Vitamin D
| 10/30/2009 05:13 AM |
| Vitamin D |
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I'm sure you've heard or read this many times, the human body naturally produces vitamin D through exposure to sunlight. Even with all the evidence pointing to these facts, why do so many Americans avoid the sun and take the chance of making insufficient amounts of vitamin d? Some reasons may include computer games, fear and even laziness. I believe the media, along with the medical profession has given the sun a bad rap. Yes, it may cause cancer, and I'm not a doctor, but my feeling is it takes a lot more exposure to the sun than what's recommended to produce the vitamin d your body needs. According to experts, "it takes about 30 minutes of exposure to strong (summer-strength) sunlight to avoid deficiency, and darker skinned people need more exposure than the lighter skinned do." This may explain why African-Americans, people of Middle-Eastern descent, some Hispanics, and other dark skinned people suffer higher rates of vitamin D deficiency. I written on this subject before, but it's worth repeating. Most people who live in the northern states don’t get enough strong sunlight during the winter months. On the other side, those living in the southern states may not make sufficient vitamin D during the summer especially if they "over-avoid" the sun or use excessive amounts of sunscreen. As more and more Americans continue to live their lives indoors, that is, with little or no exposure to strong sunlight for the 20 to 40 minutes a day, for light skinned people, or more, for darker skinned people, you will see an increase of cases of vitamin d deficiency. This sunlight exposure is very important to produce adequate blood levels of vitamin d. No many foods contain a lot of vitamin d. However, tuna and salmon contain the highest amounts of vitamin d. Even milk, fortified with vitamin d, is not a great source of this all important vitamin. As mentioned many times in my articles, I'm not a doctor, but I am a person that does research and reads a lot of medical articles. I'm also a health conscious person who promotes health and wellness products from TriVita. Before TriVita, it was Pharmanex, another great company with great products. So why the change, you may ask? Two reasons; team support and religious belief. Yes, I had very little, if any, support from my team, and felt closer to people that had the same religious beliefs that I had. Both TriVita and Pharmanex have terrific products, and they both do plenty of scientific research before releasing any product. I've been taking vitamin supplements and researching these supplements for almost ten years now. I can honestly say that I would rather play the odds, and take scientifically proven vitamin supplements, rather than adhere to the idea that they do not work. When it comes to scientific proof, or public opinion, I'll go with the proof. One way that I found to avoid vitamin d deficiency, is to take TriVita's VitaCal-Mag D, a supplement that is a combination of calcium and vitamin d. VitaCal-Mag D provides five forms of chelated calcium, over 20 bone-fortifying vitamins and minerals, 100% RDI of Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc and Vitamin D. Follow my lead, and do your research. Start taking supplements that have been scientifically proven, and then, spread the word. You can learn all about vitamin supplements, and vitamin D by going to the TriVita Products website. Jeffrey Sloe The above information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
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| 10/26/2009 05:51 AM |
| Vitamin D |
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I've been writing about the importance of vitamin d for some time now. The evidence backing up what I've written continues to pile up. In a recent article by Vital Choice's Craig Weatherby, findings concur that an intake level higher than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) is needed to prevent falls and fractures. Falls that break hip or pelvis bones often lead to a serious downward health spiral ... and the results of clinical trials indicate that vitamin D pills can reduce the risk of falling among older people. Vitamin D is a critical factor in bone health, but it is clearly better to prevent falls than to hope that stronger bones will withstand the shock.* As mentioned in several of my articles, preventative medicine is always the best solution. And if we can prevent fractures, especially of the hip - quite common to the elderly, by strengthening the muscular system, which in turn will prevent many of the unnecessary falls, then we will have accomplished our mission. Now, a new analysis of the best clinical evidence finds that the US recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin D intake by adults aged 51 to 70 (400 IU) is only about half the dose needed to reduce the risk of falls among older people (Bischoff-Ferrari HA et al. BMJ 2009). So, how much vitamin d is needed to be effective in producing stronger muscles? And what does vitamin d have to do with stronger muscles? Those are two very important questions that can be answered by the team of researchers that have been conducting studies around the world. First, let's look at the daily doses needed to build stronger muscles. Though the official safe upper intake limit is only 2,000 IU per day, vitamin D intake is proven safe at 10,000 IU per day … a daily level that’s 25 times the current RDA for adults 51 to 70 (400 IU) and 16 times the current RDA for adults over 70 (600 IU). Is all the research too new for the