Friday, October 30, 2015

Are you Vitamin D deficient?

Statistics show that 40-50% of Americans have less than the optimal level of vitamin D in their bodies. This means that the chances of you being vitamin D deficient are quite high.
 
Don't be a part of the vitamin D deficiency epidemic! Get your vitamin D(25 hydroxy) blood test at least once every year. If your physician will not request this test, you can call my office to schedule a phone appointment with me or order the test yourself from Life Extension.
 
 We have known for years that high cholesterol can be deadly. But do you know Vitamin D deficiency can be a greater risk to your health and longevity than high cholesterol. Also vitamin D deficiency is more common than high cholesterol.
 
Two recent studies elucidate the risks of low vitamin D.
 
Study 1:
 Involved 13,331 adults over the age of 20, following them for an average of 8.7 years. Researchers found a 26% increase in all causes of mortality among those with the lowest vitamin D blood level (<17 .8="" div="" ml="" ng="">
 
Study 2:
Involved 3,299 Austrian subjects and showed a dramatic increase in the risk of heart disease in those in the lowest quarter of vitamin D levels. These subjects suffered a nearly three times greater risk for death due to heart failure and a five times greater risk for sudden cardiac death.
 
 The researchers in the first study concluded that the elderly, females, non-whites, diabetics, smokers, and those who are overweight have shown a greater risk of deficiency.
 
A vitamin D deficiency puts you at a much higher risk of death from all causes than even the risk from high cholesterol levels.
 
Another study showed high blood pressure develops at three times the rate in women who are vitamin D deficient before menopause.
 
 The normal blood range for Vitamin D at most laboratories is 32.0-100.0 ng/ml.  Those who have studied and researched vitamin D suggest the  optimal blood level is over 50 & preferably around 70-80.
 
 Tests for vitamin D need to be incorporated in all medical checkups to at least an equal extent as cholesterol levels are checked. 
 
Vitamin D deficiency is much easier to correct than high cholesterol. All you have to do is take a vitamin D supplement. The dosage varies depending upon how low the initial levels are.  With treatment, vitamin D status is slow to improve and may sometimes require surprisingly high doses to increase the blood levels. If vitamin D is low and supplementation is begun, it is best to recheck in 3 months to make sure the levels are increasing.  Once an ideal level is attained, then a yearly check is sufficient.  Treatment dosage recommended is usually 5000-10,000 units daily.  General supplementation doses are 1000-2000 units daily.  Since vitamin D is stored in the body, it is possible to develop a toxicity, though I have not seen this.  If you are taking higher doses of vitamin D, you need to be sure to monitor with blood tests.
  
 Natural foods high in vitamin D are:
  • Cod liver oil (1 tablespoon) 1,360 International Units (IU) – 40   IU is equal to 1 microgram
  • Salmon (cooked - 3 ounces) 794 IU
  • Mackerel (cooked - 3 ounces) 388 IU
  • Tuna fish (canned in water - drained - 3 ounces) 154 IU
  • Egg (1 whole) 25 IU
  • Cheese (swiss - 1 ounce) 6 IU
 
 Read more at:  Find Foods High in Vitamin D

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