General fitness, health and nutrition · Public discussion

Healthcare Professionals Ignore Vitamin D Deficiency Epidemic

Roman Bystrianyk · 2005-05-23T15:50:45+00:00

http://www.healthsentinel.com/news.php?event=news_print_list_item&id=845 "Healthcare Professionals Ignore Vitamin D Deficiency Epidemic", Medical News Today, May 23, 2005, Link: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=24941 Prominent scientists say that physicians and the government are ignoring the evidence regarding vitamin D deficiency and this ignorance is causing needless suffering and death among all groups, but especially Blacks, the elderly and pregnant women. Numerous vitamin D researchers across the country recently concluded that recommendations given by 1997 The Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) actually put many Americans at risk-- in particular Blacks, the aged and pregnant women-rather than protected them. However, many scientists are hesitant to openly criticize the powerful National Academies of Science, which controls many researchers' grants and which oversees the Institute of Medicine's Food and Nutrition Board (FNB). The vitamin D scientists quoted in this press release may not be happy about it as we found their statements buried in scientific papers on vitamin D. In 1997, the FNB made some progress by increasing vitamin D recommendations to 200, 400 and 600 units, depending on age, but their recommendations remain woefully inadequate. In addition, the FNB made a serious error when they said 2,000 units a day might be toxic and that caution reinforced physicians near hysterical fear that vitamin D is highly toxic. Scientists now know humans need at least 1,000 units a day for good health and perhaps more in those deprived of sunlight. Potential toxicity of vitamin D may start at 10,000 units a day (from all sources) but is probably closer to 40,000 units a day according to Dr. Vieth. Dr. Reinhold Vieth, a prominent vitamin D researcher in Toronto, Canada, first drew attention to the FNB's error four years ago. He attempted to dispel physician's unwarranted fears of vitamin D toxicity in a scholarly and widely quoted 1999 paper in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Vieth stated that the IOM toxicity threshold for vitamin D is "too low by at least 5-fold." "New scientific evidence suggests that the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin D should be much higher to achieve adequate nutritional vitamin D status, especially in the African-American population because of their pigmentation," adds Dr. Bruce Hollis of the Medical University of South Carolina. Also contrary to the FNB's declaration, Dr. Robert Heaney, a professor at Creighton University and an expert on vitamin D and calcium metabolism, reported in 2003 that humans in fact use between 3,000 and 5,000 units of vitamin D a day, amounts physicians traditionally think are toxic. Professor Heaney recently wrote that the FNB recommendations, "fall into a curious zone between irrelevance and inadequacy." Since the release of the FNB's recommendations in 1997, many have assumed that vitamin D deficiency has been eliminated as a significant problem, and that the strategies used to achieve this success served as role models of successful public health interventions. However, vitamin D deficiency was not eradicated; rather it has been escalating among Americans, especially Blacks, pregnant women and the elderly. It is associated with conditions such as osteoporosis, hypertension, multiple sclerosis, diabetes and cancer of the colon, prostrate, breast, ovary, bladder, uterus, esophagus, rectum, and stomach, according to Dr. Michael Holick of Boston University, a full professor in three separate disciplines. Dr. Holick, who has written the relevant chapters in Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine for the last 15 years, says that an educational program is needed in order to teach the public the importance of monitoring their vitamin D (calcidiol) levels just as they would check their cholesterol levels. "Vitamin D deficiency and its consequences are extremely subtle, but have enormous implications for human health and disease. It is for this reason that vitamin D deficiency continues to go unrecognized by a majority of health care professionals," he says. In spite of scientific data that Americans are at risk for numerous diseases from vitamin D deficiency, the Food and Nutrition Board has refused to act. In an attempt to present current research about the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and the diseases caused by those deficiencies, the National Institute of Health is sponsoring a hastily arranged conference in Bethesda, Maryland, on October 9 and 10, titled "Vitamin D and Health in the 21st Century." For more information: http://www.nichd.nih.gov/about/od/prip. About vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol): Vitamin D3, cholecalciferol, is a vital nutrient that is unique, both in terms of its physiology and human reliance on both endogenous skin production and exogenous sources to meet biological requirements. Vitamin D3, made in the skin, is turned into calcidiol [(25(OH)D] by the liver, which the kidney then turns into calcitriol [1,25(OH)D], a steroid hormone, to regulate calcium in the blood. This is the main endocrine function of vitamin D. Meanwhile, many tissues other than the kidney turn calcidiol into calcitriol to help regulate gene expression locally; this is the newly discovered paracrine function of vitamin D. This paracrine function is impaired in vitamin D deficient subjects and all studies show many Americans are vitamin D deficient, especially Blacks and the aged. This use of calcitriol by other tissues as a paracrine hormone is a relatively new discovery that explains many of the health benefits of sunlight and vitamin D such as possible prevention of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, autoimmune illness, various cancers and mental illness. These non-classic benefits are also the reason the National Institute of Health is sponsoring the conference mentioned above. The single most important fact we all need to know about vitamin D is that most humans make thousands of units of vitamin D in their skin within minutes of whole-body, summer-sun exposure. This is many times more units than recommended by the IOM. Therefore, many Americans exceed the FNB's safety recommendations by simply spending a few minutes outside in their swimming suits! About The Cholecalciferol Council: The Cholecalciferol Council is a group of citizens concerned about vitamin D deficiency and the diseases associated with that deficiency. The group will attempt to draw attention to the problem through the education of professionals, the media, government officials and average citizens. The Cholecalciferol Council has applied for tax-exempt, non-profit [501(c)(3)] status as an educational organization under the laws of California and the United States. The Executive Director of The Cholecalciferol Council is John Jacob Cannell, MD, who has an activist past concerning similar issues. Details of his background are available on the Council's web site, cholecalciferol-council.com or via email at [email hidden]. John Jacob Cannell, MD, Executive Director Cholecalciferol Council 9100 San Gregorio Road Atascadero, CA 93422 (805) 462-8129 [email hidden]

