There’s nothing like the holiday season to pack on a few extra pounds—and then resolve to lose them. If you find yourself wanting to lose a little “holiday weight,” then the results of a new study may help you reach your goal.

Among 52 study participants on a calorie restricted diet, those taking daily doses of 600 mg of calcium and 125 IU of Vitamin D3 lost significantly more body fat (55.6%) over 12 weeks than those who used calorie restriction alone to lose weight.

While there were no differences in overall body weight loss between the two groups at the end of the study, the researchers reported that the Calcium + Vitamin D group lost more fat tissue.

Moreover, this group was successful in losing a particularly unhealthy type of fat--visceral fat, commonly referred to as “belly fat.”

Viseral fat accumulates around the internal organs, especially the liver, and is associated with heart disease, liver disease, hypertension, and some types of cancer.

Most diets cause dieters to lose a combination of fat, muscle, and water. The fact that the Calcium + Vitamin D group lost more fat tissue is another reason the results are encouraging.

How Calcium/Vitamin D Cuts Fat

It’s important to get enough calcium in your diet as low levels cause your body to produce higher levels of calcitriol, a hormone that triggers increased production of fat cells. Extra calcium in your diet suppresses calcitriol, leading to the breakdown of more fat, making fat cells leaner and trimmer.

So, it appears that calcium is not just for bones, it can also help you lose weight!

Researchers believe that Vitamin D assists with weight loss in a number of ways. First, it helps your body absorb calcium, which promotes weight loss.  Also, every cell in your body needs Vitamin D to function properly—including fat cells.  Fat cells have special receptors for Vitamin D that signal whether you should burn fat or simply store it. When Vitamin D attaches to these receptors, it's revs up your body's fat-burning mechanism.

Vitamin D receptors in your brain also help keep hunger and cravings under control as well as affect levels of the mood-elevating brain chemical serotonin. (Many of us know how mood can drive overeating or poor food choices.)

Sensible Weight Loss

For additional tips for sensible weight loss, read our guide: The Healthy Way to Lose Weight…Naturally and for Good.

Sources:

NutraIngredients

MedicineNet

Women’s Health

In a recent newsletter, we highlighted top tips to Protect Your Vision Health as You Age which includes wearing sun glasses to protect your eyes from damaging UVA and UVB rays. Ironically, sunlight may also support healthy vision through its role in vitamin D production.

A new study found that the sunshine vitamin was associated with a reduction in amyloid beta, a risk factor for age-related vision problems.

Aging and the Eyes

With age, deposits of amyloid beta can accumulate in our eyes, reducing blood supply and increasing the risk of damage to the structures and functions of the eyes.

One structure that may be affected by amyloid beta is the macula, a small yellow spot on the retina. The yellow color is due to the content of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which we get from our diet. These carotenoids filter out the harmful blue light that can damage cells in the eye.  

Therefore reduced circulation means fewer carotenoids and a thinner macular pigment which can allow the blue light through to damage the cells.

Study Details

In the study, lab mice that received vitamin D supplementation for six weeks had reductions in the levels of amyloid beta. The vitamin was also associated with reductions in markers for inflammation.

Other human studies have also shown that higher blood levels of vitamin D decreased the risk of damage to the macula.

Sources:

NutraIngredients

NutraIngredients

Unless you’re lucky enough to enjoy a sunny climate year-round, fall signals the season that you may want to start taking a vitamin D supplement—but not just any form of vitamin D. A recent study finds that vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) does a better job of maintaining vitamin D levels than the D2 (ergocalciferol) form.

Normally, our bodies can make some vitamin D from the sun provided we get regular exposure to sunlight on uncovered skin—this means no sunscreen too. But if you spend most of your time indoors, or live in a northern climate with little UV exposure in the fall and winter months, vitamin D stores can drop below healthy levels. In fact, it is estimated that as many as 60% of us are deficient in vitamin D.

That’s why this new study comparing vitamin D3 to D2 is such good timing.

The researchers from the University of Otago in New Zealand, found that 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 maintained vitamin D stores during winter months, whereas levels decreased with the same dose of vitamin D2.

For the study they recruited 95 people between the ages of 18 and 50 and divided them into 3 groups. The first group received a placebo, and the second and third groups received 1,000 IU daily doses of vitamin D2 or D3 for 25 weeks starting at the end of summer.

Overall, total serum concentrations were 21 nmol/l lower in participants receiving vitamin D2 compared with those receiving D3, among whom total serum concentrations remained the same.

