only 40% of US adults are receiving adequate sunlight exposure on a daily basis to produce acceptable levels of Vitamin D. In other words, 60% of the adult population in this country is deficient in their Vitamin D levels! You're probably wondering, "Well, why do I care?" That's a good question, since Vitamin D deficiency is not something you would probably notice on a daily basis. However, aside from promoting good bone density, Vitamin D protects your body from numerous other health risks. Here are just a few:  Prevention and treatment of osteoporosis Has been shown to combat depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)—two very common conditions in the Northwest in the fall and winter months  Helps prevent and treat certain autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes type I Bolsters the immune system (something we all need now with the threat of swine flu!), and helps prevent infectious diseases such as tuberculosis Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to autism and multiple sclerosis (MS) The last point in that list is of specific interest to us here in the Northwest, and since March is national multiple sclerosis month. You may not know it, but the Pacific Northwest has the highest level of multiple sclerosis in the country. One theory behind this statistic is the lack of sun exposure for many months in the fall and winter leads to greatly diminished levels of Vitamin D in the body on a yearly basis. Numerous studies have shown that low levels of Vitamin D are associated with a higher risk of MS, and that MS sufferers generally exhibit low levels of Vitamin D. For that reason, it is believed that countries in equatorial regions have a lower level of MS due to the amount of sun exposure creating high levels of Vitamin D—especially early in life.

Increasing your Vitamin D intake with supplements:

Vitamin D is found naturally in oily fish, eggs, and butter, but most patients would rather avoid those foods for reasons of taste and cholesterol content. Your best option to effectively increase your vitamin D intake is through a daily supplement. Experts from universities, research institutes and university hospitals around the world assessed evidence from research and concluded that the public health is best served by a recommendation of higher daily intakes of Vitamin D. Changes such as increased food fortification or increasing the amount of Vitamin D in vitamin supplement products could bring about rapid and important reductions in the morbidity associated with low Vitamin D status, according to the experts. A recent review of the science resulted in the recommendation that the tolerable upper intake level for oral Vitamin D3 should be increased five-fold, from the current tolerable upper intake level in Europe and the U.S. of 2,000 International Units, equivalent to 50 micrograms per day, to 10,000 International Units (250 micrograms) per day. (The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; March 2007, volume 85, number 3, pages 649-650) If you feel that you may be suffering from a Vitamin D deficiency, our clinic offers an inexpensive means of testing to determine your current level in order to plan an appropriate rate of supplementation. Currently, most Vitamin D supplements available to the public through health stores offer between 1,000 and 2,000 IU's per pill, which means you could end up taking at least five pills a day! There are supplements available that offer a higher dosage per pill, as well as liquid forms of Vitamin D which may be easier for children. If you are interested in beginning supplementation with these types of high-dosage supplements, please contact your doctor or our clinic for evaluation and recommendations. We offer supplements from Thorne, Pharmax, and Standard Process that deliver higher IU's per dosage. Thank you for reading, and please feel free to pass this information on to your friends and family if you feel they would benefit. If you would like to learn more about Vitamin D or have any other health-related questions, please contact our office at your convenience to schedule an appointment or consultation. Getting you back on track! Dr. Seth Alley, DC