You can add Crohn's disease to the growing list of conditions that vitamin D may treat, improve, or prevent. Some of the other benefits of vitamin D are reductions in breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer. Vitamin D deficiency can worsen asthma symptoms, and some experts even suggest that higher levels of vitamin D can help prevent influenza, including the H1N1 virus.
More new evidence suggests that ability to lose weight improves with an increase of vitamin D and the sunshine vitamin is essential for proper brain function and heart health. Researchers also believe that proper levels of vitamin D can reduce your risk of multiple sclerosis and even macular degeneration. At one time, scientists believed the only function of vitamin D was to protect our bones.
You can get vitamin D from food, from supplements, and from the controversial; exposure to the sun. One might assume that deficiency would be less of a concern in San Diego, where this free nutrient is abundantly available, but deficiency is still an issue, even in the southern United States.
While relatively rare in the United States, severe deficiency in some places continues to cause rickets, even though British scientist; T. A. Palm discovered that lack of sunshine in some areas correlated with an increase in rickets way back in 1892. Doctors originally treated rickets with cod liver oil, which contains vitamin D.
With some experts claiming there is an epidemic of Vitamin D deficiency, it is worth getting a blood draw to determine if supplementation is necessary. Experts disagree about what level is optimal but most agree that a 25(OH)D (or vitamin D) level of at least 30 to 32 ng/mL is a good number.
Recommended daily dose is also a topic of much debate; some experts suggest 400 IU is plenty while others suggest as much as 10,000 IU or more, per day. Regular discussion between doctors and their patients regarding vitamin D would be advisable.
Vitamin D is only naturally found in a few foods such as oily fish, fish liver oils, certain eggs, and possibly, in some mushrooms. Milk contains added vitamin D, and some breads and cereals are fortified. Responsible exposure to the sun is also an option worth researching to help maintain optimal vitamin D levels.
This new information shows how poorly scientists understood this important nutrient just 20 years ago. It raises some additional questions. How much do scientists know about how other vitamins and nutrients work? Is all of the nutrition research causing people to pick foods based on specific nutrients, rather than evaluating the nutritional value of the food as a whole? Will Coke or Pepsi be the first to start fortifying their products with vitamin D?
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References:
Fillon, M. (2003) Real RDAs for Real People Woodland Publishing
Balch Enterprises, LLC & Steinglervision, Inc. (2004) Prescription for Natural Cures Wiley & Sons, Inc
Comments
Great article! Thanks for coming to the Examiner! I have really enjoyed the informative articles you have written over the past few week.
-Kim Brands
Great info, thanks!
People with Crohn's have damaged inflamed digestive systems which is why they are not very good at absorbing Vitamin D from supplements or food sources.
While 1000iu/daily for each 25lbs is generally sufficient, people with inflammatory conditions may require double that amount.
Some 5000iu/vitamin D3 capsules are dissolved in MCT oil and these could be used by snipping the end off the capsule and massaging the vitamin D rick oil into the skin.
An alternative would be to lay near naked in the midday sun for around 20 minutes however air pollution in towns or upper atmospheric pollution under busy air flight routes reduces the UVB reaching the ground and so regular 25(OH)D3 testing is a good idea to make sure you have raised your level to around 60ng/ml 150nmol/l at which point your body has a good reserve of vitamin D3 to fight inflammation.
Grassrootshealth D Action offer postal testing worldwide.
Has any one done any experiments with vitamin d applied to the skin, I don't remember ever seeing any, although I cannot see why it would not work.
Ted, thank you so much for the specific information on Crohn's. I have an acquaintance who is having trouble with Crohn's flare ups - freshman in college, mom moved away - I will talk to her about your info. Great comments! I am not qualified to suggest specific dosages but I understand what you are saying and if I had Crohn's I would discuss your suggestion with my naturopath and most likely move forward with it.
Pete - very interesting idea. I have always wondered about trans fat and how that affects our vitamin D metabolism. Vitamin D is fat soluable and in people who eat a large amount of trans fat, there may be a change in either our ability to absorb vitamin D or possibly the quality of it? Are fake fats affecting our vitamin D level? Things that make us wonder...
Best thing to do is, only eat real food, use the sunshine responsibly, and get your vitamin D level tested to determine if you are one of the many who could use a supplement.
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