These findings contribute to mounting evidence that vitamin D3 and vitamin D2 have different effects on your body. As a result, it is important which form of vitamin D you choose to help maintain your health.

Source:

NutraIngredients

Years ago, when people spent more time outdoors and sunscreen was for wussies, vitamin D deficiency wasn’t that common. Exposure to sunlight was all your body needed to make enough vitamin D.

But times have changed and studies are finding that over 75% of Americans, young and old, are deficient in vitamin D. Consequently, we’re also seeing what happens to our bodies when we don’t get enough vitamin D, which is essential for a healthy immune system, strong bones and muscles and much more.

Recent studies highlight some of these effects of vitamin D deficiency:

Muscle Health

Researchers studying elite NFL football players found that lacking in vitamin D may increase the chance of muscle injuries.

Eighty percent of the football teams they studied had a vitamin D insufficiency. African-American players and players who suffered muscle injuries had significantly lower levels.

Other studies have found similar results in younger athletes as well.

Mobility and Falls Among Seniors

For older adults, vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of losing mobility and falls—two of the biggest fears among seniors for good reason.

Being physically active helps maintain general health and prevent many chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Therefore, losing mobility may lead to an overall decline in health, loss of independence and the ability to enjoy life.

One study reported a 30% increased risk of mobility limitations for those older adults who had low levels of vitamin D, and almost a two-fold higher risk of mobility disability.

Vitamin D plays an important role in muscle function, so it is plausible that low levels of the vitamin could result in the onset of decreased lower muscle strength and physical performance, study authors explained.

Mobility problems often lead to falls--a leading cause of serious injury and the principle reason why older adults enter nursing homes. As many as 40% of people aged 65 and older living outside of nursing homes fall at least once a year, and up to 10% of those who fall will suffer fractures, lacerations, or head injuries.

After reviewing more than 50 clinical trials to assess the best way to prevent falls in older adults living independently at home, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force found determined that exercise or physical therapy and vitamin D supplementation can help reduce the risk of falls in people aged 65 and older.

Although the report did not address vitamin D dosage, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) call for people at increased risk for falls to take a supplement of at least 800 international units (IU) of the vitamin a day.

Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?

The daily recommended amounts vary by age, so be sure to read this post and speak with your doctor if you think you might be lacking vitamin D.

With widespread deficiency in this nutrient, many doctors now check serum vitamin D levels during regular check-ups.

If you are deficient, vitamin D supplements are a quick and easy way to get your Vitamin D levels back to normal.

Sources:

Drug Store News

WebMd

Linus Pauling Institute

Drug Store News

When a recent study reported that calcium may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, the ensuing wave of concern and controversy was inevitable. For millions of older men and women taking calcium to help maintain bone mass, the study caused undue alarm and a flurry of calls to doctors asking, “Should I stop taking calcium?”

Before you consider tossing your calcium supplements, you should know that there are some serious flaws in the design of this study--even the study authors acknowledge these defects.

Problems with Study Design

As the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) points out, the original study wasn’t designed to measure cardiovascular events. Consequently, confounding factors were not equally distributed across the study groups, which resulted in misleading results.

For example, the calcium supplement group had a population with a greater incidence of high cholesterol at baseline, and also included more smokers who were more likely to smoke for a longer duration. (The association between smoking and heart disease is well-established.)

Also, the data on calcium intakes was incomplete. Study participants did not always provide the supplement brand name or dosage on food questionnaires so calcium intakes from supplements were inaccurate. Also dietary changes over time which affect total calcium consumption were not calculated.

In addition, calcium intake does not equal calcium absorption in the gut. Many factors can affect calcium absorption and utilization—including age, medical conditions and the presence of other nutrients necessary to use calcium in the body. So, drawing any associations between calcium intakes and CVD outcomes without accounting for these factors would be unreliable.

Taken together, these shortcomings in the study design render the association between calcium intake and increased risk of CVD questionable at best.

Inconsistent Results

The flawed study design may explain why the study findings were inconsistent.

Greater dairy calcium intake—that is milk, cheese or ice cream and not supplements—actually had a significantly lower risk of heart attacks. However they found no link between either calcium supplements or food-based calcium intake and strokes or overall cardiovascular disease death. But they did find a link for heart attacks.

