New Vitamin D Research

I think most people, especially my dermatologist, would agree that excessive amounts of ultraviolet light are bad, but a paper published in the August issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition identifies vitamin D's potential for contributions to good health, specifically immune systems, the pancreas, the heart and blood pressure regulation, muscle strength and brain activity. In addition, vitamin D is believed to be beneficial towards reducing the risk of cancer. The paper also lists 36 organ tissues in the body whose cells respond biologically to vitamin D. The list includes bone marrow, breast, colon, intestine, kidney, lung, prostate, retina, skin, stomach and the uterus. Deficiency of vitamin D can impact all 36 organs. Already, vitamin D deficiency is associated with decreased muscle strength, high risk for falls, and increased risk for colorectal, prostate and breast and other major cancers. The recommended daily intake of vitamin D is 200 international units (IU) for people up to 50 years old, 400 IU for people 51 to 70 years old and 600 IU for people over 70 years old. Because it is found in very few foods naturally, milk and other foods, like orange juice, are fortified with vitamin D and almost all multivitamins contain vitamin D. A tendency for people to live in cities where tall buildings block adequate sunlight from reaching the ground, to spend most of their time indoors or have poor nutrition creates the need for Vitamin D supplementation. The nutritional guidelines for vitamin D intake are being reevaluated to determine the adequate intake, balancing sunlight exposure with dietary intake, to achieve good health- which I think my dermatologist would agree with. -Community Assistant

Biotin & Hair Growth

I recently had lunch with my grandma. Being the new “Vitamin Guru” in the family, she brought along a bottle of biotin and asked if I knew anything about this supplement. She told me that a friend of hers recently finished chemotherapy and was taking this supplement to re-grow her hair. As it so happened, I did know a little about the supplement: for one, it is also known as Vitamin b7 and two, it is good for hair and nail growth. I did a little more research and also found out biotin supplements are sometimes given to help reduce blood sugar in diabetic patients; people with type 2 diabetes often have low levels of biotin. Biotin has also been used to combat premature graying of hair and alopecia (partial or complete loss of hair), though it is likely to be useful only for those with a low biotin level. Biotin has been used for people in weight loss programs to help them metabolize fat more efficiently. Biotin deficiency results in fatigue, depression, nausea, muscle pains, hair loss, and anemia. An adequate amount of biotin is about 30 to 100 mcg daily can be found in most multivitamins.
Luckily, I am not losing my hair, nor have I found any gray hairs yet, but having this information is definitely an incentive to continue taking my multivitamin!
- Community Assistant

Children's Vitamins

I recently spent half a day with my 8 year old cousin, Lea. For 5 hours straight she was a ball of energy, she came home from school, did her homework, played with the dog, took a walk, played cards, barley stopping for 5 minutes to eat dinner, still standing up, and continued to buzz around even as I was leaving. Most children are lucky enough to have this energy from well balanced meals and a healthy diet. However, if your child is a picky eater, has food allergies, or is a vegetarian, supplementing their diet can be beneficial. WedMD lists 6 of the top vitamins and minerals for children:

Vitamin A promotes normal growth and development; tissue and bone repair; and healthy skin, eyes, and immune responses.
Vitamin Bs. The family of B vitamins -- B2, B3, B6, and B12 – aid metabolism, energy production, and healthy circulatory and nervous systems.
Vitamin C promotes healthy muscles, connective tissue, and skin.
Calcium helps build strong bones as a child grows.
Iron builds muscle and is essential to healthy red blood cells.
Vitamin D promotes bone and tooth formation and helps the body absorb calcium. Vitamin D is so important that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) just doubled the recommended daily value of vitamin D for kids this past week.

A daily chewable vitamin will not replace the nutrition found in well-balance homemade meal but finding your child's favorite character may make taking vitamins easy and fun. There are now multiple children's vitamins on the market, but I will always hold a special place in my heart for the Flintstones Vitamins I took as a kid.
-Community Assistant

Vitamin D & Eczema

Have ezcema and upset there is really nothing you can do for it? This recent study might peak your interest. A study published in the Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology studied 14 people with moderate to severe atopic eczema and 14 people with normal skin. All of the participants were given vitamin D supplements (4000 IUs) for 21 days. Researchers found that cathelicidin levels increased significantly in the skin. Cathelicidin is a peptide that protects against skin infection helping to product normal skin. More research is to come on this topic... but vitamin D may be the answer to your skin health!

Mental Illness and Vitamin D

Could vitamin D be part of a solution for mental illness? An Australian study found a link between vitamin D and mental illness. The study, published in the Australian And New Zealand Journal Of Psychiatry, found that those who suffered from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizo-affective disorder, and bipolar disorder had vitamin D serum levels about 29 per cent lower than a group with no mental illness.

Low vitamin D has been depression in the recent past, however, adding other psychological disorders to the picture could open up more options other than pharmaceuticals for those with mental illness to try. If this really does help, what a great natural remedy it would be!

Reflux and astaxanthin

You probably have never heard of astaxanthin, I know I never had. After some reading I found out it is a carotenoid commonly used as a pigment to enhance the pink color of fish such as salmon and shrimp. Although I don’t eat seafood, I was intrigued: Its main health benefits are eye and skin health although it has also been linked to joint health and central nervous system health, immune system health and is said to have an antioxidant payload 500 times that of vitamin E.

New research shows that astaxanthin may have a benefit to those suffering from acid reflux syndrome. The benefits were higher in the people who also tested positive for H. pylori, the bacteria that causes stomach ulcers. The hypothesis is that astaxanthin, reduced oxidative stress in the stomach. With 20+% of the US population suffering from digestion disorders, we should definitely hope to see more studies on astaxanthin. I might even try it myself!

