Nutrition

Vitamin D - A health powerhouse - Who Knew?

Ideal vitamin D levels can have significant positive benefits for individuals with spinal cord injuries.

The media is buzzing about it, medical journals are overflowing with the latest research findings and it would appear that the sunshine vitamin is a major player in many aspects of health. New research into the preventive benefits of vitamin D has raised hopes that it could extend and improve people's lives.

Randomized studies have found that vitamin D significantly reduces all causes of mortality. More importantly, healthy levels of vitamin D may also offer positive benefit to a variety of chronic health conditions specific to individuals with SCI. Following a SCI, the increased risk of developing life-threatening infections is medically managed with anti-biotic therapy. This necessary intervention, over time, interferes with the body's overall immune competence. Researchers, working to unravel the many functions of vitamin D, were impressed with its ability to up regulate the body's anti-microbial defense system, in fact, vitamin D increases the secretion of cathelicidin, a natural antibiotic! This little known fact can certainly play an important role in strengthening the immune response in deficient individuals.

The risk of developing chronic health conditions such as type 2-diabetes increases following SCI. Achieving and maintaining healthy vitamin D levels improves glucose and insulin function in type-2 diabetic individuals. Preliminary evidence suggests supplementation can increase insulin levels in people with type 2-diabetes and prolonged supplementation may help reduce blood sugar levels

Neuropathy and other types of chronic pain can also be part of day-to-day physical issues that accompany an individual post SCI injury. Neuropathic pain in diabetics has shown a positive response to vitamin D supplementation. Future studies exploring the relationship to vitamin D status in SCI patients with neuropathic pain are needed. For now, if you have suffered a SCI and have neuropathic pain, consider checking your vitamin D status.

In the general population a deficiency of vitamin D is common, the rule rather than the exception. Medical anthropologists looking at the exposure of humans to sunlight throughout history have concluded that vitamin D deficiency may be implicated in most of the diseases of civilization! Scientists point out that humans evolved in a sun-rich environment (sub-equatorial Africa), which likely explains how vitamin D's remarkable repair and immune defense mechanisms developed.

As humans moved to cooler climates, and adapted life-style habits that reduced their exposure to sunlight, the health benefits of vitamin D were blunted. For example, researchers have noted a clear association with the increase in reported numbers of colds and flu and the seasonal decrease in vitamin D levels in the winter months. Not only do decreasing levels of vitamin D increase ones susceptibility to infections, they also are associated with low mood. Research has now shown that Vitamin D has profound effects on the brain including the neurotransmitters involved in depression.

There are several forms of vitamin D, the one you want to supplement is cholecalciferol (coal-e-cal-sif-er-all) or vitamin D3. Cholecalciferol is a naturally occurring form of vitaminÊD and is made in large quantities in your skin when sunlight strikes your bare skin. It can also be taken as a supplement.

Diagnosing Vitamin D Deficiency

Experts point out that it is crucial to get the correct lab test to assess vitamin D levels. Obtaining and properly interpreting a serum 25(OH) D level is the only way to make the diagnosis. Experts caution that health practitioners who instead order serum testing for 1,25 (OH)2 D will miss the diagnosis. So make sure you ask for serum 25 (OH) D to evaluate total body vitamin D levels. Ideal levels should be between 40-70ng/mL.

Many physicians will stick by the old values for D where low normal is 32 ng/mL Researchers say new evidence strongly suggest this figure is too low. While the ideal 25(OH)D level continues to be de bated in scientific circles, individuals are encouraged to have their vitamin D levels evaluated and to take the steps necessary to bring any deficiency in line with the ideal levels.

Treatment of Vitamin D Deficiency

Three options exist for treating vitamin D deficiency: short exposure to sunlight or artificial UVB light (10-15 min.), or vitamin D3 supplements. Full body exposure to sunlight or UVB light from a tanning bed may prove inconvenient for an individual with a SCI, which leaves supplementing with vitamin D the option of convenience.

The treatment of choice for vitamin D deficiency is cholecalciferol, also known as D3. It can be found packaged in capsules or in a liquid form in doses ranging from 400 IU to 50,000 IU.. The terminology used to describe the dose of D3, "international units" (IU), is outdated and confusing. For example, one thousand IUs of vitamin D is actually only 2.5 milligrams, so taking 1000 IUs daily will meet the dietary needs of most healthy, normal weight individuals. Taking 2000 IU daily will, over time, correct a vitamin D deficiency in most people. There are a variety of vitamin D protocols based on an individual's age, weight and health challenges. Your health care provider should be able to assist you in deciding what course of action best suits your needs for vitamin D.

For more information on Vitamin D: www.vitamindcouncil.org
Article written by Vickie Culp, DC, CCN
Dr. Culp is board certified in clinical nutrition and developer of the website 2beingwell.com.