Started by Roman Bystrianyk · 23 May 2005 · Last activity 23 May 2005 · 3 posts · 308 views

← Back to General fitness, health and nutrition

This thread is locked and is currently read-only.

Thread details

What we know about this thread

Original section: General fitness, health and nutrition
Published: 23 May 2005
Last activity: 23 May 2005
Original author: Roman Bystrianyk
Posts: 3
Discussion status: Public discussion
Total views: 308
Views / 30 days: 0

The navigation and discussion metadata provide context. Posts remain in their original chronological order.

Original post
Roman Bystrianyk
Archived post

23 May 2005, 15:50 UTC #1

http://www.healthsentinel.com/news.php?event=news_print_list_item&id=845
"Healthcare Professionals Ignore Vitamin D Deficiency Epidemic",
Medical News Today, May 23, 2005,
Link: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=24941
Prominent scientists say that physicians and the government are
ignoring the evidence regarding vitamin D deficiency and this ignorance
is causing needless suffering and death among all groups, but
especially Blacks, the elderly and pregnant women. Numerous vitamin D
researchers across the country recently concluded that recommendations
given by 1997 The Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) actually put many
Americans at risk-- in particular Blacks, the aged and pregnant
women-rather than protected them.
However, many scientists are hesitant to openly criticize the powerful
National Academies of Science, which controls many researchers' grants
and which oversees the Institute of Medicine's Food and Nutrition Board
(FNB).
The vitamin D scientists quoted in this press release may not be happy
about it as we found their statements buried in scientific papers on
vitamin D. In 1997, the FNB made some progress by increasing vitamin D
recommendations to 200, 400 and 600 units, depending on age, but their
recommendations remain woefully inadequate.
In addition, the FNB made a serious error when they said 2,000 units a
day might be toxic and that caution reinforced physicians near
hysterical fear that vitamin D is highly toxic.
Scientists now know humans need at least 1,000 units a day for good
health and perhaps more in those deprived of sunlight. Potential
toxicity of vitamin D may start at 10,000 units a day (from all
sources) but is probably closer to 40,000 units a day according to Dr.
Vieth. Dr. Reinhold Vieth, a prominent vitamin D researcher in Toronto,
Canada, first drew attention to the FNB's error four years ago.
He attempted to dispel physician's unwarranted fears of vitamin D
toxicity in a scholarly and widely quoted 1999 paper in the American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Vieth stated that the IOM toxicity
threshold for vitamin D is "too low by at least 5-fold." "New
scientific evidence suggests that the recommended daily allowance (RDA)
for vitamin D should be much higher to achieve adequate nutritional
vitamin D status, especially in the African-American population because
of their pigmentation," adds Dr. Bruce Hollis of the Medical
University of South Carolina. Also contrary to the FNB's declaration,
Dr. Robert Heaney, a professor at Creighton University and an expert on
vitamin D and calcium metabolism, reported in 2003 that humans in fact
use between 3,000 and 5,000 units of vitamin D a day, amounts
physicians traditionally think are toxic. Professor Heaney recently
wrote that the FNB recommendations, "fall into a curious zone between
irrelevance and inadequacy."
Since the release of the FNB's recommendations in 1997, many have
assumed that vitamin D deficiency has been eliminated as a significant
problem, and that the strategies used to achieve this success served as
role models of successful public health interventions.
However, vitamin D deficiency was not eradicated; rather it has been
escalating among Americans, especially Blacks, pregnant women and the
