Someone mentioned the Vitamin D Drops and throat candies...that would be great. Mom (and I) really both need this. She takes so many pills that we have eliminated things like vitamins...but maybe we could get them back in another way.
Vitamin D has been shown to reduce incidence of colorectal cancer too. So folks with a family history of CC should be taking extra Vitamin D. And it is one of the vitamins those of us with Crohns tend to have problems absorbing from our diet.
Subjects who used a tanning bed had serum 25(OH)D concentrations 90% higher than those of control subjects (115.5 +/- 8.0 and 60.3 +/- 3.0 nmol/L, respectively; P less than 0.001). Subjects who used a tanning bed had parathyroid hormone concentrations 18% lower than those of control subjects (21.4 +/- 1.0 and 25.3 +/- 0.8 pg/mL, respectively; P=0.01). Tanners had significantly higher BMD (bone density) and z scores at the total hip than did nontanners. (source: NIH)
In Canada this can get bad. I live in the okanagan valley which get a fog or cloud cover in winter for months S.A.D. Is a big problem. At work we found a solution we call it sunshine in a bag. Halls makes a vit D drop that you can feel working almost right away. Less headaches aches depression and much less sickness. Not sure if it's available outside canada but anything that you can suck on or desolves in your mouth works far better then a pill. One girl here also has drops. Sunshine is far better of course but if that's not an option that works. Heard tanning helps as well but not a big fan of it myself.
Here is a quote from the dietitians of Canada "Vitamin D is found in a limited number of foods, either occurring naturally or added to the product. Only egg yolks and fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and tuna, naturally contain substantial amounts of vitamin D." In addition in Canada cow’s milk, infant formula, and margarine have added vitamin D. "Adults over 50 years may not produce vitamin D in their skin as well as they did when they were younger. Health Canada recommends that adults over 50 years take a supplement of 400 IU/day".
"...A good rule of thumb is if your shadow is longer than you are tall, you’re not making much vitamin D. In winter, you’ll notice that your shadow is longer than you for most of the day, while in summer, your shadow is much shorter for a good part of the middle of the day...." ~
Vitamin D researchers seem to be in agreement that people living north of approximately the 35th parallel (i.e., Atlanta, GA) cannot produce enough vitamin D from sun exposure during winter months, so vitamin D must be acquired via diet (unlikely) or supplementation.
I dislike being the informant of such news, but the truth is that most of us ( adults living in the upper US) are vitamin D deficient. That isn't a bad thing, it's just the way it is. No need to grab the D bottle..... A little bit of sun between ten and two will suffice.
CarolLynn, so glad to see someone who's well informed on vitamin D!
N1K2R3, vitamin D2 is not as well used by the body as vitamin D3, so a verified, high-quality D3 is likely to provide better results.
Polnan, although the current "official" recommendation is for 600IU/day (your bottle states the old recommendation), many researchers feel 5,000-10,000IU/day is a much healthier intake.
From what I've read, anyone living north of approximately Atlanta, GA, will only produce sufficient vitamin D from the sun a few months out of the year, so supplementation is likely necessary (regardless of how bright the sun may be!).
I'm happy to get your information about the vitamine D deficiency. My mother has Alzheimer diagnosed for over six years now. I recognise all the symptoms which could be related to vitamine D deficiency. And there impact causes crucial (negative) changes. My knowledge of english language is much too less to describe the problems that developed. But they go far beyond less mobility. I shall ask her physican to take notice of this article and give her the vitamine D. Thank you for being alert and breaking rules like: "the symptoms belong to Alzheimer's process" and "within 89 years her physical posibilities are nearly finished because of runout" with friendly regards, Hilje.
My endocrinologist told me several years ago that it only takes 15 minutes of direct sunlight on our forearms to produce vitamin d between 9 am and 3 pm. Sunshine indoors through a window will not produce vitamin d.
When the UV rays from the sun hit the skin, a chemical reaction happens and your body converts a prohormone in the skin into vitamin d.
10 years ago, when I was 48, my doctor discovered that I had a very bad vitamin d deficiency. Among other things, this vitamin is crucial for the absorption of the calcium in our diet to keep our bones healthy. However, I had more problems than that. I also had osteoporosis and not just because of a vitamin d deficiency, but also because of a testosterone deficiency due to my pituitary gland not telling my body to make testosterone. For men, testosterone is the cement that takes the calcium absorbed by vitamin d and creates healthy bones. For women, a decrease in estrogen takes place after menopause and contributes to the development of osteoporosis.
Great article re: Vit D. The sun is the source of Vit D, and we should not hesitate to go out in the sun for so many hours each day. Don't worry about skin cancer unless you over expose yourself. You may also seek a prescrition for Vit D 2 ( a green pill taken once per week). Over the counter Vit D is D3. That's OK also.
Tanning beds use UV-A, so no. If a sunlamp is both UV-A and UV-B, some vitamin D can be manufactured, but again, with the caveat that there is no bathing or showering before or after.
UV-A, by the way, is not considered safe for people with compromised immune systems (and IMO, that includes the many with autoimmune conditions) in most states are passing laws that prohibit those under 18 from using tanning beds, even with parental consent!
Veronica91, I did some quick research about Vit D and sun lamps and tanning beds.... with regard to the tanning beds one can soak in Vit D but one will also have a higher risk of getting skin cancer while doing it.
Vitamin D isn't automatically made just because of sun exposure. It is the action of UV-B sunlight upon the cholesterol contained in skin oils. SOOOO, you have to have NOT bathed or showered before going out for exposure, and you have to NOT bathe or shower for a couple of hours afterward to allow time for absorption through the skin.
