Vitamin D Health Benefits

..."However, hidden on page eight is one sentence and a small table, which shows that the benefits of vitamin D are almost entirely negated in those with the highest vitamin A intake."

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The Vitamin D Newsletter

Remarkable Paper in British Medical Journal

February 28, 2010

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A few weeks ago, the British Medical Journal published a remarkable paper, remarkable that it studied more than 500,000 subjects, remarkable that it had 56 (fifty-six) authors, remarkable that it confirmed low vitamin D levels obtained in the past are a risk factor for developing colon cancer in the future. However, the most remarkable part of the paper is that the 46 scientists minimized the true significance of their own research. They found that vitamin A, even in relatively low amounts, appears to thwart vitamin D's association with reduced rates of colon cancer.

Jenab M et al. Association between pre-diagnostic circulating vitamin D concentration and risk of colorectal cancer in European populations: a nested case-control study. BMJ 2010;340:b5500

This is a prospective nested case-controlled study, which means it uses subject's vitamin D blood samples obtained and frozen in the past and then reviews their medical records into the future to see who gets colon cancer, comparing the study subjects to similar members of the group that did not get the illness. Dr. Mazda Jenab and his 45 colleagues from the International Agency for Research on Cancer confirmed that low vitamin D levels are a risk for colon cancer in a dose response manner; those with the highest levels were about twice as less likely to develop colon cancer compared to those with the highest levels.

However, hidden on page eight is one sentence and a small table, which shows that the benefits of vitamin D are almost entirely negated in those with the highest vitamin A intake. And the retinol intake did not have to be that high in these older adults to begin to negate vitamin D's effects, about 3,000 IU/day. Remember, young autistic children often take 3,500 IU of retinol a day in their powdered multivitamins, which doesn't count any additional vitamin A given in high single doses.

This is the largest study to date showing vitamin A blocks vitamin D's effect and explains some of the anomalies in other papers on vitamin D and cancer. For example, Dr. Rachael Stolzenberg-Solomon of the NIH conducted two similar studies on pancreatic cancer, with startling different results. Her first paper showed high vitamin D levels tripled the subsequent risk of pancreatic cancer, her second paper showed no effect. The difference, the first was conducted in a cod liver oil country, Finland, the second in the USA.

Stolzenberg-Solomon RZ et al. A prospective nested case-control study of vitamin D status and pancreatic cancer risk in male smokers. Cancer Res. 2006 Oct 15;66(20):10213-9.

Stolzenberg-Solomon RZ, et al. Serum vitamin D and risk of pancreatic cancer in the prostate, lung, colorectal, and ovarian screening trial. Cancer Res. 2009 Feb 15;69(4):1439-47.

Prostate cancer is another good example; ten similar studies have been conducted on vitamin D blood levels and the risk of subsequent prostate cancer. Dr. Lu Yin of the German Cancer Research Center reviewed them in detail. Eight of the studies found no relationship but two studies found a U shaped curve, that is, an increased risk of prostate cancer at both lower and higher vitamin D levels. You guessed it; both of these studies were from Nordic countries where cod liver oil consumption is rampant.

Yin L et al. Meta-analysis of longitudinal studies: Serum vitamin D and prostate cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiol. 2009 Dec;33(6):435-45.

So why is there no relationship between vitamin D levels and the future risk of prostate cancer? All the subjects had their vitamin D levels checked in the late 1980s or 1990s, well into the sun-scare but before the vitamin D revolution. So how did these older people get high levels of vitamin D back then? Multivitamins? No, they only contained a meaningless 400 IU. Vitamin D supplements? No, they were not widely available back then and only contained a meaningless 200 to 400 IU of vitamin D if available. Sunshine? Maybe, but I doubt it. Studies have shown that the elderly were the first to abide by sun-avoidance advice; anyway, the elderly lose the ability to make vitamin D from sunshine; it takes the elderly up to ten times more time in the sun that the young to make an equivalent amount of vitamin D.