elderly. It is associated with conditions such as osteoporosis,
hypertension, multiple sclerosis, diabetes and cancer of the colon,
prostrate, breast, ovary, bladder, uterus, esophagus, rectum, and
stomach, according to Dr. Michael Holick of Boston University, a full
professor in three separate disciplines. Dr. Holick, who has written
the relevant chapters in Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine for
the last 15 years, says that an educational program is needed in order
to teach the public the importance of monitoring their vitamin D
(calcidiol) levels just as they would check their cholesterol levels.
"Vitamin D deficiency and its consequences are extremely subtle, but
have enormous implications for human health and disease. It is for this
reason that vitamin D deficiency continues to go unrecognized by a
majority of health care professionals," he says.
In spite of scientific data that Americans are at risk for numerous
diseases from vitamin D deficiency, the Food and Nutrition Board has
refused to act. In an attempt to present current research about the
prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and the diseases caused by those
deficiencies, the National Institute of Health is sponsoring a hastily
arranged conference in Bethesda, Maryland, on October 9 and 10, titled
"Vitamin D and Health in the 21st Century." For more information:
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/about/od/prip.
About vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol):
Vitamin D3, cholecalciferol, is a vital nutrient that is unique, both
in terms of its physiology and human reliance on both endogenous skin
production and exogenous sources to meet biological requirements.
Vitamin D3, made in the skin, is turned into calcidiol [(25(OH)D] by
the liver, which the kidney then turns into calcitriol [1,25(OH)D], a
steroid hormone, to regulate calcium in the blood.
This is the main endocrine function of vitamin D. Meanwhile, many
tissues other than the kidney turn calcidiol into calcitriol to help
regulate gene expression locally; this is the newly discovered
paracrine function of vitamin D. This paracrine function is impaired in
vitamin D deficient subjects and all studies show many Americans are
vitamin D deficient, especially Blacks and the aged. This use of
calcitriol by other tissues as a paracrine hormone is a relatively new
discovery that explains many of the health benefits of sunlight and
vitamin D such as possible prevention of diabetes, hypertension, heart
disease, autoimmune illness, various cancers and mental illness. These
non-classic benefits are also the reason the National Institute of
Health is sponsoring the conference mentioned above.
The single most important fact we all need to know about vitamin D is
that most humans make thousands of units of vitamin D in their skin
within minutes of whole-body, summer-sun exposure. This is many times
more units than recommended by the IOM. Therefore, many Americans
exceed the FNB's safety recommendations by simply spending a few
minutes outside in their swimming suits!
About The Cholecalciferol Council:
The Cholecalciferol Council is a group of citizens concerned about
vitamin D deficiency and the diseases associated with that deficiency.
The group will attempt to draw attention to the problem through the
education of professionals, the media, government officials and average
citizens. The Cholecalciferol Council has applied for tax-exempt,
non-profit [501(c)(3)] status as an educational organization under the
laws of California and the United States. The Executive Director of The
Cholecalciferol Council is John Jacob Cannell, MD, who has an activist
past concerning similar issues. Details of his background are available
on the Council's web site, cholecalciferol-council.com or via email at
[email hidden].
John Jacob Cannell, MD,
Executive Director Cholecalciferol Council
9100 San Gregorio Road Atascadero, CA 93422 (805) 462-8129
[email hidden]