Sorting it Out

The bottom line is this: you need calcium at every stage of life, but it is particularly important as you get older as there is a greater risk of falls and fractures due to weak bones. Removing calcium supplements from your diet could put you at an even greater risk for these kinds of problems.

Nutrition experts advise consumers to be aware of how much calcium you get from your diet and then supplement with calcium if needed.

For best utilization, calcium--whether obtained through diet or supplements--should be consumed in small divided doses.

Also, calcium needs other nutrients including vitamins, protein and minerals--primarily magnesium--to be absorbed by your bones. This is why good bone-building supplement formulas contain vitamin D and vitamin K and the correct ratio of calcium to magnesium. The current ratio is 2 to 1 with newer evidence pointing to a 1 to 1 ratio.

If you do take a calcium-only supplement, most medical experts recommend that you take it with meals rather than in isolation.

As with any supplement, speak with your doctor or other healthcare practitioner to determine your own personal needs.

Sources:

Heart

Council for Responsible Nutrition

New Hope 360

Drug Store News

Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism

It’s probably no surprise that 84% of retail pharmacists surveyed said they receive questions about which supplements they would recommend for various health concerns. After all, they wear a white coat and are usually within a few yards of a dizzying array of supplement options.

Given that they are experts in human physiology, medication metabolism and drug interaction, they just might be the best person (aside from your doctor) to ask for a recommendation. While you’re at it, be sure to tell them what, if any medications you’re taking as some supplements can affect how drugs work.

Pharmacists’ Top Picks

According to the same survey, here are the top recommended supplements for common health concerns:

Energy – Pharmacists are twice as likely to recommend protein-based products rather than caffeine for energy. To maintain energy about three in four pharmacists (72%) recommend taking an iron supplement. About 30% recommend ginseng.

Metabolism – To derive energy from food, nine out of ten pharmacists recommend a B-complex vitamin which can help the body utilize nutrients.

Heart Health – Nine in ten recommend fish oil for cardiovascular health. About two thirds surveyed are apt to recommend flaxseed oil and about half (47%) may also suggest a garlic supplement. Vitamin D was also highly regarded by 77% of pharmacists for heart health.

Mental Alertness -- About 42% recommend Ginkgo biloba for mental alertness Immune Health – For a healthy immune system, 79% of the pharmacists say they recommend vitamin D.

Nutritional Gaps – Nine in 10 recommend multivitamins and vitamin D to fill nutritional gaps.

Quality Matters

While an overwhelming majority of pharmacists (93%) agree that taking vitamins and supplements is important for maintaining overall good health, they are equally adamant about choosing supplement brands based on quality.

In fact, product quality topped the list of important factors to consider when purchasing supplements. Specifically, they rated product purity (77%) and product potency (65%) as being paramount.

We wholeheartedly agree with the pharmacists on this point—choosing a high quality supplement ensures that you are getting a safe and effective product that will help you maintain optimal health.

CNCA goes to extreme measures to insure our products meet the highest standards for purity, potency and authenticity—We call that quality you can trust!

Source:

PR Newswire

Health guru, Dr. Mehmet Oz says it’s possible to get all the nutrients your body needs by eating a balanced diet—if you’re careful. But in his experience he often finds that many of us may not be getting enough of these five important nutrients.

Vitamin B 12

Vitamin B12 plays many essential roles in our bodies that help us feel good, look good and think clearly:

• B12 is necessary for the manufacture of red blood cells.
• It is needed for DNA to replicate normally--a process that leads to the creation healthy new cells.
• B12 supports brain and nerve health and function.
• A B12 deficiency can cause anemia, fatigue, dizziness and irritability.

To make sure you’re getting enough B12 in your diet, eat foods that contain high amounts of B12 including: sardines, salmon, and beef.

Dietary Fiber

It can be difficult to get the recommended 25-35 grams of fiber daily. But doing so can yield many health benefits:

• Fiber helps you feel full longer and therefore may support weight management
• It supports cardiovascular health
• Fiber promotes blood sugar balance
• Dietary fiber promotes regularity and detoxification

Good sources of dietary fiber include: whole grain bread or pasta, oatmeal, apples, or beans.

Calcium

Most Americans--young and old--are not getting enough calcium. Calcium is not only important for healthy bones, it is vital for healthy blood vessels, muscle contractions and nerve signal transmission.

Good sources of calcium include milk and fortified orange juice. Both contain about 500 milligrams of calcium in an 8 oz glass. Dr. Oz recommends that adults get at least 1,000 – 1,300 mg of calcium a day plus 600 milligrams of magnesium per day to help your body absorb calcium.