However, the elderly of many countries, not just Nordic countries, were raised on cod liver oil and I suspect that a sizable number of Americans continue to take cod liver oil as they age. While cod liver oil from the 1980s and 90s had higher amounts of vitamin D than does modern cod liver oil, it still had toxic amounts of A. I suspect if authors of the above ten studies had controlled for cod liver oil intake, they would have found that high retinol intake was blocking the cancer-preventing effects of vitamin D.

I say this because one author has controlled for retinol intake and the pre-cancerous condition, colon adenomas. Dr. Kyungwon Oh, of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, working with Harvard epidemiologists, found that high retinol intake completely thwarted the beneficial effects of vitamin D, stating, "a higher retinol intake, approximately > 4,800 IU/day, appears to counter the beneficial effect of vitamin D . . ." In other words, exactly what the British Medical Journal paper found with colon cancer.

Oh K et al. Calcium and vitamin D intakes in relation to risk of distal colorectal adenoma in women. Am J Epidemiol. 2007 May 15;165(10):1178-86.

Let"s look at Dr. Pamela Goodwin"s study from the University of Toronto that studied breast cancer survival. This a very different study as it looked at vitamin D levels obtained after the diagnosis of breast cancer and subsequent survival in 535 Toronto women between 1989 and 1996. Vitamin D levels ranged from 3 ng/ml to 70 ng/ml. The women with the lowest levels were about twice as likely to die and to suffer distant cancer recurrence compared those with the highest levels. Ten year survival was 85% for those in the upper one-third of vitamin D levels compared to 74% in the lower one-third. However, the data suggested a U shaped curve for the women with levels above 40 ng/ml, that is, a higher risk of dying, but it was not statistically significant.

Goodwin PJ et al. Prognostic effects of 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in early breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2009 Aug 10;27(23):3757-63.

Again, let"s ask where women would get levels above 40 ng/ml in Toronto between 1989 and 1996? Sunshine? We know the answer is no as the authors found no seasonal variation in 25(OH)D levels in the 535 women, even in the women with the highest levels. So where did blood levels of 40-70 ng/ml come from in the early 1990s? Vitamin D supplements were not widely available in the early 1990s, and only contained meaningless doses when available. As sunshine was ruled out, they could only have gotten it from cod liver oil. I have emailed Dr. Pamela Goodwin, lead author, asking how hard it would be to see if cod liver oil use was asked about in the dietary questionnaire and if she could control for cod liver oil intake. She did find retinol intake was associated with higher vitamin D levels but I am particularly interested in cod liver oil intake in women with vitamin D levels above 40 ng/ml.

It's not just in breast cancer that vitamin D levels appear to have a treatment effect; it's in lung, prostate and colon cancer as well. Again, these are studies of people diagnosed with cancer to see if high vitamin D levels at the time of diagnosis are associated with improved survival.; that is, do high vitamin D levels have a treatment effect? On average, those with the highest vitamin D levels at time of diagnosis lived 2 or 3 times longer. One has to ask how high vitamin D levels are associated with greatly improved survival once you get cancer but a higher risk of getting cancer in the first place. That requires some gymnastic thinking and acrobatic basic science.

Zhou W et al. Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels predict survival in early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer patients. J Clin Oncol. 2007 Feb 10;25(5):479-85.

Ng K et al. Clin Oncol. 2008 Jun 20;26(18):2984-91. Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and survival in patients with colorectal cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2008 Jun 20;26(18):2984-91.

Tretli S et al. Association between serum 25(OH)D and death from prostate cancer. Br J Cancer. 2009 Feb 10;100(3):450-4.

Remember, studies of vitamin D levels and subsequent risk of cancer are only one type of epidemiological study. Studies of latitude and cancer are quite clear, the less sunshine the higher the cancer risk. Studies of dietary vitamin D intake and cancer are also mostly supportive but such studies are limited by the tiny doses people get in their diets.

