VAIL, Colorado — What is Vitamin D? Vitamin D is more like a hormone than a vitamin. Our bodies manufacture Vitamin D when sunlight hits our skin. As we are going into the winter season, risk of Vitamin D deficiency increases. The rays of the sun are inadequate during the winter months if you live north of the 37 north latitude as we are here in Eagle County. A white person needs approximately 6 to 8 minutes with 25 percent of body exposure (arms and legs) to make 1,000 IU Vitamin D at noon on June 21. For an African American person, the need increases 18 minutes and of course this is without sunscreen.
Unfortunately, there are only a few foods that naturally contain Vitamin D, making it very difficult to obtain enough from the diet. Milk is fortified and natural sources primarily come from fish and seafood. Because of our long winter months and low dietary intake of Vitamin D, supplementation is often necessary to maintain proper levels.
Risks of Vitamin D deficiency
Risk factors for vitamin D deficiency include being over 65 years old, exclusively breast-fed infants, dark skin, low sunlight exposure, sedentary lifestyle and obesity. According to a recent article from Harvard Medical School, approximately one-third of adults are either in the deficient or insufficient vitamin D categories. Also, 75 percent of those with cardiovascular disease are low in Vitamin D. In fact, having adequate Vitamin D levels between 30 and 60 ng/ml can: have a 35 percent decreased risk of cancer, up to 80 percent reduced risk of breast cancer, up to 60 percent reduced risk of colon cancer, decreased risk of cancers of the pancreas, advanced prostate, ovary, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, kidney, leukemia, and endometrial, 49 percent decreased risk of fractures, 72 percent decreased risk of falls, 13 percent reduction in blood pressure, and even a 77 percent reduced risk of influenza. Vitamin D deficiency is also associated with increased risk of auto-immune deficiencies such as Multiple Sclerosis, Type 1 Diabetes and Lupus. Therefore, eliminating Vitamin D deficiency could be one of the most important public health advances of our time.
Know your level
Just like knowing your cholesterol, it is important to have your Vitamin D level checked. You can have your doctor add the level to your yearly blood work. Another option is to get a $40 home test kit from Grassroots Health (www.grassrootshealth.org), a nonprofit that focuses on Vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency is defined as levels less than 20 ng/ml and insufficiency at 20 to less than 30 ng/ml. Normal levels are 30-100 ng/ml (see Table 4). Repletion guidelines for deficient and insufficient levels are to take 50,000 IU per week for eight weeks then recheck, repeat as necessary until normal levels are reached.
Supplementation recommendations
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants and children have 400 IU/day within first few days of life with supplementation, formula or milk. For adults, the Harvard article recommends 800 to 1,000 IU Vitamin D supplementation as the easiest way to obtain adequate amounts.
A new study funded by the National Institute of Health is looking for participants. The study is called The VITamin D and Omega-3 TriaL (VITAL) and will be investigating men and women taking 2,000 IU vitamin D and 1 gram Omega-3 daily for reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. If you are interested in participating or want more information, visit their Web site at
www.vitalstudy.org.
Vitamin D can be a large factor in chronic disease prevention, but only if you know your levels are adequate. Please spread the word to your physician to check not only your level, but the levels of ALL their clients, it could be life-saving.
Melaine Hendershott is a register dietician oncology specialist at Shaw Regional Cancer Center in Edwards. She can be reached at
hendershott@vvmc.com.