Vitamin D

Like calcium, vitamin D is necessary for bone health, but it also supports your immune system and inflammatory balance.

Milk and some dairy products are fortified with vitamin D. Other sources include fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, as well as beef and egg yolks. Your body can also create vitamin D from exposure to sunlight.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Next on Dr. Oz’ list of nutrients we may be missing are omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish. Omega-3 fatty acids are now the most popular dietary supplement on the market and among the top doctor recommended supplements for overall good health. Omega-3 fatty acids:

• Promote cardiovascular health
• Support inflammatory balance
• Promote joint flexibility and comfort
• DHA in fish oil promotes brain health, memory and cognitive function

Good sources of omega-3s are cod, salmon, scallops and shrimp. If you don’t care for the taste of fish, other omega-3 sources include walnuts, flax seeds and soybeans.

Plan B

Of these five nutrients, Dr. Oz says some--particularly fiber and omega-3s--are more difficult than others to obtain from your diet. That’s where you may need to go to your “back-up plan” and take dietary supplements to fill-in nutritional gaps. Just be sure you choose a supplement brand that is professionally formulated and held to the highest standards for purity, potency and authenticity through extensive quality testing.

All supplements are not the same. Learn why quality differs among supplement brands.

Sources:

Yahoo Health

A new study adds to growing evidence that not getting enough exposure to sunlight may increase our risk of some health conditions.

Researchers from the European Centre for Environment & Human Health, along with several Australian institutions, have found that children living in areas with lower levels of sunlight and low vitamin D status are at greater risk of developing food allergies and the skin condition eczema, compared to those in areas with higher amounts of UV light.

Using data from a study of Australian children, they examined how rates of food allergy, eczema and asthma varied throughout the country. They identified a link between latitude and allergies to peanut and egg and found that children in southern Australia are twice as likely to develop eczema as those in the north.

But it’s not just allergies and eczema that we need to worry about, many other aspects of good health are linked to sun exposure.

Sunlight and Health

Our bodies need sunlight to synthesize vitamin D in the skin. Those who live closest to the equator typically receive higher levels of sunshine than those who live closer to earth’s poles.

However, many lifestyle factors such as spending more time indoors and sunscreen use have led to widespread vitamin D deficiency in many Americans. Those who have dark skin and live further from the equator are also at greater risk of vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamin D is best known for building strong bones and teeth but it is also essential for the health of many other tissues and organs. In fact, virtually every cell in your body has vitamin D receptors indicating that Vitamin D plays a role in its normal functioning.

In addition to bone health, vitamin D supports:

• Immune health
• The growth and development of normal cells
• Inflammatory balance

To prevent vitamin D deficiency, it’s important to get at least 10 to 15 minutes of direct sunlight every day on bare skin without using sunscreen.

Learn more about your risks for Vitamin D deficiency here.

Sources:

Nutraingredients

WebMD

Among 28 vitamin D supplements recently selected for independent testing, Consumerlab.com found that eight products, or 29 percent of those tested, had quality problems.

Problems Found

• A popular supplement for children listed 200 IU of vitamin D per two gummy bears, but actually contained 501 IU, 251% of the listed amount.
• A gummy product for adults listed 1,000 IU of vitamin D, but contained only 317 IU, 32% of the listed amount.
• A liquid listing 42 IU of vitamin D contained only 18 IU, 44% of the listed amount.
• A tablet listing 800 IU of vitamin D contained only 664 IU, 83% of the listed amount.
• A vitamin D/vitamin K supplement contained its listed amount of vitamin D but provided only 36.8 mcg of its listed 50 mcg of vitamin K per capsule, 74% of the listed amount.
• Two other products containing combinations of vitamins D and K and calcium were contaminated with lead: One contained 5.2 mcg of lead per serving, and the other contained 4.1 mcg per serving. Both also failed to disclose soy as a potential allergen.

These results underscore the need for consumers to insist that supplement manufacturers have the highest quality standards that require extensive quality testing of raw ingredients and finished products.

Looking for Problems

Quality tests should focus on satisfying three criteria:

• Authenticity/Identity – What’s in the bottle is what is declared on the label—no counterfeit or substitute ingredients.
• Potency – The amounts of each ingredient listed on the label are the minimum amounts contained in each capsule, tablet, or teaspoonful, at its expiration date.
• Purity –  The product is tested for all known and suspected contaminants and rejected if they do not meet FDA or other limits.

