FitSugar

Tanning Beds For Vitamin D? Really?

FitSugar — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:00:21 -0800

This point has been ingrained in most health-minded women for a while now: tanning beds are not healthy. They increase cancer risk exponentially after just a little bit of exposure, especially if you're under 30. While I'm not too proud of my teenage tanning days (it was pretty trendy to get a bit of a "glow" before going to the prom), I vowed never to set foot in the tanning salon ever again. Now, one doctor seems to be encouraging the practice in moderation.

A doctor at Boston University (who is also a professor) says that while he doesn't endorse tanning salons, when tanning beds are used in moderation they can be a good substitute for natural sunlight, which aids in the body's production of vitamin D. I'm not sure how you can both encourage use and warn of the dangers of the tanning bed, especially if you're dispensing the advice to anyone looking for an excuse to visit a "healthier" tanning bed.

His recommendation stems from research that taking a vitamin D supplement may not be the best way to get the vitamin - in fact, three out of four Americans don't get enough. Increased amounts of vitamin D have been associated with decreased chances of colon and breast cancers, and additional benefits to the heart and immune systems. To those using tanning beds to get an extra shot of vitamin D, the doctor recommends using sunscreen and choosing beds that use only low-florescent lamps. Vitamin D benefit or not, do your skin and health a favor and stay out of the tanning salon.

DrSugar Answers: Vitamin D Dosage?

DrSugar — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:00:28 -0800

DrSugar is in the house, and she's answering your health related questions.

Dear Doc Sugar,
I have heard from multiple sources (my kids’ pediatrician, an osteopath, an acupuncturist, etc.) about the importance of taking a vitamin D supplement. Coming from multiple sources has convinced me to start taking a supplement, but I am confused about how much to take. I just read from a Dr. Weil newsletter to take 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily, but other sources recommended 1,000 IU, and I have also read that the recommend amount is as little as 200 IU. So I am confused about how much to take. Can you tell me the proper daily dosage?
- Vitamin Popper

This is a fantastic question to discuss, as there is much debate even in the medical literature about what the adequate daily intake of vitamin D should be. Thus, you are not alone in your confusion regarding the proper daily requirement of vitamin D for adults! Read my answer when you read more.

First, some background information on vitamin D. The primary function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, which helps to form and maintain strong bones. Recently, research also suggests vitamin D may provide protection from osteoporosis, hypertension (high blood pressure), cancer, and several autoimmune diseases. Therefore, the advice given to you about the importance of vitamin D was correct!

Very few foods in nature contain vitamin D. Fish, such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel, is a good source of the vitamin and small amounts are found in eggs and fish liver oils. Fortified foods such as milk and some brands of orange juice and yogurt provide most of the vitamin D in the American diet. The sun also contributes significantly to the production of vitamin D. According to the National Institutes of Health, most people meet their vitamin D needs through exposure to sunlight. But they also advise that despite the importance of the sun to vitamin D synthesis, it is prudent to limit the exposure of skin to sunlight and UV radiation from tanning beds.

Adequate daily intake levels have been established by the US Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. Recommendations for all adult individuals under the age of 50 including males, females, and pregnant women are 200 IU (International Units) daily. Some researchers have questioned whether the current recommended adequate levels are sufficient, particularly for individuals deprived of regular sun exposure.The upper limit of vitamin D has been recommended at 2,000 IU daily due to toxicities that can occur when taken in higher doses.

Obtaining sufficient vitamin D from natural food sources alone can be difficult. For most people, consuming vitamin D-fortified foods and being exposed to sunlight are essential for maintaining a healthy vitamin D status. Additionally, dietary supplements might be required to meet the daily need for vitamin D.

As detailed above, there is a range of acceptable daily intake of vitamin D, and adjusting your diet, sunlight exposure, and supplementation to fall within that range is the best idea. But, if you are at all concerned about vitamin D supplementation, talk to your primary care doctor regarding what dosage is right for you.

Have a question for DrSugar? You can send to me via private message here, and I will forward it to the good doctor.

