Vitamin D: The Wonder Vitamin?

This fat-soluble “sunshine vitamin” has recently re-emerged as the wonder vitamin with numerous research studies coming out monthly on its health benefits.

Until very recently, it was thought that the RDA for Vitamin D (400 IU/day) was sufficient to prevent disease and to maintain bone health. We have recently seen an epidemic of vitamin D deficiency in this country, which is thought to be responsible for many autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Multiple Sclerosis, cancers and even cardiovascular disease.

What are the recent findings on Vitamin D?

In January 2009 researchers from the University of Cambridge and the University of Michigan Peninsula Medical School revealed that compared to those with optimum Vitamin D levels, those with the lowest levels were more than twice as likely to be cognitively impaired – i.e. have dementia

In February 2009 the Archives of Internal Medicine studied 19,000 adults and adolescents. People with the lowest average levels of Vitamin D were 40% more likely to have a recent respiratory infection compared to those with higher Vitamin D levels

In March 2009 the Journal of Nutrition published research showing that high intakes of both calcium and Vitamin D helped protect against diabetes. C-peptide (a measure that determines if diabetes is in the works) was 20% lower in those with higher blood levels of Vitamin D

In April 2009 the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published research showing that a daily supplement of 83 mcg. of Vitamin D per day (or 3320 IU) significantly boosted heart health by lowering triglyceride levels (storage form of fat) and markers of inflammation in the blood that indicate heart disease

In June 2009 the National Institutes of Health funded a study that showed that higher blood levels of Vitamin D were linked to increased loss of abdominal fat

Benefits of vitamin D are more important than we all knew – lowering risk of heart disease, respiratory infections, dementia, and diabetes and helping with weight loss!

A great way to get your vitamin D, besides food, is exposure to daylight or sunshine three times per week for about 10-15 minutes, since your skin has the ability to manufacture it after being exposed to sunlight. Since many of us try to stay out of sun due to skin cancer, we are deficient in natural vitamin D. However, it is still important to wear your sunscreen.

Some researchers are now calling Vitamin D the antibiotic vitamin since it boosts protection in the white blood cells of antimicrobial compounds that defends the body against germs. Many physicians are recommending intakes of 1000-2000 IU of Vitamin D per day to help with already low tissue levels and increasing the tissue levels to help prevent disease.

Next time you visit your physician ask to have your Vitamin D levels checked to know if you are in need of supplementation – it could save you more than just a cold!

HFCS, Leptin and Weight: Avoiding the Slippery Slope

Recent media ads informing you HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) is safe might lead you to believe consuming a soft drink made with HFCS poses no health risks. When you look at the current research, nothing could be further from the truth.

To understand the truth, we need to look a little at the chemistry of different sugars and hormone interactions. HFCS was developed in the 70’s from cornstarch that is made from genetically modified corn. This process results in a product that is less expensive than sugar, and is used by the major food companies to sweeten their products – anything from sodas to jams, ketchup, juices, and processed packaged foods.

Table sugar is composed of 2 sugars – glucose and fructose. All the cells of our body can readily metabolize glucose, but fructose is only metabolized via the liver. Large amounts of fructose going to the liver causes fatty liver leading to high cholesterol and triglycerides.

Since HFCS contains more fructose than sugar, the fructose is more readily available since it is not bound up with glucose, as is the case with natural sugar. Therefore it has a straight shot to the liver.

Now enter the hormone leptin. Leptin is one of the main hormones regulating appetite. I like to state that leptin lowers your appetite. Several recent studies revealed a diet high in HFCS increased the level of triglycerides, which blocked the brain’s response to leptin.

Therefore, if your body becomes insensitive to leptin, and in fact, develops a leptin resistance, the brain will continue to signal your body it needs more food and continue to store fat.

Judith Altarejos, Ph.D. a researcher at Scripps states “obesity results when the brain becomes ‘deaf’ to the leptin signals.” If your brain is continuing to tell you to eat, you will have a hard time losing weight.

Turning this situation around is not as hard as you might think. Consuming protein at each meal and snack, along with healthy sources of carbohydrate like fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds and healthy fats will do wonders for turning on the leptin switch. Keeping refined processed sources of carbohydrate out of your diet is essential and necessary to keeping or restoring balance to the body.

So look for HFCS on labels and stay clear of the slippery slope. Your body and arteries will thank you.