Degrees of Quality?

Don’t assume that authenticity, potency and purity are somehow a “given.” The FDA only requires that manufacturers test raw ingredients for identity. They leave it up to each manufacturer to define its own standard for purity and potency.

This is the proverbial fork in the road for manufacturers. If they take the path of least resistance, they conduct fewer quality tests thereby lowering their costs. But quality problems could go undetected. So some manufacturers don’t find problems because they simply chose not to look for them.

Manufacturers with the highest standards put quality first and conduct extensive tests to ensure superior quality. Of course there are many paths and degrees of quality in between these two paths, but this illustrates why supplement quality varies widely from one manufacturer to another.

How CNCA Protects You

At CNCA, we put your health first and have made superior quality our mission—Expert Nutrition. Quality You Can Trust. Depending on ingredients, we conduct up to as many as  207 tests on our raw materials and finished products. That’s up to four times more tests than ConsumerLab.com or voluntary quality programs like USP.

Through extensive testing, CNCA has found dangerous and occasionally illegal levels of contaminants in raw materials that Consumerlab.com doesn't test for.  Learn more here

Doctors and hospitals trust CNCA dietary supplements. You can too.

Sources:

Consumerlab.com

If your New Year’s Resolution is to lose weight, two new studies may provide strategies to help you reach your goal. One study sheds light on how you can feel fuller longer so you snack less throughout the day. The other points to certain vitamins and minerals that may help reduce abdominal fat.

Start With Breakfast

In a previous post we reviewed all the positive health benefits of eating breakfast, including the fact that it helps prevent overeating later in the day. A group of researchers focused specifically on optimizing this benefit by investigating whether a high protein breakfast could curb a person’s appetite.

Targeting breakfast-skipping teens, the researchers enrolled 10 girls with an average age of 15 to participate in the three-week study. The girls either continued to skip breakfast or consumed a 500-calorie breakfast of either cereal and milk (normal quantities of protein) or higher protein meals such as Belgian waffles, syrup and yogurt.
From appetite and satiety questionnaires and brain scans, the researchers determined that the group consuming a high protein breakfast experienced a greater change in appetite, satiety and reward-driven eating behavior compared to the normal protein breakfast group and the group that skipped breakfast.
Don’t forget the OJ

While you’re enjoying your high-protein breakfast, you might want to include a glass of orange juice. In addition to research that indicates it may block some of the negative effects of high-fat, high-carbohydrate foods, the calcium and vitamin D added to orange juice can also help reduce visceral fat, commonly known as belly fat.
Among a group of 171 overweight adults, those who consumed three glasses of regular fortified orange juice as part of a reduced calorie diet had an average decrease in abdominal fat of 12.7 cm2 compared with only 1.3 cm2 in the control group that received orange juice that was not fortified. Similar results were found among those who drank a lite fortified orange juice (13.1 cm2 reduction) vs. unfortified lite juice (6.4 cm2). Both the regular and lite fortified juice contained 1050 mg of calcium and 300 IU of vitamin D per day.

It’s important to note that no differences between any of the groups were recorded in terms of average weight loss. This means that they all lost about the same amount of weight, but those drinking calcium and vitamin D fortified orange juice lost significantly more visceral fat—the worst type of fat that is associated with an increase in cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

The researchers noted that a large portion of the population is deficient in vitamin D and calcium. And, this isn’t the first time that studies have shown a positive association between these nutrients and weight loss.

Sources:

Nutraingredients

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Medical News Today

Science Daily

Every year, one in three people 65 or older experience a fall. Falling was once considered an inevitable part of later life—like graying hair and bifocals. However, health professionals are increasingly recognizing that falls are not a normal part of aging and that many falls can be prevented.

Today, clinicians are reducing the risk of falls by educating seniors about the importance of staying active and getting proper nutrition to promote strong bones and muscles. Calcium and magnesium supplements are often prescribed to support these goals, but recent studies suggest vitamin D may be equally, if not more critical, in preventing falls.

How Vitamin D Reduces Falls

Vitamin D supports body strength and stability in two important ways. First, it is necessary for the absorption of calcium which is essential for strong bones. Second, vitamin D is required for muscle energy and maintenance. Without adequate amounts of vitamin D, bones lose calcium and weaken and muscles feel tired and heavy.