DrSugar's posts are for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. Click here for more details.

Smarter Eats: Gwyneth Reminds Us to Get a Healthy Dose of D

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:30:31 -0800

Gwyneth Paltrow's dishing out some healthy advice on GOOP this week - get your daily dose of vitamin D. The super-fit star points to Dr. Frank Lipman's healthy tips for getting our fair share of the vital D, who reminds us that, especially this time of year -when we head into the colder season and see less sunlight - it's even more important to supplement our diets with the vitamin, and avoid a vitamin D deficiency.

If you're wondering why it's so important, just remember that vitamin D was first recognized for its importance in maintaining healthy calcium levels for our bones. According to Dr. Lipman, it's now becoming increasingly apparent that we've underestimated the value of the vitamin, and a lack of it has been associated with obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, and breast cancer - to name a few.

Since we rely on the sun to generate the most reliable way of getting vitamin D, it's a good idea to up your intake of foods that can naturally deliver the goods - try fortified milk in your cereal, dried shitake mushrooms with your stir fry or salad, and wild fatty fish, like salmon and halibut. Just be aware that only 10 percent of your vitamin D intake can come from food, so to really eat smarter and healthier, it might just be a good idea to supplement with the active form of the vitamin, D3. Be sure to read all of Dr. Lipman's great tips, and until we see some sunlight this Spring, make sure you're getting your daily dose with fortified foods.

How to Get Your Daily Vitamin D

FitSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 03:00:55 -0700

Sunshine is a great source of vitamin D, but if cooler weather or your busy work or school schedule has you spending less time outside, you'll want to make sure you're getting enough from your diet. An adult woman needs five micrograms or 200 International Units (IU) of vitamin D each day, though it is argued that the RDI for women should be 800 to 1,000 IU. The tolerable upper intake level is 50 mcg or 2,000 IU. If you don't get enough, your risk for osteoporosis increases, since this vitamin helps maintain bone strength.

To see what I ate yesterday to reach my daily vitamin D intake, read more.

Salmon, mackerel, tuna, and cod liver oil are excellent sources, but if you don't eat fish, opt for dairy products instead and make sure they are fortified with vitamin D. Two cups of milk contain 200 IU of vitamin D, so if you work that into your diet, you're all set. If you're vegan, you'll probably want to take supplements or look for products such as orange juice or cereals that are fortified with vitamin D.

Little Fish Offers Big Doses of Vitamin D

FitSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:00:03 -0700

Most people in this country aren't getting enough vitamin D - adults and kids alike. Our bodies manufacture vitamin D when our skin is exposed to the sun, but we don't spend much time in the sun these days. And when we do, we wear sunscreen.

This hard-to-come-by vitamin plays an important role in our overall health. Not only does vitamin D help keep our bones strong, it helps prevent cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Added to foods like fortified cereal, milk, and OJ, vitamin D can be found naturally in cold-water fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines.

If you haven't already learned to love sardines, vitamin D could be the reason to open your heart to this sustainable fish that is also low in mercury. A half-cup of sardines provides 200 international units (IU) of the vitamin. The new daily recommended intake for vitamin D is for kids it is 400 IU, and investigation to whether the RDI for adults should be increased to 800 to 1,000 IU. Not sure how to add this fish to your plate? Try Yum's sardine and arugula sandwich. It's simple, tasty, and loaded with D!

US Children Lacking Vitamin D in Their Diets

LilSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:00:15 -0700

Get your children out in the sun, it's the doctor's order. Following last year's report recommending an increase in children's daily dosage of vitamin D, a new study shows that about nine percent of US children exhibit vitamin D levels so low, they can be considered deficient. Another 61 percent still show levels low enough to concern doctors. A lack of vitamin D - which can be obtained from direct sunlight, fortified milk, fatty fish, or fish liver oils - increases the risk of rickets, bone problems, heart disease, cholesterol issues, and diabetes. Among the groups with the lowest levels of vitamin D are girls, adolescents, and people with darker skin. According to the reports:

The researchers and others blamed the low levels on a combination of factors, including children spending more time watching television and playing video games instead of going outside, covering up and using sunscreen when they do go outdoors, and drinking more soda and other beverages instead of consuming milk and other foods fortified with Vitamin D.