Even the vitamin D produced and absorbed in this fashion is inactive until it is enzymatically activated in the liver and kidneys by a process called hydroxylation. Even dietary sources of vitamin D are also subject to the need for hydroxylation.
Both the hazard of skin cancer from sun exposure as well as the difficult pathway for conversion to active Vitamin D are the reasons why supplementation is recommended.
Fivedaughters, the sun has to land directly on your skin to be helpful... the more skin available the better..... in the southern States one gets the benefits from the direct sun quicker, like in 15 minutes, than someone living up north with direct sun where it could take a hour. But this would need to be a daily thing, so be careful of getting sunburned.
Dr Michael F Holick, MD, PhD, is an award-winning researcher in the field of vitamin D:
I can't post the link here because it is a "dot com", but you can see his 98 minute discussion of information if you will type "dr michael f holick youtube" in your Google search bar.
I could be misquoting him, but I believe he said that every time he discovers something else that vitamin D is responsible for, he takes a little bit more.
In one of his research projects, he was able to demonstrate that even 5 months on 10,000 I.U.s per day did not produce toxicity.
I agree 100% that vitamin D is very important to ones health especially older people. vitamin D deficiency is a symptom of Crohns disease and Ulcerative Colitis, not a cause.
I'm so glad you posted this article for public awareness. Even people that are under 60 can be Vitamin D deficient (I can attest to that as my last blood test showed me borderline deficient. My dr advised vitamins and to have another blood test in 6 months). Because I work inside (and, am inside most of the fall/winter) I need to make a bigger effort to get outside. Thank you!
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5 Signs of Vitamin D Deficiency in the Elderly
Vitamin D has been shown to reduce incidence of colorectal cancer too. So folks with a family history of CC should be taking extra Vitamin D. And it is one of the vitamins those of us with Crohns tend to have problems absorbing from our diet.
It's OLD SCHOOL ... what they've been recommending for 50 years!
Folks - educate yourself - take control of your own health - the medical system isn't doing it for you!
"Adults over 50 years may not produce vitamin D in their skin as well as they did when they were younger. Health Canada recommends that adults over 50 years take a supplement of 400 IU/day".
"...A good rule of thumb is if your shadow is longer than you are tall, you’re not making much vitamin D. In winter, you’ll notice that your shadow is longer than you for most of the day, while in summer, your shadow is much shorter for a good part of the middle of the day...." ~
Vitamin D researchers seem to be in agreement that people living north of approximately the 35th parallel (i.e., Atlanta, GA) cannot produce enough vitamin D from sun exposure during winter months, so vitamin D must be acquired via diet (unlikely) or supplementation.
N1K2R3, vitamin D2 is not as well used by the body as vitamin D3, so a verified, high-quality D3 is likely to provide better results.
Polnan, although the current "official" recommendation is for 600IU/day (your bottle states the old recommendation), many researchers feel 5,000-10,000IU/day is a much healthier intake.
From what I've read, anyone living north of approximately Atlanta, GA, will only produce sufficient vitamin D from the sun a few months out of the year, so supplementation is likely necessary (regardless of how bright the sun may be!).
I don`t know what to do now
My mother has Alzheimer diagnosed for over six years now.
I recognise all the symptoms which could be related to vitamine D deficiency.
And there impact causes crucial (negative) changes.
My knowledge of english language is much too less to describe the problems that developed. But they go far beyond less mobility.
I shall ask her physican to take notice of this article and give her the vitamine D.
Thank you for being alert and breaking rules like: "the symptoms belong to Alzheimer's process" and "within 89 years her physical posibilities are nearly finished because of runout"
with friendly regards, Hilje.
When the UV rays from the sun hit the skin, a chemical reaction happens and your body converts a prohormone in the skin into vitamin d.
10 years ago, when I was 48, my doctor discovered that I had a very bad vitamin d deficiency. Among other things, this vitamin is crucial for the absorption of the calcium in our diet to keep our bones healthy. However, I had more problems than that. I also had osteoporosis and not just because of a vitamin d deficiency, but also because of a testosterone deficiency due to my pituitary gland not telling my body to make testosterone. For men, testosterone is the cement that takes the calcium absorbed by vitamin d and creates healthy bones. For women, a decrease in estrogen takes place after menopause and contributes to the development of osteoporosis.
Tanning beds use UV-A, so no. If a sunlamp is both UV-A and UV-B, some vitamin D can be manufactured, but again, with the caveat that there is no bathing or showering before or after.
UV-A, by the way, is not considered safe for people with compromised immune systems (and IMO, that includes the many with autoimmune conditions) in most states are passing laws that prohibit those under 18 from using tanning beds, even with parental consent!
Even the vitamin D produced and absorbed in this fashion is inactive until it is enzymatically activated in the liver and kidneys by a process called hydroxylation. Even dietary sources of vitamin D are also subject to the need for hydroxylation.
Both the hazard of skin cancer from sun exposure as well as the difficult pathway for conversion to active Vitamin D are the reasons why supplementation is recommended.
I can't post the link here because it is a "dot com", but you can see his 98 minute discussion of information if you will type "dr michael f holick youtube" in your Google search bar.
I could be misquoting him, but I believe he said that every time he discovers something else that vitamin D is responsible for, he takes a little bit more.
In one of his research projects, he was able to demonstrate that even 5 months on 10,000 I.U.s per day did not produce toxicity.