Several studies have found that seniors who were deficient in vitamin D were more likely to experience falls. Furthermore, studies found that supplementing with vitamin D was successful in preventing falls. A recent analysis found vitamin D supplementation reduces the risk of falls among older individuals by more than 20%.

Vitamin D Deficiency Common Among Elderly

According to recent data of dietary intakes, 70% of Americans are deficient in vitamin D. Older people are prone to develop vitamin D deficiency because of various risk factors:

• decreased dietary intake,
• diminished sunlight exposure,
• reduced skin thickness,
• impaired intestinal absorption, and
• impaired conversion of vitamin D in the liver and kidneys.

The recommended daily amount of vitamin D for adults over 65 is 600 IU (adults 51-70 years of age) and 800 IU for adults 71 and older. If you are already deficient in vitamin D, dosages of up to 5,000 IU daily may be required until vitamin D levels reach the normal range. Your doctor can order a blood test to determine your vitamin D status.

Sources:

Medscape

New York Times

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Medscape

Linus Pauling Institute

Over 75% of Americans are deficient in Vitamin D, an important vitamin for overall good health. In part one of this post we looked at forms of Vitamin D, it’s role in our bodies and how much we need to maintain strong bones and a healthy body. Now we’ll address some of the sources of Vitamin D, risk factors for deficiency, and Vitamin D testing.

Why Aren’t We Getting Enough Vitamin D?

There are basically three sources of vitamin D: food sources, sunlight and supplementation. It’s very difficult for most people to get enough Vitamin D through diet and sun exposure which requires most us to take a supplement. Here’s why:

Very few foods in nature contain significant amounts of vitamin D. The flesh of fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel) and fish liver oils are among the best sources—about 400 IUs per serving. Small amounts (about 40-45 IUs) of vitamin D are found in beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks.

Fortified foods provide another source of the vitamin D in the American diet but not usually more than 100 IUs per serving. Almost all of the U.S. milk supply is voluntarily fortified with 100 IU of vitamin D per cup. Both the U.S. and Canada also require that infant formula be fortified with 40-100 IU/100kcal. (Other dairy products are not typically fortified with Vitamin D.)

So, unless you eat fatty fish every day and drink lots of milk or other fortified foods you’re not going to get enough from food sources.

As for Vitamin D from sunlight, getting 15–30 minutes of mid-day exposure to sunlight at least twice a week should be enough to maintain adequate levels of Vitamin D for most people. But, this too can be difficult as well. These days we spend more time indoors and use more sun protection than in times past.

We slather on sunscreen and use UV film on office building windows and car windows to shield us from the sun’s rays.

That leaves supplementation, which usually starts at about 400 IU of Vitamin D3 daily for adults and can increase to as much as 5,000 IU per day or more depending on the severity of deficiency. Larger doses are usually short term to increase serum levels quickly and then lowered to a daily maintenance dose once a healthy level is achieved.

Who Is at Risk for Vitamin Deficiency?

If you belong to any of the following groups, you may be at an even higher risk of vitamin D deficiency, in which case you may want to discuss vitamin D testing with your doctor. (More about Vitamin D testing below.)

• Infants who are only breast-fed or who get less than 2 cups each day of vitamin D fortified formula or milk
• People with dark skin (which doesn't absorb the sunlight as well as light skin). A new study from Northwestern University in Chicago found that African-American men living in areas with low sunlight are up to 3 ½ times more likely to have Vitamin D deficiency than Caucasian men and should take high levels of Vitamin D supplements.
• People who don't get a lot of exposure to sunlight
• People who use sunscreen often
• Older people are at very high risk, in part because aging skin doesn't absorb sunlight as well as younger skin
• People who are obese or have undergone gastric bypass surgery
• People who have medical conditions that interfere with their body's ability to absorb fat, such as cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, or pancreatitis
• People who have liver or kidney problems
• People who live in the northern hemisphere in the winter months
• People who take certain medicines, like anti-seizure drugs or steroids

Are you Getting Enough Vitamin D?

The best way to know if you are getting enough vitamin D is to have a specific blood test that measures your serum levels of Vitamin D produced by the skin or obtained from food and supplements. Otherwise, you may not know that you're not getting enough vitamin D until you start having symptoms associated with vitamin D deficiency.

According to the Institute of Medicine a person is at risk of vitamin D deficiency if their serum 25(OH)D concentrations are less than 30 nmol/L (<12 ng/mL). However, some people with impaired Vitamin D utilization are potentially at risk for low Vitamin D at levels ranging from 30–50 nmol/L (12–20 ng/mL).