So it is not just autistic children that are being harmed by vitamin A. Avoid cod liver oil like the poison it is and check your multivitamins. Life Extension Foundation just reformulated their multivitamin to contain only 500 IU of preformed retinol. And, I am happy to report that Purity Products, which markets my vitamin D, has no preformed retinol at all in any of their multivitamins, only beta carotene. Purity has also stopped selling cod liver oil. Now, if only Carlson, Solgar, Nature's Way, and other companies would stop selling cod liver oil and stop selling their concentrated vitamin A supplements to a country whose problem is widespread sub-clinical vitamin A toxicity, I'd be a happier agitator.
John Cannell, MD
Executive Director
Vitamin D Council

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One of his patients with erectile dysfunction was cured after a two months on D3. Unfortunately, the patient was so thrilled with the results that he started taking a lot more than what was recommended! A blood test showed his D levels soared too high and he had to come off it for about two months. After two months he was deficient again.

The good doctor also told me that 90% of his patients suffering from migraines were cured after being 2-3 months on D3. The key is to give it 3 months at 8,000/day dosage. He recommended the vitamin d council website for further research: http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/

Some side effects which I consider to be cleansing symptoms: nausea, sleeplessness and skin breakouts, but I did start on a high dose of 20 grams a day. After three weeks no more 'side effects'.

My energy has greatly increased, I feel quite euphoric every day now. The only time I had that kind of euphoria was by drinking three glasses of organic green juices a day. I think people on heavy medications, mercury fillings, toxic diet are going to have more difficulties with it, so building up from a small dose with extra vitamin C and plenty of pure water will help.

The other supplement that really helps is Vitamin D3, I take 16,000iu liquid daily, no colds for two years now and my chronic bronchitis of 20 years has disappeared. Some years it was mild others, severe triggering serious asthma attacks. So the combination of Vitamin and MSM has been miraculous for me. This great website encouraged me to try MSM. Thanks so much.

p.s. Brushing my teeth with MSM has whitened them.

There are several kinds of COPD; emphysema, asthma, chronic bronchitis, and others. It may take a while to find the right combination for you. Try researching:

Chlorophyll Aids in clear breathing
Essential fatty acids For rebuilding and producing new cells
Zinc Protective effects on lung proteins.
DO NOT exceed 100 mgs daily from all supplements.
Copper 3 mgs daily Needed to balance with zinc.
CoQ10 Enhances oxygen in the lungs for use in the body
Free-form aminoacid complex Important for repair of lung tissue.
Grape seed extract 30 mg 3X daily. Helps protect the lungs.
Vitamin A Emulsion form is easier on the system.
Vit.C w/bioflavonoids Aids healing of inflamed tissue
Vit. E 200 IU daily Oxygen carrier and potent antioxident
Calcium and magnesium Chelate forms are best
Kelp Contains minerals needed for improved breathing and healing
Also, research juicing. It may help you get the nourishment you need w/o tiring you.

Hope this helps.
Peace, Sharik

What happened to cod liver oil in the USA or how it is marketed may be different from the practice in other countries. In the UK cod liver oil the oil has for many decades contained A and D in an approximate ratio of 10:1 based on the amounts in International Units (I.U.). There is a British pharmacopoeial standard for the oil which has specified for many years no less than 600 I.U A and no less than 85 I.U. D per gram. The European Pharmacopoeia specifies, per gram of oil, no less than 600 I.U. and no more than 2500 I.U. of A and no less than 60 I.U. but no more than 250 I.U. vitamin D. Both reflect the ratio of A:D in natural cod liver oil of around 10:1('as nature designed it').

Vitamin D is essential for the absorption of calcium from food and, consequently, it is required for development and maintenance of healthy, strong bones and teeth. Recent research is suggesting that the vitamin may have more and important actions. Very few natural foods contain vitamin D and most of the body's vitamin D comes from the action of sunlight on the skin. The vitamin is fat-soluble (as is A) and it can, therefore, be stored. This is important because the excess made beyond our immediate requirement could be stored for use at a later date. However, the fact that we rely on sunlight has a downside in that the sunlight needs to be of useful strength in order for us to make vitamin D. At higher latitudes, the time and the amount of useful sunlight are short and low, respectively, during late autumn, winter and early spring. This means that body vitamin D status may be compromised and it is the authors' personal view that this is a public health problem that should be addressed urgently.

