Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency has been recognized recently as a major health issue in the United States. A staggering number of Americans do not get enough vitamin D. According to a study conducted by Dr. Michael Melamed at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine published in the Journal of Pediatrics in August, over 70% of American children are not getting enough vitamin D and the number is higher for older Americans. A long term deficiency of vitamin D can lead to numerous serious health problems. The gold standard for screening of vitamin D is the Vitamin D Hydroxy D2 / D3 (link). In the kidney, vitamin D changes into an active form of the vitamin. This test measures vitamin D in its active form which helps control calcium and phosphate levels in the body. An adequate level of vitamin D is 30 or more ng/ml (nanograms per mililiter) but 36-48 ng/ml is recommended for cancer prevention. A MicroNutrient Test is also available from ANY LAB TEST NOW® that measures your body’s ability to absorb 32 vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other essential nutrients within your white blood cells. Click here for discounts on the Vitamin D and MicroNutrient tests.

Vitamin D, also known as the Sunshine Vitamin, is responsible for the processing of calcium for strong bones. It can be found in fortified foods such as milk, cheese, grains and in food such as eggs, fish and fish liver oil. Supplements can provide additional vitamin D but the primary source of the vitamin is from the sun. Only 10-15 minutes of sun exposure 2 to 3 times per week is enough to provide adequate vitamin D, however, Americans’ increasing concerns about skin cancer leading to avoidance of the sun and increased use of sunscreen, which blocks vitamin D absorption, is thought to play a major role in vitamin D deficiency. With winter approaching and the resulting reduced hours of daylight, it will be even harder to get enough sun exposure. Additionally, darker skin, certain medications, some intestinal diseases, such as Crohn’s and celiac disease, as well as obesity can reduce the body’s ability to absorb vitamin D.

We now know that it is almost impossible to acquire enough vitamin D from diet alone. A supplement or sun exposure is required to reach recommended amounts of vitamin D. The current recommendation is that children should receive 5 mcg or 200 IU per day while adults 50 and over should receive 10 mcg or 400 IU per day. The National Osteporosis Foundation is recommending 800-1000 IU per day with an upper limit of 2000 IU but there are concerns of possible side effects with extremely large doses.

Symptoms of a deficiency could be bone pain, muscle weakness, low energy and depression but frequently symptoms are subtle or nonexistent. The list of possible health problems includes osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, severe asthma and other lung diseases, and an increased risk in cancer, specifically of the breast, colon, prostate and pancreas. Vitamin D deficiency has also been linked to Type 2 Diabetes and autoimmune diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis and Crohn’s disease. There is even evidence that it could lead to cognitive impairment in older adults. According to the Mayo Health Clinic the health benefits of adequate amounts of vitamin D are numerous, especially in older adults. Getting screened for vitamin D and taking steps to ensure that you are getting an adequate amount of the vitamin can help prevent serious health issues and improve your quality of life.