Today’s doctors have about one hour of nutrition class in medical school. They are taught that all supplements are not only a waste of money, but are dangerous. Anything their patients need are to be sold as high-priced prescriptions.
Here is my D section from my book Hormone Secrets. It sells on Amazon and has 100 five star reviews. You and your readers can obtain it free at this link: https://BookHip.com/JHPTVTG (substack messes up the formatting here)
VITAMIN D (D3) is a steroid hormone, just like estrogen or testosterone. True vitamins cannot be made by the body, but this is produced in the skin during sun exposure. Those with a deficiency who take it often get an energy boost and have less joint pain.
Susan is 63 years old and has a vitamin D level of only 11 ng/ml. She is black, vegan, has high blood pressure, and gets little sun exposure. She wears sunscreen every day and takes Norvasc, a high blood pressure medicine. These all make D deficiency more likely. Susan would probably feel more energetic if she took supplements and had higher levels.
A 2015 Danish study tested 247,000 patients and found their average health was better if their D3 levels were 60-100 ng/ml. This is much higher than the traditional goal of 30 ng/ml. In the people with higher numbers, there were fewer strokes and less heart disease. They had reduced rates of dementia, obesity, prostate cancer, and colon cancer. The patients with lower levels had more depression, hypertension, and arthritis. Recent studies show that the people who get sick with COVID also have low levels.
Although this “observational” study suggests benefits, we do not know with certainty that taking vitamin D is worthwhile. Definitive evidence would require giving D3 to one group and comparing them with a similar group taking sugar pills. If the health of the ones using D improved, it would prove that the hormone works. But RCTs are seldom done with medications like Vitamin D or other bio-identicals because they cannot be patented to make the huge profits.
At least half of us have D3 levels below 60. This vitamin is cheap, over-the-counter, and almost harmless in the usual doses, so taking it seems reasonable. If the advantages of supplementation are borne out in further study, the medical mainstream would agree. But D is generic and inexpensive. The industry has no incentive to examine it.
Human skin manufactures vitamin D during sun exposure. But nearly equatorial conditions are necessary to produce high levels. Also, seniors lose their ability to produce enough D, even when they live in Palm Springs and their skin looks like an alligator’s. And our dermatologists have us wearing sunscreen and hats to prevent skin cancer. This must have lowered average D levels as well.
Vitamin D (D3) comes in 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000 international unit (IU) capsules. A conservative place to start is 5000 IU a day if you are under 200 pounds and 10,000 IU if you are heavier. But many people need 15,000 or more to bring their blood levels close to 100 ng/ml. My energy improves when my levels get this high. Note: D3 is over-the-counter and derived from animals. D2 is a prescription that is made from plants. It has been studied in the treatment of rickets and other medical conditions and is weaker than D3.
There are anecdotes about D’s healing effects on joints and other systems when blood levels are 130 or higher. Although Florida lifeguards have numbers like this from the sun, in most circumstances this only happens when large doses are taken. If you decide to use more D, read about it and take responsibility—I am not formally recommending it. Check your blood levels through your doctor or with the Life Extension website. They will have your blood drawn at a national lab near your home and email you the results. Over-the-counter home testing kits are less accurate.
Some references make vitamin D sound like a cure-all, but panaceas are mythical. As long as you watch your levels, taking somewhat higher than the usual doses may be no more dangerous than working as a lifeguard. Like other medical fields, we know less than we claim about D.
Today’s doctors have about one hour of nutrition class in medical school. They are taught that all supplements are not only a waste of money, but are dangerous. Anything their patients need are to be sold as high-priced prescriptions.
WaPo doing what it does best. Will be linking your post tomorrow @https://nothingnewunderthesun2016.com/
Here is my D section from my book Hormone Secrets. It sells on Amazon and has 100 five star reviews. You and your readers can obtain it free at this link: https://BookHip.com/JHPTVTG (substack messes up the formatting here)
VITAMIN D (D3) is a steroid hormone, just like estrogen or testosterone. True vitamins cannot be made by the body, but this is produced in the skin during sun exposure. Those with a deficiency who take it often get an energy boost and have less joint pain.
Susan is 63 years old and has a vitamin D level of only 11 ng/ml. She is black, vegan, has high blood pressure, and gets little sun exposure. She wears sunscreen every day and takes Norvasc, a high blood pressure medicine. These all make D deficiency more likely. Susan would probably feel more energetic if she took supplements and had higher levels.
A 2015 Danish study tested 247,000 patients and found their average health was better if their D3 levels were 60-100 ng/ml. This is much higher than the traditional goal of 30 ng/ml. In the people with higher numbers, there were fewer strokes and less heart disease. They had reduced rates of dementia, obesity, prostate cancer, and colon cancer. The patients with lower levels had more depression, hypertension, and arthritis. Recent studies show that the people who get sick with COVID also have low levels.
Although this “observational” study suggests benefits, we do not know with certainty that taking vitamin D is worthwhile. Definitive evidence would require giving D3 to one group and comparing them with a similar group taking sugar pills. If the health of the ones using D improved, it would prove that the hormone works. But RCTs are seldom done with medications like Vitamin D or other bio-identicals because they cannot be patented to make the huge profits.
At least half of us have D3 levels below 60. This vitamin is cheap, over-the-counter, and almost harmless in the usual doses, so taking it seems reasonable. If the advantages of supplementation are borne out in further study, the medical mainstream would agree. But D is generic and inexpensive. The industry has no incentive to examine it.
Human skin manufactures vitamin D during sun exposure. But nearly equatorial conditions are necessary to produce high levels. Also, seniors lose their ability to produce enough D, even when they live in Palm Springs and their skin looks like an alligator’s. And our dermatologists have us wearing sunscreen and hats to prevent skin cancer. This must have lowered average D levels as well.
Vitamin D (D3) comes in 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000 international unit (IU) capsules. A conservative place to start is 5000 IU a day if you are under 200 pounds and 10,000 IU if you are heavier. But many people need 15,000 or more to bring their blood levels close to 100 ng/ml. My energy improves when my levels get this high. Note: D3 is over-the-counter and derived from animals. D2 is a prescription that is made from plants. It has been studied in the treatment of rickets and other medical conditions and is weaker than D3.
There are anecdotes about D’s healing effects on joints and other systems when blood levels are 130 or higher. Although Florida lifeguards have numbers like this from the sun, in most circumstances this only happens when large doses are taken. If you decide to use more D, read about it and take responsibility—I am not formally recommending it. Check your blood levels through your doctor or with the Life Extension website. They will have your blood drawn at a national lab near your home and email you the results. Over-the-counter home testing kits are less accurate.
Some references make vitamin D sound like a cure-all, but panaceas are mythical. As long as you watch your levels, taking somewhat higher than the usual doses may be no more dangerous than working as a lifeguard. Like other medical fields, we know less than we claim about D.
I appreciate this detailed comment; many US studies have found typical blood levels of 20 to 30 ng/ml, which is far too low for fighting COVID.