Vitamin D and calcium supplementation reduces cancer risk (mineral deficiencies, nutrigenomics)

Vitamin D actions on the body are not completely understood. Some pretty big claims are being made by folks in the business of selling vitamin D (either directly or in grants).

There are subsets of people who can have a catastrophic immune suppression from vitamin D supplimentation. In addition, there are animal models showing that vitamin D administration accelerates hardening of the arteries.

Vitamin D is not really a vitamin in the traditional sense, it is a steroid hormone that works on nearly every cell in the body. The production is tightly regulated in the body and anyone that states they know what supplimentation is doing to your body, they are selling you a bill of goods.

Being a steroid, fat soluble substance, it is stored for prolonged periods in the body, not getting sun for weeks at a time is not necessarily a problem. Even exposures to small portions of the body can produce large amounts of vit D if the body needs it. If your body does not need it, this production can be down regulated, if you suppliment, you defeat the bodies ability to regulate production.

Small amounts of supplimentation are unlikely to get a helthy person in trouble but higher and higher doses are being marketed and a steady stream of helpful advice is telling people to take larger and larger doses.

Vitamin D is not too different from cortisol, when it was identified and synthesized, it was considered a wonder drug, physiologic doses saved lives, pharmacologic doses literally made the lame walk again, it was later when we found that it increases heart disease, thins bones, causes ulcers and is physiologically addictive. Because vitamin D works through similar mechinisms, it is not a far stretch to say, that the effects of pharmacologic dosing may cause unintended and undesirable outcomes.

Thank you for the information. I’ve always been one to think that when you greatly increase intake of one substance, you cause an imbalance somewhere else. Like you said, eat right & stay active - it sounds too easy.

People spend a fortune on quick & miracle cures & the answer is usually right under their noses - for free or little to no cost.

Ahh, but eating right and exercising are the hard way to stay healthy.

I have to admit that if there were a pill that could give me the benefits of my daily cardio work out, I would be first in line.

I do take some resveratrol and fish oil, they do not take the place of a healthy lifestyle but I don’t drink and don’t care for fish and would like the healthy benefits of both. It does go against my natural inclination that nutrients should be taken in their whole natural form.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.