Dr. Mercola March 27 2002 1,590 views
Many children -- particularly African-American youngsters -- seem to acquire the ulcer-causing bacteria, Helicobacter pylori, at an early age.
While the bacteria are common in the population, researchers are not sure exactly when the organisms take up residence in the intestinal tract. Those with the bacteria are at higher risk of developing ulcers, and in some cases, gastric cancers.
Researchers tested blood samples from 224 children taking part in a Louisiana-based heart study. The investigators found that the rate of infection with H. pylori was highest among those aged 4 to 5 years. About 2% of this group became newly infected, compared with 1.5% of children aged 7 to 9 years and 0.3% of adults aged 21 to 23 years.
What's more, black children were more than three times more likely to be infected with H. pylori than their white peers.
Eight percent of all children aged 1 to 3 had antibodies against H. pylori -- 13% of black children and 4% of white children.
The rate of infection continued to increase faster among blacks over time. By the time the group of children had reached 18 to 23 years of age, nearly one quarter of the group had become infected -- 43% of blacks and 8% of whites.
Researchers believe that the chance of acquiring H. pylori can be higher in those with lower income, and that the infection tends to cluster among households.
The black population still suffers from lower socioeconomic status and infection is probably still more prevalent among grandparents and parents and subsequently can be transmitted to their children.
People with H. pylori who have an ulcer are commonly treated with antibiotics to eradicate the bug. About 84% of the youngsters who showed signs of infection in childhood still had the bacteria into adolescence and young adulthood.
The Lancet March 16, 2002;359:931-935
Some of you may not realize that in the last ten years or so medical science has finally realized that an infection, H. pylori, is likely the major factor in actually causing ulcers.
These bacteria take up residence in an environment that allows them to grow. They are not much different than garden pests that flourish due to less than optimal soil conditions.
Low income by itself in no way shape or form will cause these children to have an increased risk of acquiring these ulcer-causing bacteria. It is also interesting to note that the infection increased to 500% higher rates than whites as the children grew older.
My guess is that most of these children's diets are equally terrible relative to their more affluent peers.
Clearly, the variable that is being completely missed is the color of their skin. African-Americans were never designed to live in most all of North America and will nearly always compromise their health by remaining to live here.
Of course, this is true for nearly anyone with a deeply pigmented skin. The pigment in their skin serves as a major barrier in their ability to absorb UV-B that is required to convert cholesterol in the skin to vitamin D.
Since most people who live in the U.S. have less than six months of the year when there is enough UV-B present to generate vitamin D, even those without deeply pigmented skin will have health problems related to their inablility to optimally absorb adequate amounts of vitamin D. And some northern states will only have a few weeks of the year when this is possible.
The pigment in their skin serves as a major barrier in their ability to absorb UV-B that is required to convert cholesterol in the skin to vitamin D.
Fortunately, one can compensate for this problem by taking cod liver oil. One can raise the vitamin D level through oral supplementation. The only problem though is that puny 400 unit RDA doses won't make a dent.
I have tested hundreds of patients now for vitamin D levels and most people need several thousand units of vitamin D to reach optimal levels. This can only be done safely with vitamin D testing.
If you have regular sub-tropical or summer sun exposure I do NOT advise any vitamin D supplementation unless you perform a vitamin D test as sun exposure will naturally produce vitamin D. However, the darker your skin, the less vitamin D your body will make, as less UV-B is able to penetrate to the place in your skin where the conversion takes place.
Having said that let me emphasize that the vast majority of the readers of this newsletter cannot possibly receive enough UV-B to generate vitamin D from September to May.
This is certainly true for just about the entire US and all of Europe. Please remember that just because it is sunny and hot outside this is absolutely no indication of the UV-B level that is present. If your latitude is above 30 degrees north or below 30 degrees south, you will likely benefit from vitamin D supplementation from September to May.
If you don't know the latitude of your city you can use a latitude finder If your latitude is lower than 30 degrees you have access to good sunshine and may not need vitamin D supplementation.
My top recommendation for obtaining supplemental vitamin D would be to use Carlson's lemon flavored cod liver oil. It is one of the best tasting brands on the market. The dose is about one teaspoon for every 25 pounds of body weight.
The only caution here, and from my perspective it is a theoretical one only, is that pregnant woman should probably limit themselves to one tablespoon per day, as that would keep their daily vitamin A intake to below 10,000 units per day. However, pregnant women probably need cod liver oil the most, since their baby's brain profoundly benefits from the fish oils, DHA and EPA.
This will not only provide you, the average 150 pound adult, with 2-3,000 units of vitamin D, but you will also provide you with vitamin K which is an essential co-factor in building strong bones. Natural vitamin A is also in the cod liver to support your immune system and the oil is full of the beneficial omega three fats that nearly all of us are deficient in.
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