Sound Off!

Vitamin on "D"mand

For anyone that's worked with a dietitian, you'll soon realize that most of are "foodies". We speak in terms of food, not necessarily nutrients. We recommend fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, lean meats and the like. We are not pharmacists, doctors or Shaklee reps, so it's unusual for us to recommend more than a daily multi-vitamin for most people.

But vitamin D is the exception. A recent study indicates that up to 75% of the US population is deficient in vitamin D. The "sunshine vitamin" (as it's often dubbed) can be made by your skin, liver and kidneys through UV exposure. Scientists believe that these rays are too weak in the winter and use of sunscreen also limits production of vitamin D. Another potential risk for vitamin D deficiency is poor quality diet. While dairy products provide vitamin D, other sources include fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna. With the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, however, even people that eat these foods on a regular basis may still be at risk.

While touting vitamin D as a magic bullet is not my aim, it may be worth having your level checked for the following reasons. Vitamin D deficiency has been blamed for the development of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, MS and other conditions. The deficiency also affects bone health and may also be implicated in the development of depression. The risk is higher if you're over the age of 50, lactose intolerant, have liver or kidney disease, take lipid lower medications (such as statins), or live north of the Mason-Dixon line (which is a good number of us in the Tri-State area). A level below 11 ng/ml is considered deficient, though many physicians will prescribe a supplement when the level drops below 30.

So how much is enough? The Institute of Medicine currently recommends 200-600 International Units (IUs) daily, but that recommendation may increase as more studies on this powerful nutrient become available. An update is expected in May of 2010. For now, drink your milk, enjoy some salmon and take a walk outside as much as possible. And- think about that supplement. It can't hurt, and may improve your overall health in the long run.

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