Sunny (Vitamin) D

I recently returned to Michigan from a weekend trip to Arizona. I spent nearly two full days laying in the sun and zero days sightseeing or even shopping. Besides the obvious relaxation of lying around all weekend, I have now convinced myself that I was also being healthy (sort of).

New research has shown that vitamin D in the body has significant protective effects against the development of cancer because it regulates cell growth, cell differentiation and cell death. This is supported by evidence that sun exposure, which helps in the production of vitamin D, can have anticancer effects. Different people have different levels of vitamin D in their bodies; therefore some individuals may be able to achieve more vitamin D related protection against cancer than others. Generally those with darker skin require more time in the sun to produce the same amount of vitamin D as those with lighter skin. Of course, season, proximity to the equator, time of day, cloud cover, smog and sunscreen affect UV rays exposure and vitamin D synthesis in the skin. It is important for those with limited sun exposure to supplement vitamin D in their diet. More research is needed on this topic but it is always recommend to apply sunscreen before sun exposure! And remember to also be careful not to get too much sun exposure as the risk of skin cancer will increase as well.
-Community Assistant

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition facts have become more and more important to me as I get older. When I was younger, I never really paid attention to them. I also didn't understand how to read them nor did I care as much about what I was eating!

According to a recent Nielson Company survey, 65% of American’s notice nutritional information on both food and supplement packages and about the same percentage understand what they are reading. There is also increasing pressure on food companies to educate consumers about what they are eating and why consumers should be eating their product. In a way, nutrition information, whether it be on your cereal or the supplement facts on your multivitamin is also a part of marketing, convincing consumers to buy a particular product over a competitor. There is no doubt that reduced fat, low fat, low carb, low sodium, whole grain, whole wheat and sugar free, products have become more popular. The use of the nutrition labels is a drive against obesity and toward the acceleration of health and nutrition.

A lot of diets, such as Weight Watchers, rely on nutrition facts, and the percentages are a start to basic nutrition. For me nutrition information is often a deciding factor when I am at the grocery store, even more so than the price of the food.

Make sure you understand "the facts". You can learn more about nutrition facts by clicking here.
-Community Assistant

Beautiful Supplements

After working at a salon and spa for a few years I became addicted to facial products- wrinkle reducers, collagen enhancers, dark eye circle removers, stretch mark faders, lip plumpers- you name it and I had it, tested it or wanted it. After months of using these pricey products I could still see wrinkles, cellulite, dark circles under my eyes, stretch marks and my lips were not Angelina-Jolie-like no matter how I puckered. I was also working a lot, staying out late, tanning, and definitely not eating my vegetables. My friend suggested a simple solution: water and a multivitamin.

Everyday environmental factors such as pollution and sun exposure can lead to the formation of free radicals, which contribute to the signs of aging. Taking dietary supplements can actually prevent and repair this damage:

Vitamin C- Essential for the production of collagen and reduces damage caused by free radicals. It is also essential for the development and maintenance of scar tissue, blood vessels and cartilage.

Beta-carotene- When combined with vitamin E and other carotenoids, like lutein, it prevents and reduces redness and inflammation associated with sunburn and skin sensitivity to sunlight, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Vitamin B- In general Vitamin B helps maintain healthy skin and muscle tone. Specifically, it regulates the functioning of the oil-producing glands which keep skin moist and smooth. Poor intake of vitamin B can cause dry scaly skin. Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, forms the basis of skin, hair and nail cells. Lack of B2, or Riboflavin, may cause cracked lips and high sensitivity to light.

Vitamin A- Maintains and repairs skin tissue, fighting free radicals due to its antioxidant properties. Retinol, the oxidized form of Vitamin A, is used for treatment of acne.

Vitamin E- Another antioxidant that may have anti-inflammatory effects on the skin.

Zinc- links together amino acids that are needed for the formation of collagen- essential for wound healing, taming oil production in the skin and controlling the formation of acne.

Selenium- A number of scientists believe this mineral plays a key role in skin cancer prevention. This mineral helps protect skin from sun damage and help reduce your chance of burning.

Although I still do use a few topical products, I have found that a good night sleep, some exercise, my daily allowance of water, and a multivitamin can work wonders.
-Community Assistant

Glaring problem? Is lutein the answer?

My husband has a major dislike for "bright lights." He used to complain about it daily and voice his dream of getting a dimmer on our car's rearview mirror so he wouldn't be blinded by the glare of headlights.

Today I was apart of a webinar from Kemin and DSM that discussed recent studies for lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein and zeaxanthin have been linked to lowering the risk of age-related macular degeration (AMD). However, more recent studies have looked into the effect lutein and zeaxanthin may have on visual performance.

The highest concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin are found in the inner layers of the neural retina called "macular pigment." The amount of macular pigment varies amont people. Macular pignment is concentrated in the area of the retina most responsible for visual performance.

Studies hypothesize that the macular pigment helps to filter blue light, like yellow filters on a camera lens. This means that macular pigment may actually help reduce glare.

Studies have found an inverse relationship between the amount of macular pigment in the retina and how long it takes people to recover from blinding light (photostress). In addition, they found that lutein and zeaxanthin supplementation increases this macular pigment.

My husband has been taking lutein and zeaxanthin for a year now. Unaware of the webinar I just participated in, I just called him up and asked him, "Have you been bothered by bright lights recently, like when we are driving in a car and headlights glare into the mirror?" He thought for a minute and said, "No, I haven't complained about that in a while have I...why do you ask?"

Interesting... maybe lutein is the answer.