Looking Fit - 8/25/2008

As more studies focus on the health benefits of vitamin D, many questions regarding deficiency and the “sunshine vitamin” are being raised. To help explain vitamin D a bit better, Jared M. Skowron, who specializes in pediatrics and the treatment of autistic spectrum disorders in children, created a list of the top 10 myths regarding vitamin D.

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ScienceDaily (Aug. 12, 2008) — Researchers at Johns Hopkins are reporting what is believed to be the most
conclusive evidence to date that inadequate levels of vitamin D, obtained from milk, fortified cereals and
exposure to sunlight, lead to substantially increased risk of death.

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CHICAGO - New research linking low vitamin D levels with deaths from heart disease and other causes bolsters mounting evidence about the "sunshine" vitamin's role in good health.

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More Aggressive Breast Cancer Linked to Vitamin D Deficiency
By AUDREY GRAYSON
ABC News Medical Unit
May 16, 2008

Vitamin D deficiencies have long been associated with disease, but new research suggests that low levels of vitamin D in women with breast cancer can lead to more aggressive forms of the disease, and even death.

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See the video news release about indoor tanning and potential benefits of responsible tanning.

Most Americans don't get enough D because we're indoors most of the time, and when we're outdoors, we're wearing sunscreen. We recommend getting 800 international units a day if you're younger than 60 and 1,000 international units if you're over 60.

Learn more on Oprah.com. 

First of all, don't give up! "Don't let anyone tell you that it's all over by 20. That's just silly," Dr. Northrup says. "We know that women build bone mass throughout their entire lives."

Find out how on Oprah.com. 

CARMEL, Ind. -- Lisa Eppen has finally beaten the winter blues, a condition doctors call seasonal affective disorder, or SAD.

Find out how

Ever present in the struggle to inform America about the benefits of moderate UV exposure, the UV Foundation has released their own press release about Vitamin D Deficiency Month (February).

Read the Press Release 

While the exact role this sunshine vitamin plays is still being established, experts believe it is time to educate the masses about its significance and take steps to increase its levels in the blood.

Vitamin D's historic claim to fame has been its role in building and maintaining strong bones and teeth by regulating calcium levels.

But to their surprise, scientists in recent years discovered that vitamin D appears to play an underappreciated role in preventing just about every major disease afflicting Western societies, from cancer and cardiovascular disease to multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes.

If you’re not getting enough vitamin D, your heart could be at risk, a new study from the journal Circulation suggests. Vitamin D deficiency is already linked to an increased risk of bone fractures, but this new study shows that people lacking this vitamin could be at risk of hurting their hearts as well.

Long considered the bad boy of cancer, sunlight is experiencing a reputation reversal with more evidence published this month showing it can actually be a cancer fighter and protect against heart disease.

Now a single theory answers the many unanswered questions surrounding autism. A theory that implies a simple prevention and raises the possibility of treatment. It's called the Vitamin D Theory of Autism—read about it in our new section, Autism and Vitamin D.

Find more information about this and many other Vitamin D related topics at The Vitamin D Council.

A study of more than 2,000 women has found those with higher vitamin D levels showed fewer aging-related changes in their DNA, as well as lowered inflammatory responses.

In a recent news segment, MSNBC reported on the new movement toward the benefits of sunlight. After years of scaring people into thinking sunlight was bad for us, doctors are now open to the idea that moderate exposure to sunlight may actually reduce cancer risks.

Click here to watch

If vitamin D3 levels among populations worldwide were increased, 600,000 cases of breast and colorectal cancers could be prevented each year.