Originally published January 22 2006
Vitamin D a hot topic in public health debates
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
In a new issue of Photochemistry and Photobiology, Vitamin D is toted for ensuring good bone health and even helping prevent autoimmune disease like multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes.
The first step takes place in the skin when it is exposed to UVB wavelengths contained in sunlight; the same ultraviolet wavelengths that are thought to cause skin cancer.
The UVB content of sunlight depends on the height of the sun in the sky; the higher the sun the more the UVB.
This means that when the sun is low, such as in winter in Northern latitudes, e.g. Boston, there is insufficient UVB in sunlight to trigger the vitamin D making process.
It is well established that vitamin D is vital for good bone health and lack of vitamin D results in rickets in children and osteomalacia, the adult equivalent.
Studies in different parts of the world show that a surprisingly large number of people are vitamin D deficient, and deficiencies are often more marked in people with brown or black skins.
There is however increasing evidence that vitamin D status may be important in the prevention of internal cancers such as breast, colon and prostate.
The acknowledged vitamin D deficiency in many populations begs the question "What is the best way to maintain good vitamin D status"?
Diet alone, even with fortification, is unlikely meet vitamin D requirements in most countries.
Another option is increased exposure to UVB from the sun or in tanning parlours, but this raises concern about increased risk of skin cancer especially in fair skinned sun-sensitive people.
Tanning salons are popular but there is evidence that their use is associated with an increased risk of malignant melanoma, the most deadly type of skin cancer (estimated 7,770 deaths in US in 2005).
Dermatologists are concerned that people may increase their risk of skin cancer by increasing exposure to UVB when supplementation is another safer option.
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