Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D Deficiency Amanda Sauer Dylan Spicer December 2010

The purpose of Vitamin D • It helps maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. • It is required for proper growth of the bones and teeth. • It promotes bone mineralization with several other vitamins. • Necessary for the right amount of absorption and consumption of calcium and phosphorus.

The Problem • People today are not getting their adequate amount of vitamin D, especially children. • Vitamin D deficiency can cause: • In children, vitamin D deficiency once caused many cases of rickets, a bone disease and a major public health problem in the U.S. • Osteoporosis • Problems with diabetes later in life

How much should one have? • Your recommended daily amount is: • Adults and children age 1-50: 5 micrograms/day • Adults age 51-70: 10 micrograms/day • Adults over age 70: 15 micrograms/day • Pregnant and breastfeeding women: 5 micrograms/day • Daily Dose for Breastfed Babies • Breast milk provides multiple benefits for babies, but it is not a good source for vitamin D. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all breastfed babies receive a 400 IU daily supplement of vitamin D starting shortly after birth and continuing until the baby is weaned and drinking at least 1,000 mL of vitamin D-fortified formula or whole milk.

Ways to Obtain Vitamin D • Sunlight • Get outside! • 15 minutes a day (in the proper region) is enough time for your body to take in the adequate amount of vitamin D • Vitamin D supplements • In Food

Some areas need more than just sunlight Only if you live south of here do you get enough sunlight year around to get the adequate enough of vitamin D. Otherwise you need other sources.

Vitamin D in Food • Fish liver oils – cod liver (2217 IU) • Fatty fish – oysters, salmon, catfish, herring • Fortified milk products • Fortified cereals – Kellogg’s & General Mills have many options. • Cheese • Butter • Cream

Vitamin D Supplements Easiest way to consume Vitamin D Less than $10 Found at any local herb shop or most super markets.

Vitamin D for Older Children • Evidence shows that children who get adequate vitamin D, either from the sun or from supplements, may have a reduced risk of developing type 1 diabetes. • Studies also link inadequate vitamin D to more severe childhood asthma. Children with asthma who have low vitamin D levels have more hospitalizations and use more asthma medications. • Vitamin D-fortified whole milk and foods can provide the vitamin D that growing kids need — as long as they get enough of it.

D2 or D3? That's the Question. • Vitamin D is available in supplements in two forms: D2 and D3. • Both forms are effective, and either can be taken to ensure adequate levels of vitamin D. But 2 is not equal to 3. D3 is the kind of vitamin D the body makes, and recent studies suggest that D3 can be up to three times more effective in raising the vitamin D level quickly and staying longer. • And though it's not clear why, people taking a vitamin D supplement were 7% less likely to die than those who didn't take a daily supplement in one study. • In children, researchers have found more severe asthma when vitamin D levels are low.

Vitamin D and Breast Cancer • Low vitamin D may worsen the prognosis for women with breast cancer. In one study, women deficient in vitamin D when they were diagnosed had a 94% greater chance of the cancer spreading. They also had a 73% greater chance of dying over the next 10 years. Other studies suggest that vitamin D may even offer protection against developing breast cancer.

Resources • http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/nutrition/a/vitamin_d.htm • http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/slideshow-vitamin-d-overview • http://articles.cnn.com/2009-08-03/health/vitamin.d.children_1_vitamin-d-levels-low-vitamin-d-levels-vitamin-d-deficiency?_s=PM:HEALTH • http://children.webmd.com/news/20091026/u-s-kids-may-need-more-vitamin-d • http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-10-13-vitaminDforkids_N.htm • http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind/

Vitamin D Deficiency