Report
NWCurandero
Archived post

23 May 2005, 17:44 UTC #2

I believe that this article at the same site provides some meaningful
additional information. The original story may be found at:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=24940#
When you want advice on Vitamin D
23 May 2005
What does the Institute of Medicine (IOM) have to say about vitamin
D?" (The IOM is the medical branch of the prestigious National
Academies (USA), which includes the National Academy of Sciences.) For
example, say you have a question about vitamin D and cancer or vitamin
D and heart disease? Does the IOM offer any current information on
these topics? According to their website, the Institute of Medicine
"provides unbiased, evidence-based, and authoritative information and
advice concerning health and science policy to policy-makers,
professionals, leaders in every sector of society, and the public at
large." What I'd like to know is: where is that advice?
Americans taxpayers fund the IOM with millions of dollars every year
for timely, evidence-based, authoritative advice. We pay them because
we want the IOM physicians, scientists, and commissions to tell us what
we need to know, when we need to know it. We may want to know more
about one of the most potent steroid hormones in the human body,
activated vitamin D. We use that information to make informed decisions
about our health. In fact, tort law [Canterbury v. Spence, 464 F.2d 772
(D.C. Cir. 1972)] requires it of practicing physicians, mandating
doctors tell patients what any "reasonable person" would want to know
in order to make informed treatment decisions.
Would a reasonable person, with a family history of colon cancer, want
to know about a 1989 study that showed colon cancer was three times
more likely in those with low 25(OH) vitamin D blood levels? Lancet.
1989 Nov 18;2(8673):1176-8
Would a reasonable person, suffering from cardiovascular disease, want
to know about a 1990 study that showed heart attacks were twice as
common in patients with low 25(OH) vitamin D blood levels? Int J
Epidemiol. 1990 Sep;19(3):559-63
Would a reasonable person, whose child was suffering from frequent
infections, want to know about a 1994 study that showed vitamin D
entirely prevented such infections? J Trop Pediatr. 1994 Feb;40(1):58
Would a reasonable person, suffering from osteoarthritis, want to know
about a 1996 study that showed arthritis progressed more rapidly in
those with low vitamin D intakes? Ann Intern Med. 1996 Sep
1;125(5):353-9
Would a reasonable person, suffering from hypertension, want to know
about a 1988 study that showed an activated form of vitamin D reduced
blood pressure? Acta Med Scand. 1988;223(3):211-7
Would a reasonable person, suffering from multiple sclerosis, want to
know about a 1986 study that showed vitamin D significantly reduced
debilitating MS flare-ups? Med Hypotheses. 1986 Oct;21(2):193-200
Would a reasonable person, suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, want to
know about a 1993 study that showed 25(OH) vitamin D levels were the
lowest in patients with the highest disease activity? Scand J
Rheumatol. 1993;22(4):172-7
No, at least not according to the Institute of Medicine! Through its
Food and Nutrition Board, they issue periodic reports to the American
public, such as the report they issued on vitamin D in 1997. Although
it is eight-years-old, this report remains the IOM's official advice to
the American people on vitamin D. Inexplicably, their report failed to
tell Americans about any of the above studies, although all those
studies were published before 1997. They didn't discuss them or even
list them as references. Not only did the IOM forget to tell us about
dozens of clinically important vitamin D studies, they told us some
really harebrained things.
For example, they said that a six-pound infant needs the same amount of
vitamin D every day (200 units) as his 200-pound father! They said that
