This morning whilst watching BBC news (a rarity!) a very important topic came on. It was about a young boy who had Rickets disease (a bone disease). The doctors treating the boy decided to try to heal him with vitamin D and suprise suprise it worked and he was showing great improvements in his recovery!
We have been telling our clients the benefits of vitamin D supplementation for years. On a Biosignature modulation seminar we attended with Charles Poliquin he spoke at length about why vitamin D is probably the best supplement in the world. Unfortunatly for people living in Ireland it doesnt come free as we dont get any natural vitamin D between october and april(amazing really!) – so what happens in these months – cases of depression shoot up, Poliquin told us the rate of depression in Ireland, Scotland and Wales is the highest by far per head than anywhere else in the world.
We have this common problem in Ireland where we wait til things are broke before we fix them, health is no exception to the rule. We constantly speak to our clients and members at ProFitness Gym Balbriggan and advise them on what they should be supplementing with and why and Vitamin D is a must. The picture above is like a Ferrari and a Fiat both being advertised as a car. You wont buy a Ferrari on your local forecourt you need to go to somebody who specializes in selling Ferraris, the same goes for buying the correct Vitamins. You CANNOT buy Poliquin D3 tablets in your local health store and we are one of extremely few stockists in Ireland.
Below is 11 common diseases/health problems which Charles Poliquin has found peer reviewed articles which all back up Vitamin D
1.Rickets, bone density, osteoporosis, osteopenia, osteomalacia: Low levels of vitamin D contribute to osteopenia and fractures. JAMA. 2002;287:3127-3129
2.Fetal brain development and maternal health: Med Hypotheses. 2010 Jan;74(1):71-5. Epub 2009 Aug 18.
3.Psoriasis: “Hyperproliferative skin disorders such as psoriasis might be responsive to treatment with vitamin D….” “[Treatment with vitamin D] …showed great improvement in reducing the severity and area of psoriatic lesions.” Holick, MF. High prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy and implications for health. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2006 Mar;81(3):353-73.
4. Cancer: “Both prospective and retrospective epidemiologic studies indicate that levels of 25-OH D below 20 ng [nanograms] per milliliter are associated with a 30 to 50% increased risk of incident colon, prostate, and breast cancer, along with higher mortality from these cancers….” “Vitamin D either directly or indirectly controls more than 200 genes, including genes responsible for the regulation of cellular proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis.” Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(3):266-81.
5.Blood sugar regulation and insulin resistance: “Vitamin D deficiency increased insulin resistance, decreased insulin production, and was associated with the metabolic syndrome.” Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(3):266-81
6. Depression and other neurological concerns: “Several studies suggest an association between hypovitaminosis D and basic and executive cognitive functions, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.” Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2009 Feb;11(1):12-9.
7. Multiple Sclerosis: “High circulating levels of vitamin D are associated with a lower risk of multiple sclerosis.” JAMA. 2006;296:2832.
8.Immune function: “When serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D fall below 20 ng per milliliter, the monocyte or macrophage is prevented from initiating this innate immune response” Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(3):266-81.
9. Hypertension and congestive heart failure: “In a study of patients with hypertension who were exposed to ultraviolet B radiation three times a week for 3 months, 25-OH D levels increased by approximately 180% and blood pressure became normal.” “Vitamin D deficiency is associated with congestive heart failure.” Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(3):266-81.
10. Muscle mass and strength: “Vitamin D deficiency causes muscle weakness.” “Performance speed and proximal muscle strength were markedly improved when 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels increase from 4 to 16 ng per milliliter (10 to 40 nmol [nanomole] per liter) and continued to improve as the levels increase to more than 40ng per milliliter (100 nmol per liter). Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(3):266-81.
11.Weight Loss: “For every increase of 1 ng/mL in level of 25-OH D3, subjects ended up losing almost 0.2 kg more on their calorie-restricted diet.” Shalamar Sibley, prepublication report for the Endocrine Society’s 91st Annual Meeting.
Knowing how many tablets you should take daily/weekly is another matter so we recommend you get your bloods done at your doctors and refer to the table below. Bear in mind the average in the UK is dificient so Ireland will be on a par! Its also very very hard to achieve an excess amount.
Vitamin D Levels (25-hydroxyvitamin D)
|
Deficient |
Insufficient |
Optimal |
Cancer therapy |
Excess |
|
<25ng/ml |
<35ng/ml |
50-65ng/ml |
65-90ng/ml |
>100ng/ml |
|
<20nmol/L |
<40-80nmol/L |
80-120nmol/L |
120-160nmol/L |
>200nmol/L |
There is far more money to be made by you being sick than by you being healthy. So PREVENT rather than CURE and if you do need cure use Vitamin D(and not from a bowl of cornflakes!!).
Yours in Health
ProFitness Gym Balbriggan
