(al.com) — Longtime Mobile cardiologist Dr. Clara Massey recently revised her screening processes for new patients. She’s added checks to see if they’re deficient in vitamin D.
Widely used sun-block creams and lotions may shield the skin from dangerous rays, but also keep it from being able to create the vitamin that’s vital to good health.
“In an effort to protect the skin from skin cancer, we’ve actually prevented the body from making vitamin D from sunlight,” Massey said.
Vitamin D is widely known for its importance to strong bones. What’s new is that scientists are finding that a shortage of vitamin D can increase the risks of diabetes and hypertension, and can lead to a blood-vessel inflammation that can result in acute heart attacks.
Some research also suggests that vitamin D may provide protection from osteoporosis, cancer and several autoimmune diseases, according to information presented by the Mayo Clinic.
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Unfortunate timing for this article in light of the widely covered report released today by an Institute of Medicine panel. An exerpt from the report below:
The panel concluded that “with few exceptions, all North Americans are receiving enough calcium and vitamin D” from the foods they eat — many of which have been fortified with both nutrients.”
I had been a complete believer, taking 5000 units in a single supplement, plus the various other sources. I will probably scale back until the dust settles on this.
Want to say same. Although my guess is, there is some benefit and that this report is acting on the conservative side, as the studies that prove otherwise are considered too small or too early or …. Still the timing on this IS bad.
I believe that this study is simply wrong, partly because it’s from a “medical” source. MDs have historically been and for the most part still are, notoriously ignorant when it comes to nutrition.
It wasn’t too many years ago during the sart of the “low fat” craze that doctors prescribed low fat diets for children in the hope of warding off future heart disease. What they got as a result of this were many children coming down with neural and brain malfunctions. Children need fats, including saturated fats in their diet so that their nervous systems and brains can properly develop.
Other than exposure to sunlight, vitamin D is very difficult to obtain naturally. The best source is
deep ocean fish. Much of the vitamin D and calcium added to foods probably isn’t absorbed for a variety of reasons.
The only true test of whether you’re getting enough, is to make sure you get it measured periodically as you make doctor visits. Unfortunately it’s not something that your doctor may suggest. You need to request it. I had mine measured and it was low. I just went for a retest and I don’t yet know the results. Because my levels were low, I suggested to a number of friends and acquantances that they get tested. They did and were all low. I personally believe that we’re in the middle of a vitamin D deficiency epidemic.
Unfortunately it ia report such as from this medical institute that will lull doctors into not bothering to perform tests for blood levels of vitamin D. This is probably one of the most important blood tests that you will ever take. Periodic retesting will let you know how successful your efforts have been in raising your blood levels of this most important vitamin. By the way you should ask your doctor to check the levls of vitamin D3 which is the active form of this vitamin.
Beside getting vitamin D from sun rays, is it any other sorts of vitamin D from foods and plants. Is it any difference between vitamin D from sun derived rays and the foods processed that contains vit D we have eat taken from the plants. Do only taken vit D from pil processed can be avoid the disease of diabetes and hypension. It was still happen in S.E.Asia countries, an increased of suffering of this kind of diseases even thought it has plenty of sunligh all years round.
those were observations by some doctors who have not read scientific data and results of actual tests done here and in other parts of the world.
you must remember that doctors are fallible. many have little time to look at recent breakthroughs in science.
You need to have a simple blood test to see if you are deficient in Vit D. One cannot say if an one individual is absorping enough from food and sunlight. Don’t guess.
Deficent in Vitamin D—Dr precribes 50,000 mg of vitamin D dosage for one a week only for 12 weeks== Is this sound judgement on the part of the Doctor…