the daily Upper Limit was the same for a 13 month old child and his
40-year-old father! They said blacks don't make as much vitamin D as
whites but then inexplicably failed to recommend that blacks do
anything about it! Finally, the Institute of Medicine has steadfastly
refused to update their eight-year-old report after it has become clear
even to the editors of Newsweek that Americans are dying of numerous
vitamin D deficiency diseases.
Not that any of the studies listed above definitively prove the
effectiveness of vitamin D. They don't. All of them have flaws. But
that could hardly be used as a rational to hide them from the American
public. In fact, the IOM chose to emphasize one very flawed study; no
single study received more discussion in their report than a 1984 study
by Dr. Narang and colleagues who claimed they discovered 3800 units of
vitamin D a day were toxic.
However, Dr. Narang forgot to measure how much vitamin D he actually
gave. He just relied on the label on the bottle to determine the dose
given instead of measuring it himself. Although no one will ever know
for sure, it looks like he gave about 100 times more than he thought he
did. In spite of this poor scientific methodology, the IOM relied on
Narang's study and ignored many other studies which indicated 3800
units a day were not toxic. This is vitally important because
subsequent studies showed healthy humans actually utilize about 3800
units a day (from all sources) to prevent death and disability from a
truly staggering array of chronic illnesses. So Dr. Narang's study was
not just flawed, you could say it was fatally flawed. J Assoc
Physicians India. 1984 Feb;32(2):185-8
In 1999, Dr. Reinhold Vieth, working on his own and without a grant,
reviewed the extant toxicology evidence much more carefully than the
IOM ever did. Vieth found numerous studies published before 1997 that
flatly contradicted Dr. Narang's findings, studies the IOM overlooked.
Dr. Vieth concluded that the scientific literature clearly shows the
toxic figure is closer to 20,000 units of vitamin D a day, and that
dose has to be ingested over many months or even years to cause
problems. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 May;69(5):842-56
The IOM also failed to discuss the single most important scientific
fact about vitamin D, although scientists knew the fact twenty years
ago. The fact is simple: most of us make about 10,000 to 20,000 units
after spending a few minutes in the sun. Dr. Vieth thought about that
fact and then did something the scientists at the IOM did not do. Vieth
asked why? Why would humans make so much vitamin D so very quickly?
Vieth's question heralded the beginning of what future generations will
call the vitamin D era in modern medicine.
All this leaves the Institute of Medicine in a difficult situation.
They failed in their duty to inform Americans of facts any reasonable
person would want to know. They overlooked numerous important vitamin D
studies that have a direct bearing on numerous diseases. They failed to
adequately protect Americans from vitamin D deficiency. They let black
Americans suffer more than whites. They based their toxicology on the
Journal of Irreproducible Results. Email the IOM and politely ask them
to update their report on vitamin D: [email hidden].
John Cannell, MD
The Vitamin D Council, Inc.
9100 San Gregorio Road
Atascadero, CA 93422
http://www.cholecalciferol-council.com

Report
John Sankey
Archived post

23 May 2005, 19:38 UTC #3

Quoted message said:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=24940#
When you want advice on Vitamin D
23 May 2005
OK, so the NAS is wrong. What international authorities have got it right?

Report

Active in the last 60 minutes

Active in this thread

0 users · 0 guests ·0 bots ·0 total

No signed-in users are active right now.

No known search crawlers active right now.

What we know about this thread

Continue through CyclingForums

Active in this thread