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| Vitamin D Requirement |
Last updated: May 12, 2008 |
Signs, symptoms and indicators | Conditions that suggest it | Contributing risk factors | It can lead to... | Recommendations
 Signs, symptoms & indicators of Vitamin D Requirement: | |  | | | | Symptoms - Bowel Movements |  (Very) frequent stools or normal stool frequency |
Symptoms - Head - Mouth/Oral |
(Frequent) raw throat |
Symptoms - Muscular |
 Tender posterior neck muscles
Leg cramps caused by walking
Tender calf muscles |
Symptoms - Sleep |
Unsound sleep
Being a light sleeper |
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Conditions that suggest Vitamin D Requirement: | | | | | | Aging | Senior Issues | In a study of 667 women in low-level care and 952 women in high-level care, vitamin D deficiency (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D <25 nmol/1) was found in 22% of the women in low-level care and 45% of the women in high-level care, with the level of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D being independently associated with the first time of a fall. [J Am Geriatr Soc. November 2003;51(11): pp.1533-1538] |
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Autoimmune |
Multiple Sclerosis / Risk| | The possibility that vitamin D could help protect people from developing multiple sclerosis (MS) has been posited by researchers in recent decades, but evidence to support that link has been scant. In the first large-scale, prospective study to investigate the relationship between vitamin D levels and MS, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) have found an association between higher levels of vitamin D in the body and a lower risk of MS. The study appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association, December 31, 2006. |
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Circulation |
Congestive Heart Failure| | Various studies show that vitamin D deficiency is widespread among the critically ill and suggest that that vitamin D deficiency may contribute to the inflammatory basis of various illnesses. Early in 2004, researchers studied patients with congestive heart failure and found elevated levels of TNF, another marker of inflammation. They also found critically low levels of calcidiol [25(OH)D], the only reliable marker of vitamin D, and even found low levels of calcitriol, the active form of vitamin D that is usually low only in those who are severely vitamin D deficient. |
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Inflammation |
Chronic Inflammation| | Researchers found that vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased inflammation in otherwise healthy people. Increased inflammation in the body can increase the risk of chronic inflammatory conditions, including coronary heart disease (CHD) and diabetes. Further, the researchers found that inflammation was lowered by the use of vitamin D. [
QJM 2002 Dec;95(12):787-96] |
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Musculo-Skeletal |
 Muscle Pains (Myalgia)| | A was conducted on 150 patients with nonspecific musculoskeletal pain. Researchers measured their calcidoiol levels, an indicator of vitamin D ingestion, and found every patient to be vitamin D deficient.
The study screened 83 immigrants and 67 non-immigrants, of both sexes who ranged from 10 years to 65 years of age, from six broad ethic groups. The researcher’s results found that 100% of the Black, Hispanic, East Africa and American Indian were vitamin D deficient. Both the non-immigrant and immigrant groups were both equally deficient. Out of the 150 patients, 28% had severely deficient vitamin D levels, 55% of who were younger than 30 years. |
Rheumatoid Arthritis |
Pain |
Low Back Pain / Problems| | In a study conducted in Saudi Arabia, researchers found vitamin D deficiency in a group of 360 chronic back patients. All the patients were given physiological doses of cholecalciferol for three months, which improved the chronic pain. Even though the doses they were given (5,000 to 10,000 IU) are said to be toxic (the American institute of Medicine says 3,800 IU is toxic) all the patients normalized their calcidiol levels. [Mayo Clinic Proceedings December, 2003]
Taking vitamin D with vitamin A has been reported to be helpful in treating some cases of sciatica pain. |
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Risks |
Cancer / Risk Reduction - General Measures| | It has been known for many decades that there is an inverse correlation between sun exposure and cancer deaths. It has also been observed that there is a direct association between skin cancers and sun exposure and an inverse association between skin cancers and internal cancers. Some even thought that development of skin cancer brought immunity against various internal cancers. It is now understood to be a function not of immunity, but of vitamin D concentrations. The important point here is that cancer prevention can be provided not by additional sun exposure (increasing the risk of melanoma) but by the use of supplemental vitamin D.
