New Research on How Sunshine Decreases Infections

re: New Research on How Sunshine Decreases Infections

domg — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:07:24 GMT

Some very odd inconsistencies & errors in this VitD article.

The "most commonly available" form of VitD supplement available in shops is NOT D2, but the correct oral supplemental form of VitD, cholecalciferol VitD3. See any reputable store! I found it impossible in fact to source ANY preparation containing VitD2 in any store, US or European this morning.

It is plain ridiculous (and plain wrong) to suggest that it is "very easy to overdose" on VitD -- all recent research has shown that it would be necessary to take 50,000 IU of VitD every day for 6 months in order to achieve anything approaching a toxic serum level. Commonly advised maximum wintermonth daily doses are around 2,000-5,000 IU. VitD is one of the safest supplements around, and VERY difficult to overdose on!

We all know that the "best bet" is sun exposure. But it's equally clear that during winter months it is impossible to achieve optimum levels of VitD without supplementation. Why then is does Doc M "not recommend oral supplementation"? Especially since it appears that some 80% of the population of many countries is seriously VitD deficient? Very strange.

He's right, though, about the true "optimal level" of VitD, which is around 150 nmol/L (60 ng/mL) -- that is to say, the level achieved naturally by a young adult in the summer months. (A large person might need a somewhat higher dose to achieve this level than a smaller person, since absorption is significantly weight-related.) But why doesn't he come right out with it and say the obvious? -- the optimal level of VitD is IMPOSSIBLE, repeat IMPOSSIBLE, to achieve without supplementation unless you live in year-round sunlight! OR eat an eskimo diet, exceptionally high in liver and fish oils! OR ski naked :-)!

HealthMan says it here more succinctly than I, on Nov 29!

re: New Research on How Sunshine Decreases Infections

fskerle — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 17:49:30 GMT

The article says that vit-d helps keep the telomeres long and helps the cells age slower. Cancer patients catalize an enzyme that reacts and grants the cell imortality seeming by keeping the telemere from shortening. It seems that programed cell death is healthy as long as they can divide healthily free from mutation from such things as free radicals or radiation, etc. Which way is it?

Fred Skerle

re: New Research on How Sunshine Decreases Infections

curious7 — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 20:52:02 GMT

As my Grandparents always told me "Sunshine is good for what ailes you." But there was a flip side, "too much of a good thing can be bad for you." As yet we have not discovered that happy medium, when is enough, enough?

Be very aware, the peddlers of "sunblock" are not very happy with such articles, nor is "Big Pharma." If too many of us become too healthy, who will buy the "snake oil?"

re: New Research on How Sunshine Decreases Infections

Miss Meliss — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 20:23:51 GMT

Me and my girls take fish oil, but I just read Dr. Mercola's post about oxidation and fish oil, so I would like to switch.

So what about cod liver oil for toddlers and during pregnancy? Cod liver oil in the winter is best--should I get my little girls Vit. D levels checked before supplementing? And what doses are appropriate, is there a dose by weight ratio? I try to get them outside for about an hour a day, but despite our best efforts with nutrition and hand-washing, we have already had colds this season.

Can children take krill oil? I know these are silly questions, but I am positive someone can help me here on this site :) Thank you!

re: New Research on How Sunshine Decreases Infections

KarenP_203 — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 15:06:34 GMT

It is cold here in Chicago, can't go lay out in the sun here. But I have started using a tanning bed every other day for 20 minutes, cover my face, and it feels so good. I think I read somewhere on this site that this is actually good for you as long as you do not burn. Does anyone know if tanning beds give the same benefits of real sun, and what about vitamin D? Thanks, Karen

re: New Research on How Sunshine Decreases Infections

LORENLSMITHHughes — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 22:52:51 GMT

OK.....at 80 years, I will take my jug of raw milk, slip off into the woods to get my vitamin D. What I fear most is that I will be turned in for being in dementia and sent off to a sterile invironment where I can get

neither.

re: New Research on How Sunshine Decreases Infections

smallfarmgirl — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 17:49:16 GMT

