November is Vitamin D Month at Optimum Function in Portland!

For those of you who caught my last video update a couple of days ago, I talked briefly about vitamin D and how important it is to have adequate levels. I also mentioned that, to figure out your levels, we can do a blood test in my Portland, Oregon chiropractic, nutrition functional medicine and hypnosis clinic, Optimum Function.

The test is inexpensive, in fact, for a limited time, I am offering it for $49! This includes my interpretation, report and recommendations if any. My optimal ranges for vitamin D are 60-100ng/dl, levels below 35ng/dl or so are usually considered deficient but levels above 60ng/dl seem to be best for overall health.

Here are some vitamin D facts:

• Most (probably all) cells in the body can synthesize Vitamin D
• 20% to 80% of Americans may be vitamin D deficient
• Vitamin D deficient patients can absorb only 1/3rd as much calcium as those with adequate levels
• Adequate Vitamin D may prevent cancer (prostate, colon, breast); the process of conversion from inactive to active Vitamin D is a growth regulating process in cells.
• SPF 8 blocks body vitamin D production by 97.5%
• SPF 15 blocks body vitamin D production by 99.5%

Vitamin D Research:

RELATED DISEASES – “The role of vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of many common and serious disease processes including some common cancers, type 1 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis… Vitamin D deficiency is often mistaken or misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia… It is reasonable to perform annual Vitamin D testing to monitor for deficiency. Holick, MF, Vitamin D: importance in prevention of cancers, type 1 diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Mar;79(3):362-71.
MAYO CLINIC STUDY – 150 Patients with persistent, nonspecific musculoskeletal pain for 4 consecutive months were virtually all found to be vitamin D deficient (< or = 20 ng/ml) level and many were severely deficient. They concluded that: All patients with persistent, nonspecific musculoskeletal pain are at high risk for the consequences of unrecognized vitamin D deficiency, including those considered at low risk for such deficiency. Vitamin D testing for such individuals should be standard practice. Plotnikoff GA, Quigley LM, Mayo Clinic Proc. 2003 Dec; 78(12):1463-70 Prevalence of severe hypovitaminosis D in patients with persistent, nonspecific musculoskeletal pain.
LOW BACK PAIN – A study of 360 patients (where 90% were Saudi Arabian women where most women are veiled) experiencing low back pain with no obvious cause for 6 months found 83% of the patients had abnormally low vitamin D levels. Spine. 2003 Jan 15;28(2):177-9. Vitamin D deficiency and chronic low back pain in Saudi Arabia

Here’s a list of condition associated with inadequate levels of Vitamin D from  sunlightd.org

Every body needs sunlight and vitamin D. Deficiency or insufficiency has been associated with:

• Adrenal insufficiency
• Alzheimer’s
• Allergy
• Autoimmune disorders
• Cancers of the colon, breast, skin and prostate
• Depression
• Diabetes, Type 1 and 2
• Gluten intolerance
• Heart disease
• Heavy metal toxicity
• Hypertension
• Infertility
• Learning disorders
• Lectin intolerance
• Misaligned teeth and cavities
• Myopia
• Obesity
• Osteomalacia
• Osteoporosis
• Parkinson’s
• PMS/PMDD
• Psoriasis
• Rickets
• Seasonal affective disorder
• Metabolic Syndrome/Syndrome X
• and more…

So….. Vitamin D is not just important for bone health; get yours tested today!

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