The only reason why you wouldn’t care about your Vitamin D level is that you would prefer to have a 60% greater chance of getting a number of common cancers or that you want your kids to get diabetes. This of course is ludicrous. I can’t state strongly enough the importance of you knowing your Vitamin D level as well as every member of your family. So read the following and you will understand how you can get tested inexpensively and start supplementing so that you can optimize your families levels.
• Vitamin D deficiency has become known as a “disease of neglect”
• 40-60% in the entire U.S. population is Vit D deficient.
• Vitamin D is actually a steroid hormone that influences our entire body
• There are 30,000 genes in your body – Vit D has currently been shown to influence over 2,000 of these genes
• In 1932 the U.S. government recommended putting kids in the sun due to rickets. When Vit D was added to milk rickets were essentially eradicated and people forgot about Vit D.
• Since Vit D is made in our skin, by exposure to the UV-B rays, many people feel they do not need to have a blood test yet the numbers will show that even in the south many are Vit D deficient due to the use of sunscreen, which blocks the majority of UV-B rays and therefore prevents Vit D production. SPF 15 decreases 95-99% of the bodies ability to make Vit D.
• Deficiencies are not just limited to adults- studies confirm low levels in many children of even middle and upper class socio-economic levels. If a pregnant mother has a vitamin D deficiency chances are her children will too. There is a strong link between lower Vit D levels and development of type I diabetes. In addition, breast milk is a poor source of Vit D.
• If an individual gets 10-15 mins of daily sun with 40% of the body exposed, (arms and legs) without sun screen from 11am – 3pm adequate Vit D can be made. It is important to be very careful to avoid sunburn.
• It has been well documented that persons with darker skin run a greater risk of Vit D deficiency. The pigment in the skin functions as an effective sunscreen.
• Vit D is a fat soluble vitamin which means it is stored in the body and while a deficiency is linked to a multitude of problems too much Vit D can be toxic to the body. For this reason it is important to get an accurate blood level prior to supplementation. Vit D testing is recommended two times per year for accurate seasonal levels.
• There are associations between lower than optimal Vit D levels and many disease conditions including: osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, cancer, muscle myopathy, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel diseases, arthritis, and type one and type two diabetes.
• Optimal Vit D levels can help prevent colds and flus as they strengthen the immune system. ( Hum…. Natural protection from H1N1 flu) Vit D influences the expression of genes that destroy bacteria and viruses making it rare for someone with optimized Vit D levels to get the flu.
• Optimizing Vit D levels can help to prevent at least 16 different types of cancer including pancreatic, lung, ovarian, prostate and skin. The current evidence seems to be pointing to the fact that optimal levels of Vit D may play a key role in the prevention of all types of cancer.
• There are more than one type of Vit D blood tests and it is important to get the right test run. The test that should be done for accurate vitamin D assessment is the 25 OH Vit D test.
• The Normal Lab Values of 25 OH Vit D are 20-100 ng/ml. Deficient levels are < 50 ng/ml and optimal levels are 50-65 ng/ml.
• Supplementation should be done with inexpensive D3. This is equivalent of the Vit D formed in the skin from UV-B rays. The synthetic form of Vit D is D2 which has been linked to toxicity at higher dose ranges.
The D Action Project
Grassrootshealth.org has launched a worldwide public campaign to solve the Vit D deficiency epidemic in a year by focusing on testing and public education. This campaign is a 5 yr project which will moniter the health outcomes of individuals who get their Vit D levels to 40-60 ng/ml.
You can get involved and make a difference!!!
Complete a health questionnaire for you and everyone in your family and test your Vit D levels two times per year. Grassrootshealth.org is sponsoring the use of blood spot test kits (from ZRT labs) for a fee of $40 for each individual. The tests are to be done two times a year by each individual along with submission of basic health information.
The fee includes the Vit D blood spot kit to be sent to your home. The results of your test will also be sent to your home. (CHC is willing to help you complete the test at no charge if you are unable to do so at home.)
By joining the D Action Project you can make a difference in your health and make a major contribution to the health of the United States at the same time.
Finally, share this info with a friend and make a difference in their health too!
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