It is difficult for me to own that enough Vit D cannot come from natural sources (sun and food) even for us northerners. My ancesors were nordics, who were some of the strongest and healthiest people of all time. They managed to live in a low level Sun area by eating lots of fish and their livers. Most modern people do not eat fish livers. We eat salmon from the wonderful waters off of Canada (which we catch,) lots of sardines, and take Carlsen's Cod Liver Oil. I'm 76 and see no doctor, use no medicines (none--nada--nothing.) We are still eating tomatoes from our own garden at this time in November--ripened indoors due to freezing weather. I attribute fresh herbs, nuts, seeds, greens, vegies, fruit such as berries, pears and apples, grass-fed animals, fish from deep waters, and supplements such as the cod liver oil to a disease free life. I do add considerable quantities of citrus, which cannot easily be grown here, although I am working on it in the greenhouse. My point here is that it is not one ingredient--Vit D--that makes this work and taking a large amount of artificial D sounds bad to me.

re: New Research on How Sunshine Decreases Infections

dempoolguy — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 07:02:59 GMT

I gave my daughter some supplemental D while she was hospitalized. She was unconscious for a some time, and was bedridden for almost 3 weeks when I started slipping her the supplements. She was showing signs of staph infection, she was extremely weak (understandably), and I was concerned that her immune system was going to take a hit because of her lack of sunlight, and she wasn't eating much more than a bite here and there. Within 24 hours of sneaking the D into her, she perked up, and some swelling she had in her legs went down. After a week, as she was being released from the hospital, the staff was amazed at the state of health she was in. She's only 20, which I'm sure accounts for a quick recovery, but the nurses were astonished that she showed no sign of disease or infection which is common among patients who were hospitalized for a month. All that happened was she and I refused medication, and took synthetic vitamin d supplements, which I absolutely recommend when the situation warrants. As the weather gets colder, the days get shorter, and we wind up indoors a lot more, we should remember to keep vigilant about our vitamin needs.

re: New Research on How Sunshine Decreases Infections

CSR — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 12:40:46 GMT

As far as I know from the articles, this question isn't answered, but does anyone know whether having enough Vitamin D will actually reverse any shortening of the telomeres? What I am getting at is that the report is spun as Vitamin D being effective in "reducing" or "preventing" age-related decline, however, it seems that if the damage is already done, i.e. people have not been getting enough Vitamin D and have already begun to age, it can't be reversed...at best it can be slowed. In other words, it seems to me that they are trying to tout Vitamin D as this "fountain of youth" as a ploy just to get people to start supplementing Vitamin D with pills, etc., which will probably have little to no effect...

re: New Research on How Sunshine Decreases Infections

DizzyIzzy1 — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 14:58:38 GMT

It's funny, this time last year I was a SAD-affected mess.

Thankfully, I discovered all this about Vitamin D a good 6 months ago and this was the first summer I didn't use any sunblock whatsoever, didn't burn, and made sure I was in the sun and out again topping up my Vitamin D for at least half an hour a day. My palest-of-the-pale skin didn't burn once and I felt great.

Now, my SAD buddies are starting to feel... well, sad, and I've not nocited anything yet except a tendency to want an extra hour or so of sleep. Connection, perhaps?

re: New Research on How Sunshine Decreases Infections

david — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 11:28:08 GMT

For millenia, man and animals have basked in the health-giving sunshine...then big business makes a successful job of persuading the gullable public that it is bad for us and that their toxic cr.p will 'protect us from harm'.
.....Is this nature's new way of 'survival of the fittest' strategy.. in that gullability will eventually die out ?!:)
Or maybe a paradigm shift will occur in health understanding....

re: New Research on How Sunshine Decreases Infections

mmc88121 — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 21:55:03 GMT

They sure danced around saying that Vitamin D is good for you and most people need more sunlight.

Mary

re: New Research on How Sunshine Decreases Infections

Russ Bianchi — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 15:19:06 GMT

If it is not FREE Vitamin D from the Sun, consider the source is from some Big Pharma bum.