We also feel and agree that vitamin D nutrition and, therefore, status should be improved. However, we cannot comment on the view of the authors on how they see that this should be achieved. It is possible that A may interfere with D at the level of the cell but this needs to be investigated meticulously before conclusions can be drawn and recommendations can be made by Government departments or agencies. Retinol has been around in nature for a very, very long time and cod liver oil was given to many people in several countries as the first supplement of vitamins D and A. In the UK, in the early days of the second World War, cod liver oil was given away in clinics to pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under the age of five years because of food restrictions and the fact that many women would need to work in factories and other places and would, therefore, be less exposed to sunlight. This continued until the late 1950s/early 1960s.

Cod liver oil has been taken for decades by many generations of people and without apparent adverse effects. Before suggesting that cod liver oil is anything but beneficial, more quality research needs to be done to find out what any interaction between these vitamins means. Only with sound scientific evidence on the actual interaction and the levels of each vitamin that may cause this interaction can authorities make (dietary) recommendations with reference to the intakes of these vitamins and to any maximum level of A (and D) in supplements and foods.

Have had mild rosacea for a year with broken capillaries on checks. Condition worsened considerably this past winter with pustules within red swellings appearing on face and neck in new places almost daily. I wondered why my skin was calm, with no redness, when I got up in the morning. I read a blog about Vit. D helping rosacea. Hmmm, I took my 1000 IU of Vit. D at night; perhaps that was why my skin was calm in the a.m., I reasoned. I started taking 1000 IU Vit. D when I got up in the morning as well as before bed. I noticed significant positive results immediately. My skin is almost entirely cleared up in one week, even the broken capillaries and redness in the cheeks has subsided. But the best thing is that the oozing pores and pustules have almost completely ceased. I still have maybe one pustule appearing per day, but it's isolated, and not like before where a 1/4" round area of my skin became very red with numerous oozing pores and one pustule within that area that took several days to calm down. I can't believe how easy this was. I'd read that rosacea is worsened by sunlight, so during this past winter I wouldn't go outside without sunscreen and a hat. My rosacea got much worse during this time period. I think I just got low in Vit. D. I'm 58 so that lower ability to absorb Vit. D may be part of it, too.

A SIMPLE VITAMIN D TEST THEN WOULD HAVE SAVED ME A WHOLE YEAR'S WORTH OF AGONY, AND WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH CHEAPER FOR ALL CONCERNED. WAKE UP USA WE NEED BETTER PREVENTIVE MEDICINE!!!

I am continuing to do much much better, am now taking 3000 IU/day D3, upping my daily intake of veggies, and also supplementing with ACV/honey, flaxseed oil, 500 mg vit C, and 200-400 mg magnesium citrate (I've read that vit D deficiency can go hand-in-hand with magnesium and potassium deficiency). My "sensitivity" to fish (rich in Vit. D and magnesium) has disappeared! No more IBS! I'm looking forward to some warm sunny spring days when I can get my vitamin D dose from the sun.

So the issue is one of determining the right I.U. dose for a specific conditions. On the whole vitamin D works better if it's taken daily because in some instances, suppose your stomach didn't work that well on the day vitamin D was consumed, then it's not likely the body will absorb them. Plenty of things can block their absorption, a diarrhea, food poisoning, bouts of constipation, certain foods or gelatin may have blocked the vitamin D from absorbing, the capsules may not have dissolved completely in the stomach. It's my estimation that some people think taking only one capsule of vitamin D will last for a whole month because the body can store the vitamin D. But my experience has been that the vitamin D may not be properly absorbed on that particular day and I my end up missing my entire month of vitamin D. Therefore taking small doses is seen as more wise on the issue of absorption if one day I were to not absorbed, then I have the other 29 days to lean on.

Ted

I'm just trying to stay healthy. Thanks so much for this site. A lot of very good info on here. I've taken advantage of a lot of it. Thanks again. Susan

I suggested she do the Vitamin D3 treatment....50,000 ius on the first day followed by 10,000 ius each day for a week and then 50,000 more for the following 2 weeks plus the daily 10,000. Guess what. She is cured. She had been on antibiotics and everything imaginable to get rid of this. She was sick for over 8 months.

