1/25/14

#34 VITAMIN D STUDY: VITAMIN D DOES PREVENT BROKEN BONES AND MANY ILLNESSES


    The recent vitamin D study that reviewed many vitamin D studies is making the claim that vitamin D doesn’t prevent illnesses.

    It looked at a large number of vitamin D studies on humans – most of them using a dose of 800 units maximal of vitamin D3.

    800 units doesn’t work.  Everyone can agree on that.  Studies have shown it raises the vitamin D level very minimally.  The most you can say is it’s very slightly better than nothing.  It can prevent rickets in children, but that’s about it.

    When an adult has a 25-hydroxyvitamin D level less than 32 ng. (48 nMol), depending on their weight, their body mass index, and their actual level, it is common that the dose they need is 5000 units of vitamin D3.  This will get the level  over 32 ng. in most people, although some people may need more as a temporary or maintenance dose.  Often a repeat level should be obtained at 6 months. 

    A massive amount of studies that have been done over the last few decades show that when vitamin D is given in a sufficient dose, broken bones can be avoided, osteoporosis can be improved, and many illnesses can be helped or prevented.   

      It is unfortunate that this study with the misleading conclusions has received so much publicity.  Vitamin D deficiency is a serious public health problem.  In view of this publicity, there is likely going to be tens of thousands of people who stop taking their vitamin d in spite of having a vitamin D insufficiency.  

       Some of these people are going to suffer, in fact die, from broken bones, and suffer from many other illnesses, because of this study.  I wish this was an exaggeration, but all the evidence suggests it is not.