Practically all people (97.5%) are sufficient at levels 50 nmol/L (≥20 ng/mL) or greater.

You can have too much of a good thing. Serum concentrations greater than 125 nmol/L (>50 ng/mL) are associated with potential adverse effects.

Sources:

Nutraingredients

National Institutes of Health

Vitamin D (the sunshine vitamin) is one of the most important vitamins for our overall health, yet about 77% of Americans are not getting enough. What is Vitamin D, why is it so important to our well being and how do we know if we’re getting enough? Those are just some of the questions we hope to answer in this 2-part post about Vitamin D.

Vitamin D2 or Vitamin D3... Which Form is Better?

There are two types of vitamin D supplements available for over-the-counter purchase, vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). Vitamin D2 is a fungus/yeast-derived product while D3 is synthesized in the lab from animal sources to mimic  how our own skin would produce Vitamin D3. Most experts agree that vitamin D3 is the best form as it is the most “natural” form, it binds to receptor sites better, and it’s more potent and stable. Vegetarians or vegans may prefer D2 as it not sourced from animals.

Whichever form you choose, Vitamin D supplements are best absorbed when taken with a large meal.

Why We Need Vitamin D?

The major function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, which helps form and maintain strong bones. It is used, alone or in combination with calcium, to increase bone mineral density and maintain healthy bones. Strong research also suggests that vitamin D is helpful in supporting immune function and overall health.

Vitamin D deficiency can cause rickets (skeletal deformities) in children and osteomalacia (weak muscles and bones) in adults.

How Much Vitamin D Do We Need?

While the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of vitamin D for adults up to age 70 is 600 IU (International Units) and 800 IU for those over 70, many experts believe these are too low. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation:

• Adults under age 50 need 400 to 800 IU of vitamin D daily.
• Menopausal women and adults over the age of 50 are advised to get 800 to 1,000 IU of vitamin D daily.
• If your serum levels of Vitamin D are low,  you may require as much as 5,000 IU per day.

It’s always best to speak with your doctor regarding an intake that is appropriate for your specific needs.

Check part two of this post to learn if you’re at risk for Vitamin D deficiency and what you can do to get enough of this important nutrient.

Sources:

Nutraingredients

National Institutes of Health

Medscape

Consumerlab.com (full report requires membership)

Because our friends at ConsumerLab.com do a great service on behalf of their subscribers and the public to warn consumers about potency and purity -- just two of the many quality issues related to supplements -- we really pay attention when they issue the results of studies, like this latest one that surveyed some 6,000 subscribers about their buying habits.

No surprise, a majority of respondents use multiple supplements, with omega-3 rich fish oil topping the list at 75.7 percent, followed by multivitamins (70.1 percent), vitamin D (56.2 percent), calcium (55.3 percent) and CoQ10 (53 percent).

The biggest surprises among the top 5: Vitamin D supplementation rose by a whopping 52 percent from nearly 37 percent in 2008, while the use of multivitamins fell over that same time from nearly 74 percent. Perhaps, the surge in vitamin D supplementation may be partly explained by the fact that almost 65 percent of seniors (age 75-84) take it.

One more interesting fact we gleaned from the survey: More people are buying their supplements online than they did two years ago by some 14 percent to 46.2 percent, which tells us more of you are feeling comfortable investing the time it takes to do your homework and finding answers to the questions you should be asking every time you consider taking one.

Orlando Sentinel February 1, 2011

San Francisco Chronicle/PRWeb February 1, 2011

Yahoo Health February 4, 2011

If you've been following this space with any regularity, you know how important vitamin D is to your health, and, especially, for seniors and folks fighting cancer.

Not only is it difficult to get the right amount without taking a supplement, there are differences in potency among the different forms of vitamin D, namely vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), too.

In a study involving 33 healthy adults (average age 49.5), vitamin D3 was more potent than vitamin D2 in raising vitamin D serum levels, ranging from 56 to 87 percent, and more than three times as effective in increasing fat calciferol content.

Scientists discovered the difference between the two forms of vitamin D, after patients took 50,000 IU of vitamin D2 or vitamin D3 weekly for 12 weeks. Perhaps, accounting for the extra oomph of vitamin D3: Nearly 17 percent of the vitamin D3 taken by patients remained stored in their bodies.

Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism December 22, 2010

NutraIngredients-USA.com January 11, 2011