Not only is her respiratory infection gone but she told me that she is no longer depressed and she has a great outlook on life again. Mind you, when I saw Cindy in January her skin was gray and she couldn't talk without coughing. Today looks completely healthy. I just went upstairs on a errand and I saw her in the classroom with students and the teacher she assists and she was laughing and healthy for the first time in almost a year. Vitamin D is an amazing thing.

Question to those who know about Vitamin D3 -- How much is a good daily dosage? If it takes 30 minutes to get 10,000 IU from sitting out in the sun, I imagine you can take at least that amount. I am seeing that some people take up to 50,000 IU a day, but that seems a little high to me!

I have been telling EVERYONE about it and each person who has started taking it has had significant health changes.

For me...the chronic exhaustion is gone, I feel HAPPY, I feel like I can make it through the day! I wake up feeling renewed and my attitude is 10000% better. My asthma is MUCH better! A friend of mine suffered from chronic migraines all of her life and after two days of taking the D3, she feels amazing! Another friend had muscle spasming issues/constant aching and during the first day, she felt spectacular!

I'm not sure what else it will do for me but my skin is amazingly beautiful and clear! Also, I bent over to pick something up and to my surprise I felt NO pulling in my muscles! I used to be a dancer and was very limber, and this has returned despite the only change being Vitamin D3!!!!!! I could bend down to where my forehead touched my knees and I could touch the floor with my wrists!

I'm SOOOOO VERY BLESSED by stumbling upon the information I discovered and I am sharing it with the world!!!!

Ted posted his statement in 2006 and since then, so much more evidence has been released in great favor of Vitamin D. The TRICK is, stick with D3...NOT with D2!!!! ONLY cholecalciferol, NOTTTT ergocalciferol.

Once I get my next blood tests and determine whether my levels have returned to normal, I will then change my intake from 2000 I.U. of D3 to 1000 I.U. of D3.

I feel the best I've felt in ALL of my life and Vitamin D3 is ABSOLUTELY A HUGE PART OF THIS!

Read about Vitamin D deficincy in The Star Tribune by a doctor at the U of MN who discovered how many people suffer from a lack of it. Of course, I am a blue eyed blond who frys like a lobster in the sun and can't remember when the last time was that I went outdoors without sunscreen and and hat so I began taking a D supplement right away. I take 2000 IU of vitamin D daily. I have to say that I feel pretty darn good considering I have arthritis in all the major joints of my body.

I also have been using lysine to take care of my Herpes simplex outbreaks for years and would not be without it. I find that if I take 4-6 500 mg tablets at the first sign of the itch/tingle on my lip, and then 2 tablets every couple of hours after that, I can most times, stop it in its tracks and completely skip and signs of the break out. If I am nowhere near my supply of lysine and I get those symptoms, taking it at first opportunity causes the leisons to heal very rapidly. In any case, it works for me.

Am going to try the apple cider vinegar thing as well, for arthritis and for the flea problem. Weird that it will be for 2 such unrelated problems but If it works, who cares. It is certainly safe enough. Thanks for being here as a sounding board and gathering of natural remedies.

Perhaps it's because I rarely eat meat that I really noticed the change, but I can't tolerate it. I feel really animal-ly. I noticed my libido increased a bit and I had a touch more energy, but it's not worth it for me. I'll just try to get more sunshine in the winter.

People with suicidal tendencies or other behavioral problems such as violent criminals were found to have very low HDL. A simple egg yolk remedy may help depression, and other behavioral problems in children, or possibly your spouse! Perhaps eating an egg yolk for an hour or two before arguing will at least cool down some the fuse from the delay and the yolk!

One easy way to increase the natural vitamin D is to do what the fishes aquarium have been doing for ages: installing black light which have small amounts of UV.

In fact if vaseline were exposed within inches of blacklight bulbs or UV, for several hours, a vaseline will have a healing properties which is not related to vitamin D, but a yet to be identified petrolatum that makes it beneficial to the body.