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Vitamin D deficiency is a worldwide epidemic and 40-75% of the world's population is vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D is a hormone not just a vitamin where its intracellular receptors found in almost all body cells, bone, muscle, stomach, intestine, central nerve system, endocrine system, kidney, liver, lungs, heat, blood vessels soft tissues, skin and the root of a hair.
INTRODUCTION
Vitamin D deficiency is a worldwide
epidemic and 40-75% of the world's population is vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D
is a hormone not just a vitamin where its intracellular receptors found in
almost all body cells, bone, muscle, stomach, intestine, central nerve system,
endocrine system, kidney, liver, lungs, heat, blood vessels soft tissues, skin
and the root of a hair. Vitamin D is called “the sunshine vitamin”; it is
synthesized by our body through exposing our skin to sunshine during the
midday. The UVB (ultra-violet B-light) converts cholesterol
(7-dehydrocholstero) in our skin to the inactive cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3),
which will then be activated by the liver and kidney.
Through our whole body cells, vitamin D plays a pivotal role in our
metabolic pathways by regulating hundreds of our genes in a cell-specific
pattern. The function of vitamin D is totally dependent on our body cells types
and it plays different roles all over our body organs and tissues:
·
Increases
Calcium, Phosphate and Magnesium intestinal absorption. The direct action of
vitamin D is approved on increasing our bone strength and density to protect
against rickets in children as well as osteomalacia in adults. Having said
that, however, the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and osteoporosis
and fall in the elderlies, is well documented with the evidence-based medical
studies.
·
Inhibits
cell growth, angiogenesis and cell differentiation and protects against cancer
(breast, colon, prostrate).
·
Plays
anti-oxidative and neuroprotective role and prevents schizophrenia,
Alzheimer's, dementia, autism and depression.
·
Modulates
immune system and reduces inflammation and protects from multiple sclerosis,
lupus and arthritis.
·
Affects
smooth muscle tone, endothelium and cardiomyocytes and protects from
cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke.
·
Controls
glucose metabolism and prevents diabetes mellitus type 1 and 2 by protecting
and increasing pancreatic β-cell function and insulin sensitivity.
·
Increases
neuromuscular stability and prevents musculoskeletal pain, myofascial pain and
myopathy.
·
Stimulates
the immune system to fight against TB, bacterial, fungal and viral infections.
WHY
DO SCIENTISTS CALL FOR AN ACTION AGAINST VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY?
In USA, many healthcare societies and committees call for an action to
alert the public about the importance of keeping vitamin D serum levels between
40 to 60 ng/ml (100-150 nmol/l). They supported their action by accumulating
evidence-based published articles assuring that, vitamin D level of 40-60 ng/ml
has preventive role, not just from bone diseases, but also against cancer,
cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, Alzheimer, multiple sclerosis, autism,
psoriasis, preeclampsia, gestational depression, etc. In 2012, Luxolda showed
that our ancestors had an average of 46 ng/ml of vitamin D in their blood.
WHAT IS BEHIND THE SCENE?
These days there is still a big debate about what is vitamin D
sufficiency versus deficiency among healthcare entities, on the national and
international levels. In USA, there are different policies by many heath
organizations and bodies regarding vitamin D deficiency versus sufficiency and
recommended daily intake. After the testing of vitamin D (25-hydroxy
cholecalciferol), we must understand the value of its blood level to have an
action. Vitamin D blood level tell us how much vitamin D supplements we need
daily or how much time we should expose to sunlight daily to reach the desired
blood level. Different American health organizations and bodies use different
reference ranges to illustrate the meaning of vitamin D deficiency,
insufficiency or sufficiency.
The following table represents deficient, insufficient, or sufficient
vitamin D blood level in nanogram/milliliter (ng/ml) among different US
healthcare entities such as IOM (Institute of Medicine), American Endocrine
Society, Vitamin D Council. The Table 1
illustrates the contradictions between these societies in terms of sufficient
versus deficient. Also, it explains why the recommended daily allowance is
different among them.
IU (INTERNATIONAL UNIT)
Scientists and experts illustrated that, the IOM report concerning the
Recommended Dietary Intakes of 600 IU/day of vitamin D is below their
expectations. They commented that this dietary intake will just protect 99% of
children of having rickets and will satisfy their sufficient vitamin D level of
20 ng/ml. Others said that the IOM got it wrong in term of vitamin D and they
have to increase their dietary allowance by 2-5 times. Also, in his review to
IOM statistics, Dr. Veuglers showed that the IOM estimate was wrong in terms of
their recommended dietary intakes (RDI). He found that, 600 IU/day of Vitamin D
did not give 97.5% of the population the 20 ng/ml level in their blood and just
50% of them satisfied this level.
The American Endocrine Society recommended for 30-100 ng/ml to be
sufficient and less than 20 ng/ml to be insufficient. This society urges to
have 2000 IU/day of vitamin D supplements aiming to keep the vitamin D blood
level 30 ng/ml or above. However, Vitamin D Council suggests that 50 ng/ml is
the ideal level for everyone. For this reason, they recommend that the adults
should take 5000 IU/day of vitamin D supplements to reach and maintain their
targeted level (40-80 ng/ml).
In the end, although there are still gaps between different healthcare
bodies, taking an action against vitamin D deficiency by having higher doses
than the recommended daily intake is better than not. The Institute of Medicine
(IOM) reported in 2010 that taking 4000 IU/day of vitamin D can be considered a
safe upper intake level for adults aged 19 and older. Moreover, American
Endocrine Society and Vitamin D Council indicate 10,000 IU/day is considered
safe and with no observed adverse effect.
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