Calcitriol, the activated form of vitamin D, has been shown to induce cell differentiation and to control cell proliferation. People with a low vitamin D level are less able to make calcitriol in an amount sufficient to exert the controls over cell proliferation that are needed to reduce cancer. |
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Risk factors for Vitamin D Requirement: | | | | | | Childhood | Sweaty head as a child
Sensitive hair during childhood
Easily-tired legs as a child| | This is symptomatic of a childhood vitamin D deficiency which may in turn indicate a vitamin D dependency throughout a person's life. A dependency is a greater than average requirement, requiring greater intake and/or sun exposure. If there is no indication of vitamin D deficiency as an adult then that is the end of the matter. |
Childhood rocking or head-rolling
Growing pains in childhood |
Lab Values - Chemistries |
Hypocalcemia |
Organ Health |
Consequences of Gallbladder Surgery| | Bile is needed to enhance the absorption of fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A, D, E and K. |
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Personal Background |
African ethnicity| | Deeply pigmented people essentially have a major screen on their skin that effectively blocks a high percentage of UV-B radiation, which generates vitamin D in the skin. Vitamin D is a necessary nutrient to staying healthy, and vitamin D deficiency may be a contributing factor in the increased occurrence of prostate cancer among black men. |
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Supplements and Medications |
Heparin use| | Heparin may interfere with activation of vitamin D in the body. Osteoporosis has been reported in patients who received high amounts of heparin for several months. Osteopenia has been reported in women who received heparin therapy during pregnancy. |
Past multiple vitamin supplement use
Counter-indicators:
 Multiple vitamin supplement use
Vitamin D supplementation |
Symptoms - Environment |
Low recent sun exposure| | Low levels of sunshine exposure on the skin suggest that more than just a minimal vitamin D supplement may be required to make up the difference. A 2001 study showed that consumption of the recommended amount of vitamin D from milk and supplements did not prevent low serum vitamin D (25(OH)D) levels during winter in a survey of 796 young Canadian women. [Eur J Clin Nutr 2001;55(12): pp.10911097] |
Counter-indicators:
 High recent sun exposure| | Low levels of sunshine exposure on the skin suggest that more than just a minimal vitamin D supplement may be required to make up the difference. A 2001 study showed that consumption of the recommended amount of vitamin D from milk and supplements did not prevent low serum vitamin D (25(OH)D) levels during winter in a survey of 796 young Canadian women. [Eur J Clin Nutr 2001;55(12): pp.10911097] |
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Symptoms - Food - Preferences |
(Partial) vegetarian diet or vegan/raw food diet |
Symptoms - Gas-Int - General |
Having had a small bowel resection |
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Vitamin D Requirement can lead to: | | | | | | Autoimmune | Multiple Sclerosis / Risk| | The possibility that vitamin D could help protect people from developing multiple sclerosis (MS) has been posited by researchers in recent decades, but evidence to support that link has been scant. In the first large-scale, prospective study to investigate the relationship between vitamin D levels and MS, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) have found an association between higher levels of vitamin D in the body and a lower risk of MS. The study appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association, December 31, 2006. |
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Musculo-Skeletal |
Rheumatoid Arthritis |
Risks |
Increased Risk of Prostate Cancer| | Low circulating levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D were associated with an increased risk of subsequent prostate cancer and more aggressive progression of prostate cancer, especially in men before the age of 52, in the Helsinki Heart Study. Ultraviolet radiation exposure has been shown to be protective against prostate cancer.
Men over the age of 30 should have an annual screening for 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, especially those at higher risk such as African American men and indoor workers. Vitamin D nutrition should be maintained not only for bone health but also for the possible reduction in risk of prostate cancer and to reduce metastatic activity should prostate cancer develop. [Trends in Endocrinol Metab November 2003;14(9): pp.423-430] |
Increased Risk of Hypertension| | An Alabama researcher found that lack of enough sunshine exposure may increase risk of hypertension in blacks and other dark-skinned people. Those with greater amounts of pigment in the skin require six times the amount of ultraviolet B (UVB) light to produce the same amount of vitamin D3 found in lighter-skinned people. |
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Tumors, Malignant |
Prostate Cancer| | Low circulating levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D were associated with an increased risk of subsequent prostate cancer and more aggressive progression of prostate cancer, especially in men before the age of 52, in the Helsinki Heart Study. Ultraviolet radiation exposure has been shown to be protective against prostate cancer.
Men over the age of 30 should have an annual screening for 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, especially those at higher risk such as African American men and indoor workers. Vitamin D nutrition should be maintained not only for bone health but also for the possible reduction in risk of prostate cancer and to reduce metastatic activity should prostate cancer develop. [Trends in Endocrinol Metab November 2003;14(9): pp.423-430] |
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Recommendations for Vitamin D Requirement: | | | | | | Habits |  Sunlight / Light Exposure |
Mineral |
Boron| | Testing in animals has demonstrated that boron enhances the efficacy of vitamin D by reducing the negative effects (especially on glucose and triglyceride metabolism) of a vitamin D deficiency. [J Trace Elem Exp Med, 1996 (9): pp.117-132] |
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Vitamins |
Vitamin D |
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KEY | | Weak or unproven link | | | Strong or generally accepted link | | | Proven definite or direct link | | | Strongly counter-indicative | | | Very strongly or absolutely counter-indicative | | | Likely to help |
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