LATEST VITAMIN D HEADLINE

Title: Health Buzz: 1 in 5 Youngsters Lacking in Vitamin D and Other Health News, Megan Johnson, US News & World Report, Oct 26, 2009

Full article available at: http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/living-well-usn/2009/10/26/health-buzz-1-in-5-youngsters-lacking-in-vitamin-d-and-other-health-news.html

Excerpts: "A new study finds that about 20 percent of U.S. children between ages 1 and 11 aren't getting enough vitamin D."  Of the 3,000 children studied, "...90 percent of black children and 80 percent of Hispanic children may be vitamin D deficient."  This study does not include Persian, Arabic, Indian, and Asian children, and parents of these nationalities should be concerned as well due to skin color. 

Why are these deficiency rates so high? 

1) Because skin pigment is as effective at blocking UV-B rays as sunscreen, where SPF 15 blocks 99% and SPF 8 blocks 95% of UV-B rays.

2) Because parents need to learn what time of the day and what time of year UV-B rays are present to maximize vitamin D synthesis from the sun for their children.  In order to get vitamin D from the sun, the angle of the sun must be high enough, and this is different depending where you live.  To get vit D from the sun, your shadow must be shorter than you.

3) Because parents need to get their children tested and doctors need to get trained on the latest scientific research, such as that every 100 IU's raises the blood level by about 1 ng/ml, so that they know what dosage to recommend to the parents for their children to maintain a healthy vitamin D blood level.

4) Because doctors and parents need to learn what a healthy vitamin D blood level is.  Normal is 30-100 ng/ml.  Research indicates that 40-60 ng/ml is optimal, and latest research indicates that a "natural" level is 80 ng/ml.

Parents: don't let your chlidren down, get them tested.  Childhood diabetes (I and II), high cholesterol, and more conditions are now strongly linked to vitamin D deficiency.  See my profile for more information.