To increase vitamin D levels, experts recommend 15 minutes of direct sunlight (unfiltered by sunscreen) three times a week, eating more fortified foods like bread, milk, and cereal, and ensuring that multivitamins contain vitamin D.

Don't Run Yourself Into a Stress Fracture

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:00:29 -0700

Over training happens. You love what you do. You do it too much. Your body starts to break down. Your bones begin to crack. An over use injury you definitely want to avoid is a stress fracture.

Common in professional sports that intensely work the lower body like running and basketball - hoops star Yao Ming has been suffering from one in his foot for two years now and marathoner Paula Radcliffe has battled one in her femur.

A fracture, aka broken bone, is caused by a sudden trauma like a fall. A stress fracture occurs when a bone can't hold up against repeated stress overtime. Cells known as osteoblasts make bones and attempt to keep the bone strong and rebuild them while under strain, while osteoclasts are cells that remove damaged bone tissue. The repeated stress weakens the bones, and ultimately the osteoclast cells win creating a microscopic fracture on the surface of the bone. This small crack can create lots of pain. X-rays usually cannot detect the fracture, but an MRI or bone scan if deemed necessary can diagnose a stress fracture. Often a stress fracture can be diagnosed based on your history, since over use injuries often run a specific course.

Learn how to avoid a stress fracture.

Another Reason to Take Vitamin D: Your Lady Business

FitSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 03:30:00 -0700

Much has been said recently about the health importance of vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin that the body creates after exposure to ultraviolet rays. As a population, our vitamin D levels are low due to spending less time in the sun and wearing more sunscreen. The impact of being vitamin D-deficient goes beyond softening our bones; it affects the health of your lady business. A new health study found that low levels of vitamin D increase the risk of a woman developing vaginosis, the most common bacterial infection for women of child-bearing age. In the study of 260 pregnant women, about half the participants had low levels of vitamin D. Just over 50 percent of the African American women were diagnosed with vaginosis, which is strikingly high compared with 27 percent of white women. The black women in the study were also close to three times as likely to be vitamin D-deficient, and researchers believe that's because darker skin prevents adequate synthesis of the vitamin.

Vaginosis, aside from creating discomfort, can lead to premature births and is a major cause of infant mortality. The bacterial infection is treatable with antibiotics. Vitamin D can be found in a handful of food sources, such as fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, egg yolks, and foods fortified with the vitamin, like milk. Talk to your doctor if you think you should be taking a supplement.

Source

7 Foods For Strong Bones

FitSugar — Fri, 08 May 2009 11:00:00 -0700

Foods high in calcium and vitamin D are essential for building strong bones. The RDI of calcium for women is 1,000 mg a day and for vitamin D, it's 200 to 400 IU. Here are five foods to include in your diet to improve your bone density, which will prevent osteoporosis.
Source

View Slideshow ›

5 Things: Vitamin D

FitSugar — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 14:30:00 -0800

Making health headlines almost daily, vitamin D seems to be the nutritional celebrity. Even with all the press it has been getting, Americans don't seem to be getting enough vitamin D in their diets. Here are five things about vitamin D to help you get to know it a little bit better.

Vitamin D, not vitamin C, is known as the sunshine vitamin since your body produces vitamin D after exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun.
Ten to 15 minutes of daily sun, at nonpeak hours, is enough to satisfy the recommended daily dose of D. The recommend daily intake for vitamin D is 200–400 International Units (IU).
Current levels of vitamin D are lower in Americans than they were two decades ago. Health researchers believe this decline is due to: increasing weight, declining milk consumption, and increasing use of sun protection.
You can find vitamin D in a handful of food sources: fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, egg yolks, and foods fortified with the vitamin. Much milk in the US is fortified with vitamin D.
Adequate vitamin D helps prevent osteoporosis, heart disease, and diabetes. It may even help prevent breast cancer.

Source