Originally published November 10 2005
Icelandic study furthers claims of sunlight's health benefits
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
A study published in JAMA suggests that vitamin D acquired through exposure to sunlight could prove more essential to bone health than calcium supplements.
Given an adequate amount of vitamin D, it may be unnecessary to supplement calcium intake for proper calcium metabolism, suggests a study published in JAMA.
The importance of adequate vitamin D status for optimum bone health has received increased recognition in recent years, and some researchers have proposed higher recommended intake levels.
Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D has been the generally accepted indicator of vitamin D status, but no universal consensus has been reached on which serum values constitute sufficiency.
The calcium intake groups were less than 800 mg/d; 800-1200 mg/d; and greater than1200 mg/d.
The serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level groups were less than 10 ng/mL; 10-18 ng/mL; and greater than 18 ng/mL.
At the low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level (less than 10 ng/mL), calcium intake of less than 800 mg/d was significantly associated with higher serum PTH.
"Our results suggest that vitamin D sufficiency can ensure ideal serum PTH values even when the calcium intake level is less than 800 mg/d, while high calcium intake (greater than 1200 mg/d) is not sufficient to maintain ideal serum PTH, as long as vitamin D status is insufficient," they note.
"Although a cross-sectional study such as our study is not sufficient to demonstrate causality, the association between vitamin D status, calcium intake, and the interaction between these two with serum PTH levels is a strong indication of the relative importance of these nutrients," the researchers explain.
"Although ideal intakes of these two nutrients need to be further defined in more elaborate studies," they say, "there is already sufficient evidence from numerous studies for physicians and general practitioners to emphasize to a much greater extent the importance of vitamin D status and recommend vitamin D supplements for the general public, when sun exposure and dietary sources are insufficient.
"In conclusion, our study suggests that vitamin D sufficiency may be more important than high calcium intake in maintaining desired values of serum PTH.
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