Vitamin D supplements necessary

by Patrick B. Massey M.D., Ph.D.
Daily Herald

Clinical medicine is beginning to realize the importance of good nutrition in health. Over the past month, I have given three lectures to physicians and health care providers in the Alexian Brothers Hospital Network on the importance of vitamin D for the treatment and prevention of many illnesses.

Vitamin D is not really a vitamin. Since our bodies can make it, it is actually a hormone. However, we need a specific frequency of sunlight, ultraviolet B rays (UVB), to make vitamin D. The intensity of UVB rays varies with the season and how far north you live. In Chicago, the UVB rays are too weak for 4 to 6 months of the year to make vitamin D. And even in the summer, many of us spend most of our time indoors, avoiding UVB altogether. Other factors that can reduce vitamin D production or absorption include age, obesity, wearing sun block with an SPF of 8 or more, and intestinal, liver and kidney disease.

Fish oils are a robust source of vitamin D. Milk may have vitamin D added, but is far from adequate as the only dietary source. Therefore, we have to use supplements, but how much is enough? Generally, 400 to 1,000 IU of vitamin D is recommended. However, studies show that much more is needed, especially for those who live in the northern latitudes, like Chicago. Vitamin D binds to every cell in the body and can directly regulate how genes are expressed. Higher vitamin D levels have been linked to a reduced risk of colon, breast, prostate and pancreatic cancers, osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke, peripheral artery disease, seasonal affective disorder, depression and even the muscle pain associated with the cholesterol lowering drugs called statins. There is no single dose of vitamin D that is best for everyone.

What's most important is the level of vitamin D in the blood, which can be measured by a simple blood test. However, the "normal" ranges set by most laboratories in this part of the country are wrong. They are too low. The body has an internal mechanism for detecting if vitamin D levels are low. It seems that the low end of the body's normal range is 35 ng/ml. To get to this level, some people may need robust amounts of vitamin D, daily. Vitamin D toxicities are rare. To my knowledge, no one has ever died from taking vitamin D. Most of my patients have their vitamin D levels checked to make sure they are taking the right amount.

Patrick B. Massey M.D., Ph.D., is medical director of complementary and alternative medicine at Alexian Brothers Hospital Network.

Steve - Dr. Massey does a very good job of explaining the importance of vitamin D. He contributes a very solid column to our local Daily Herald.