government to change their position on the RDA of vitamin d? Is there too much money to be made by the medical facilities that preventing fractures will actually take away some of their revenue? I may be talking out loud, or voicing my opinion, but preventing any type of injury or illness makes sense to me. So, what does vitamin d have to do with building strong muscles? Vitamin D stimulates synthesis of protein, the building material for muscle (Hamilton B 2009). If you're looking to prevent falls by strengthening your muscular system, try TriVita's VitaCal-Mag D. VitaCal-Mag D nutritionally supports your body to improve muscle, nerve, and enzyme function. The RDA for this vitamin d supplement is 400 IU; however, if you double the dosage, you will be closer to what the authors of the studies recommend. To learn more about TriVita's VitaCal-Mag D, go to TriVita Products and click on the Vitamin D link. * All quotes are taken from the sources article listed below. Jeffrey Sloe Sources:
The above information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
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| 10/01/2009 04:55 AM |
| Vitamin D Is Needed |
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Most Americans eat well enough to get the recommended nutrients on a daily basis, or do they? Is diet alone, enough to sustain a healthy body, or are vitamin and mineral supplements needed to get your daily requirements of the proper nutrients? This has been an ongoing argument for some time, and will probably continue for many years to come. A lot of researchers say that the food we eat today is fortified with plenty of nutrients. The once common vitamin deficiency diseases such as scurvy and rickets (caused by a lack of vitamin C and vitamin D, respectively) have nearly disappeared in America and other advanced countries. For the most part, researchers believe that with a few exceptions, like the elderly or pregnant women, most people don't need supplements. Ok, hold on; before you go and throw all of your vitamin supplements bottles away, continue reading. There are some researchers who maintain that the diets of many Americans still fall well short on several essential nutrients. However, the lack of these nutrients is not enough to cause those debilitating deficiency diseases, but perhaps enough to miss out on their benefits without extra help from supplements. While the most popular, and probably the least effective, supplement is the multivitamin. There is little evidence to support the fact that they do any good, yet many make claims that cannot be supported. Some researchers do say that multivitamins are "an inexpensive insurance policy," says David Schardt, senior nutritionist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. On the upside, there is a growing consensus that states Americans get too little vitamin D, which is needed to help the body absorb calcium. Calcium is important for healthy bones, and can help in the prevention of osteoporosis. Extra calcium to protect bone health is safe and is routinely prescribed for women who get too little from food. Because vitamin d and calcium work hand-in-hand, you may see nutritional supplements that contain both calcium and vitamin d. TriVita's VitaCal-Mag D is one such supplement. According to TriVita, "the key to bone health is calcium and Vitamin D. These are the two essential ingredients that will help you maintain the strength of your skeletal system, ensure regular cellular activity, proper cardiac function, and preserve the health of other vital body systems." There are many supplements that can help you maintain a healthy body, So before you clean out you medicine cabinet, do some research. If you have supplements that can help, follow the directions on the back of the bottle and start taking them. They do absolutely no good sitting in your medicine cabinet. On the other hand, there are some supplements that do just as much good, in your body, as sitting in the cabinet. Do your research, and start taking supplements that have scientific proven results. You can then help support one side of the argument; are vitamin and mineral supplements needed? You can learn all vitamin supplements, and vitamin D by going to the TriVita Products website. Jeffrey Sloe
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| 09/22/2009 05:45 AM |
| Vitamin D |
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With all the current pregnancies in our church, I thought I'd look into some of the disorders that may arise during a pregnancy. I also looked at vitamins and minerals, and their affect, both good and bad, on pregnant women. One such order that I've found is Preeclampsia, which from at least one study showed that all the women suffering from this disorder had low levels of vitamin d and omega-3. What is Preeclampsia? According to the Preeclampsia website, "Preeclampsia is a disorder that occurs only during pregnancy and the postpartum period and affects both the mother and the unborn baby. Affecting at least 5-8% of all pregnancies, it is a rapidly progressive condition characterized by high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine. Swelling, sudden weight gain, headaches and changes in vision are important symptoms; however, some women with rapidly advancing disease report few symptoms." [1] The exact causes of Preeclampsia remain unclear, although researchers suspect poor nutrition, high body fat, immune deficiencies, and insufficient blood flow to the uterus, with ethnicity and heredity seen as possible factors. Hopes have been raised for a number of possible preventive factors – including antioxidant vitamins and chocolate – but these indications were not supported by subsequent research (Triche EW et al. 2008; Rumbold A et al. 2008; Klebanoff MA et al. 2009). [2] Can low vitamin D levels have an affect on women during their pregnancy? A recent study conducted in Norway showed that "nulliparous women who develop Preeclampsia had low concentrations of vitamin D in serum sampled in mid-pregnancy. The aim of the present study was to estimate the association between intake of vitamin D during pregnancy and the risk of Preeclampsia in 23,423 nulliparous pregnant women taking part in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study." [3] The findings in the study may not be conclusive, however, it did show that women who had Preeclampsia, did have a lower level of vitamin d. "The findings are consistent with other reports of a protective effect of vitamin D on Preeclampsia development. However, because vitamin D intake is highly correlated with the intake of long chain n-3 fatty acids in the Norwegian diet, further research is needed to disentangle the separate effects of these nutrients." [3] Because of the high consumption of fish in the Norwegian diet, researchers also noted that the women who reported higher vitamin D intake also reported higher omega-3 intake (from food and/or pills). This makes sense, given that fish are by far the best food sources of both nutrients. You may have heard that omega-3 essential fatty acids are an important part of your diet, and so is vitamin d. Whether you are pregnant or not, eating healthy foods and taking a daily supplement is the key to good health. A good source of vitamin d is TriVita's VitaCal-Mag D, which provides, five forms of chelated calcium, over 20 bone-fortifying vitamins and minerals, 100% RDI of Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc and Vitamin D, and Chlorophyll-coated tablets that protect valuable nutrients, time-releasing optimal absorption. And a good source of omega-3 is TriVita's Omega Prime, which meet the American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines. One daily dose of Omega Prime provides the amount of Omega-3 recommended by the AHA for healthy individuals, as well as for those who have heart disease or the risk of it. To learn more about TriVita's VitaCal-Mag D, go to TriVita Products and click on the Vitamin D link. Jeffrey Sloe Sources:  |
| 09/15/2009 05:09 AM |
| Vitamin D |
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In recent articles, I've written about the importance of vitamin D, and the causes of this vitamin deficiency. The University of Maine conducted a study led by Dr. Susan Sullivan, and has concluded that people living in the northern hemisphere need four times the amount of this all important vitamin in the winter months. The current recommended daily requirement of vitamin D is "200 IU for people up to 50 years of age, 400 IU for people between 51 and 70, and 600 IU for over the 70s years. However, according to new findings published in the Journal of Nutrition, daily intakes of 20 micrograms are required for twenty-something women to achieve optimized vitamin D status living in Maine." [1] Vitamin D is often called the sunshine vitamin because the body synthesizes it from sunlight - specifically, from UV-B rays, most commonly known as the burning rays. These burning rays are most available between 10 am and 2 pm, in places further from the equator. Most of us avoid spending a lot of time in the sun during these hours because of the risk of skin cancer and premature skin aging, which comes from over-exposure to the sun, or sunburn. People living in the northern most parts of the world do not get enough exposure to sunlight during the winter months. That's the reason for the increased amounts of vitamin D. "While our bodies do manufacture vitamin D on exposure to sunshine, the levels in some northern countries are so weak during the winter months that our body makes no vitamin D at all, meaning that dietary supplements and fortified foods are seen by many as the best way to boost intakes of vitamin D." [1] The major function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, helping to form and maintain strong bones. Recent research also suggests it may provide protection from osteoporosis, hypertension, heart disease, certain cancers and several auto immune diseases including diabetes. "In adults, it is said vitamin D deficiency may precipitate or exacerbate osteopenia, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, fractures, common cancers, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases and cardiovascular diseases. There is also some evidence that the vitamin may reduce the incidence of several types of cancer and type-1 diabetes." [1] As researchers continue to gather information about vitamin D, many companies like TriVita have already taken action to produce a supplement that can generate the same natural benefits of sunshine. Since our bodies cannot manufacture without sunlight, we need to be taking a daily supplement. The nutritional experts at TriVita know the importance of vitamin D. That's why they have created VitaCal-Mag D. VitaCal-Mag D provides, five forms of chelated calcium, over 20 bone-fortifying vitamins and minerals, 100% RDI of Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc and Vitamin D, and Chlorophyll-coated tablets that protect valuable nutrients, time-releasing optimal absorption. To learn more about TriVita's VitaCal-Mag D, go to TriVita Products and click on the Vitamin D link. Jeffrey Sloe Sources:
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