to be getting hot and bothered about the Vit D push?

[stinkingbishop]

I am prepared to be corrected but, having been hassled yet again by the HV about giving the twins Vit D because of the oft cited 'rise in Rickets', and saying, again, that they had a good diet, including oily fish, and play outside, and again being made to feel like I am stubborn/neglectful, I am getting rather worked up.

As I understand it, one of the main reasons we all have different coloured skin is because we have evolved to be able to absorb the optimum amount of Vit D from the sun (or rather for the sun to catalyse our absorption). Those in very sunny climes have darker skin so they don't overload; us peely wallies are that way because we have such brief windows. Interestingly, it's why Inuits have darker skin than, say, Scandinavians, because they eat so much fish. Very clever, Nature.

Vit D deficiency is caused by a mismatch between your current environment and what you evolved for. So someone whose ancestors lived in the Congo and is now in Stornoway really needs to eat a lot of herring. It's compounded by inner city living eg not having a garden, being inside most of the time. And also strikes some Asian populations because of vegetarian diets and processed flours used in eg chapatis, and because of a culture of covering up, especially girls, and staying at home.

I can't find anything online which shows the incidence of Rickets amongst caucasian children in Britain who play outside regularly (15 mins a day) and have a good diet. Is there anything? Have there been cases? Where should I be looking?

If it genuinely is a problem, I will calm down. But at the moment I just wonder to what extent this national, indiscriminatory push is motivated by the Government's desire not to be seen as racially profiling (but we SHOULD profile for some conditions, because your ethnicity does correlate with various issues and potential issues) and/or because they're using some research funded by whoever it is manufactures the supplements (I have no evidence of this because again I can't find anything).

So, do I calm down, or do I fire something off to whoever is in charge of briefing Health Visitors? It just seems yet another thing to beat nervous, unsure new Mums with. For the vast majority of whom, if I'm correct, this is a complete non-issue.

[GarlicJulyKit]

Here's an answer off the interwebs, Penny:


German researcher Adolf Windaus first discovered 3 forms of vitamin D, which he called D1, D2, and D3. It was later learned that the vitamin D1 was a mixture of compounds rather than a pure vitamin D product, so the term D1 is no longer used.

The term "Vitamin D" now refers to several different forms.
The two forms important in humans are : ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). Vitamin D2 is a synthetic form (man made) and Vitamin D3 is the internal form that we make.


If you look on the labels, most actually say D3 or cholecalciferol on the bit where it tells you the dose :)

Thanks, Misc you made me feel a bit soppy!

[GarlicJulyKit]

Penny again - This is from the US gov health website; it gives much more detail than the NHS. Worth reading the whole page www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/929.html

The following doses have been studied in scientific research:

BY MOUTH:

For preventing osteoporosis and fractures: 400-1000 IU per day has been used for older adults. Some experts recommended higher doses of 1000-2000 IU daily.
For preventing falls: 800-1000 IU/day has been used in combination with calcium 1000-1200 mg/day.
For preventing multiple sclerosis (MS): long-term consumption of at least 400 IU per day, mainly in the form of a multivitamin supplement, has been used.
For preventing all cancer types: calcium 1400-1500 mg/day plus vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) 1100 IU/day in postmenopausal women has been used.
For muscle pain caused by medications called "statins": vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) or vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) 50,000 units once a week or 400 IU daily.
For preventing the flu: vitamin D (cholecalciferol) 1200 IU daily.

[MrsPennyapple]

Thanks Garlic. I did check the small print on the labels but didn't know to look out for cholecalciferol.

[RiffyWammal]

This thread is amazing and so informative. I have MS and have long known about the link with D3 and take a supplement, but after reading this thread and the posts from the poster with the expert dad (sorry I can't find your name!) and my book by Dr Wahls (doctor with MS), I have bought a whole lot more supplements to take. £84 worth in fact! But you can't put a price on health.

I want my DGD to take vitamin D but her mom has not been convinced and I don't know if she looked at the links I sent her ages ago . I have had another chat with her today about it and she seemed more open to the idea, so I would like my DGD to have a blood test. I would be happy to pay for the at-home test but really would prefer her to get it done by her GP as then her levels could be monitored regularly to check they don't get too high (unlikely I know). Does anyone know if the GP test is a finger-prick type or the standard blood test routine? Because last time DGD had one of those she kicked up a terrible fuss in the hospital.

I have a horrible feeling that the doctor won't be up to date on vitamin d levels and will send her away with instructions to take some piddly amount like the NHS guidelines suggest, when I would be happier with her taking 1000iu as the vitamin D council advises.

[Stripyhoglets]

I've got a vit D deficiency, I also have fibromyalgia, high blood pressure, depression and am tired a lot, I believe the deficiency has probably contributed to these. I have a good diet but now take supplements I will be getting the kids checked too as we do avoid the sun as a family as we are all pale. I will supplement the, if they do. It's common and although it may not cause rickets a deficiency now may affect their health when older. I don't understand why you are annoyed about the HV doing her job and advising you to supplement.

[pommedeterre]

I maximise opportunities for not wearing any sunscreen outdoors for my kids and it has to be hot for me to wear it. Grim stuff.