Factor 50 sun block gave woman rickets (Low vitamin D)

The Daily Mirror ^ | Apr 5, 2010 | Rod Chaytor

[decimon]

Helen Smith, 38, suffered excruciating joint pain and extreme tiredness for almost a decade before doctors realised what was wrong with her.

The mum-of-two had been blocking out the sun's rays - and with it the crucial vitamin D they deliver to maintain healthy bones.

This led to an adult form of rickets - a condition causing bones to become soft and weak normally linked to the child victims of famine.

Fair-skinned Helen said: "I was absolutely staggered when I found the cause of all this had been because I was being too responsible in the sun."

She started to feel ill about 10 years ago, around the time she began applying the sun cream.

Helen added: "I'd get really bad lower back pain which spread to my hips and shoulders. I'd be in terrible pain and unbelievably tired. Some days I couldn't get out of bed.

"If I did make it to my job as a practice nurse I wanted to fall asleep as soon as I got home. My GP referred me to a physiotherapist, thinking I had some muscular problem. But it didn't help.

[decimon]

Via Stalwart.

[decimon]

Rickety ping.

[proxy_user]

Many foods are fortified with vitamin D nowadays, and eggs and fish provide it naturally.

I wonder what her diet was like?

[JoanneSD]

This was another government intrusion into people taking care of them selves... for 15years or so that was all we got was stay out of the sun, and lather sun screen on with a SPF of 150, if u even open the window shades.. I sit in the sun nearly every day, and sun bathe every chance I get..Lucky weather permits it here.. but I have read lots of reports where the lack of vitamin D has caused a lot of unforeseen problems..

[Gaffer]

God, in his infinite wisdom, provided humans with everything necessary for survial. Natural urges, instinct and drive to survive and prosper. Everything was provided. Man, in his infinite scientific and sometimes ulterior-motived mutation to 'humanism' has sought to undo this.

One day eggs are bad for your, another day, they're not. One day, the sun is no good for you, the next day it's not. Jogging is good for you and then again it isn't... the list goes on and on and on.

[Sacajaweau]

We fished all day. We always had to have a hat on...and a cotton long sleeved shirt. Most of the time, we kept a towel over our legs..

We took all these measures as plain old common sense. Yes, moms and dads had common sense back then. They didn't have to be told 1000 times that the sun will burn you...

We drank milk EVERY DAY with our cereal...about 5 varieties to choose from.. We walked to school everyday...about a half hour of sun. And we walked to church, too. And the store...

[mono]

Right you are. What is bad for you today will be proven good in a few years and vice versa. I try to get vitamins from diet and sunshine, but take supplements in moderation, too.

[Tired_of_the_Lies]

Wow! Rickets or Skin Cancer. What a great choice.

[decimon]

We walked to school everyday...about a half hour of sun. And we walked to church, too. And the store...

The problem there is that the Sun is low in the sky early and late in the day. I used to think I got ample sunlight when I was younger but I now realize the early, late and winter sunlight did me no good. Not in terms of making vitamin D. So I now supplement.

[Popman]

Wow! Rickets or Skin Cancer. What a great choice.

False choice

With careful selection of clothing like cotton shirts and pants, light fabrics, one can easily go out in the sun for many hours and enjoy yourself.

Sure you put sun screen on areas that are in direct sunlight like your face or neck wear a hat as well

[magslinger]

Viamin D does not occur naturally in cows milk in large enough amounts. If your milk did not come from a dairy, it would’t have had enough vitamin D (or A).

[Eagle Eye]

I was being too responsible in the sun.

Too much of anything is...well...too much.

But I'd use a different word than "responsible".

[American Constitutionalist]

Well, for those who stay in the sun for longer periods than the rest of the population would have less cases of skin cancer because of the bodies built up immunity and vitamin D build up in their systems.
It is those who do not stay out in the sun every day, and then go out on a summer day at the beach and get sun burn who are at risk of skin cancer...

[slowhandluke]

Wow! Rickets or Skin Cancer. What a great choice.

Nope, a false choice.

A paper published in March 2007 by Demay, Sabbagh and Carpenter Calcium and vitamin d: what is known about the effects on growing bone, should finally put the vitamin-D deficiency rickets myth to bed. The Demay group found that the metabolic cause of rickets is hypophosphatemia.

Any amount of calcium, in the absence of the correct amount of phosphorous, does not prevent or cure rickets. Neither does Vitamin D. Here is another paper confirming that: Hypophosphatemia leads to rickets by impairing caspase-mediated apoptosis of hypertrophic chondrocytes.

And from yet another source: This webpage at the US Dept of Agriculture says Rickets "is not due to vitamin D deficiency but is caused by not having enough calcium in the diet."

[Loud Mime]

I think this was, at one time, a hoax. The libs were pushing it big-time.

[American Constitutionalist]

I think the new skim milk or 2 % milk has something to do with it, diluted milk instead of whole milk...
I think all these new chemicals, and new fanged " Healthy Oils " in the margarines also is a problem.
What ever happened to good old natural butter ?
Your genetic genes in your body has more to do with your cloresterol levels than what you eat.. and the health of your liver.

[mamelukesabre]

This is pure horshit. Vitamin D can come from food or supplements...not just the sun.

[Marie2]

“Wow! Rickets or Skin Cancer. What a great choice.”

No one gets out of here alive.

[gogogodzilla]

Whadda friggin’ maroon!

[caveat emptor]

Vitamin D is found naturally in very few foods.

Foods containing vitamin D include some fatty fish (mackerel, salmon, sardines), fish liver oils, and eggs from hens that have been fed vitamin D.

In the U.S., milk and infant formula are fortified with vitamin D so that they contain 400 IU (10 mcg) per quart.

However, other dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt, are not always fortified with vitamin D.

Some cereals and breads are also fortified with vitamin D.

Recently, orange juice fortified with vitamin D has been made available in the U.S.

Accurate estimates of average dietary intakes of vitamin D are difficult because of the high variability of the vitamin D content of fortified foods (30).

Vitamin D contents of some vitamin D-rich foods are listed in the table below in both international units (IU) and micrograms (mcg).