Vitamin D3: A Study-Supported Essential Supplement Part Two
By Erika Dworkin, PD, CCN Researchers are beginning to find that low levels of vitamin D
may be linked to other diseases, including breast and colon cancer, prostate cancer, high blood pressure, depression, and obesity. The evidence doesn’t prove that too little vitamin D causes these condi- tions, but that people with higher levels of vitamin D are less likely to get these diseases. ~The University of Maryland Medical Center, Last Update May 2013 (
http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supple- ment/vitamin-d)
J
ust how important is vitamin D3 supplementation? According to Michael Holick, MD, PhD, the world’s leading vitamin D researcher, some of the scientific literature indicates that, “We could probably decrease health care costs across the board by 25% if everybody had optimal vitamin D status.” Part One of this two-part article discussed how vitamin D3 functions in the body, recommended doses, and the science supporting its dietary supple- mentation in connection with autoimmune diseases (e.g., psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, celiac, IBD/Crohn’s, Hashimoto’s), bone dis- ease, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Discussion of additional compelling scientific evidence continues below.
How The Body Produces and Stores Vitamin D As noted in Part One, the body produces vitamin D when the
sun’s ultraviolet rays strike the skin. Vitamin D also can be obtained from certain foods and dietary supplements. Whatever the source, vitamin D is initially biologically inert and must be activated in the body by two separate enzyme-assisted chemical processes (hydrox- ylations). In the liver, the first hydroxylation converts vitamin D to 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], also known as calcidiol. In the kidney, the second hydroxylation forms the physiologically active 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D], also known as calcitriol.
The level of concentration of 25(OH)D (calcidiol) in blood se- rum (the component that contains neither red nor white cells) is the best indicator of vitamin D status. 25(OH)D serum concentration indicates exposure to all vitamin D sources, but does not indicate the amount of vitamin D stored in body tissues. Also, it is not clear to what extent 25(OH)D concentration indicates health status or outcomes.
Circulating 1,25(OH)2D (calcitriol) is generally not a good indi- cator of vitamin D status, in part because serum concentrations are closely regulated by parathyroid hormone, calcium, and phosphate. Also, levels of calcitriol do not typically decrease until vitamin D deficiency is severe.
22 Natural Nutmeg - March 2015
According to the non-profit, non-governmental Institute of Medicine, most people are at risk of vitamin D deficiency at serum 25(OH)D concentrations below 30 nmol/L, although some are po- tentially at risk for inadequacy at levels ranging from 30–50 nmol/L. Levels greater than or equal to 50 nmol/L are sufficient for 97.5% of the population, while serum concentrations over 125 nmol/L are associated with potential adverse effects. Like other fat-soluble vitamins, vitamin D is stored in fat tissue, enabling the body to mo- bilize its own reserves if daily intake falters temporarily. This means that excessive doses of vitamin D can build up to toxic levels, but Harvard Medical School reports, “it takes massive overdosing to produce toxicity.” (See Part One for more on this issue).
Available Forms of Vitamin D3 Supplements Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), the form that most effectively
raises blood levels, is derived from fish (the skins of fatty fish or cod liver oil) or lanolin (sheep’s wool). It is available in various supple- ment doses ranging from 400iu to as high as 10,000iu. Vitamin D3 is available for children and adults in soft gels, tablets or capsules (especially in dry, oil-free form for those with sensitive stomachs), chewable tablets, liquid, drops, and transdermal creams. Some brands offer gluten-free options.
Scientific Support for Vitamin D3 Supplementation By the end of 2012, nearly 34,000 studies were published on the effects of vitamin D. When considering whether to add vitamin D3 to your dietary supplement regimen, you may want to keep in mind its impact on the health conditions discussed below.
Autism According to John Cannell, MD, himself mildly autistic, the
positive correlation between vitamin D and autism is theoretical. However, studies indicate that vitamin D could likely help children with autism through its: (1) anti-inflammatory and anti-autoimmune activities; (2) great ability to positively impact (upregulate) neuro- trophins (the family of proteins that induce the development, func- tion, and survival of nerve and brain cells); and/or (3) stimulation of antioxidant pathways (especially glutathione, which helps detoxify the brain and protects nerve cells and nerve conduction critical to mental processing). Cannell suggests that adequate doses of vita- min D (enough to obtain blood levels of 50-80 ng/mL of calcidiol [25(OH)D]) may be a potential treatment for core symptoms in some cases of children’s autism (Med Hypotheses 2013 Aug).
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