Vitamin D Testing

Vitamin D deficiency has been long known for its role in the prevention of childhood rickets and in the intestinal absorption of dietary calcium, vitamin D has now been found to be important in protecting the body from a wide range of diseases. Disorders linked with vitamin D deficiency include stroke, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, osteomalacia, several forms of cancer, some autoimmune disease such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and type I diabetes and even type II diabetes, depression and schizophrenia. A major culprit in vitamin deficiency is inadequate sun exposure. Vitamin D deficiency is especially problematic for people who spend much of their time indoors, or who live in colder climates. Vitamin D3 is practically a prohormone and is regulated by parathyroid hormone.

Who is at risk?

≈ The elderly. The vitamin D precursor decreases in the skin with age, therefore elderly people are more prone to deficiency. Living in the rest homes or becoming home-bound can limit exposure to the sunshine. Muscle weakness and osteoporosis associated with vitamin D deficiency make the elderly more susceptible to falling and fracture risk. Clinical trials indicate that vitamin D supplementation may decrease the risk of fractures.
≈ Dark-skinned people who require much sunlight exposure to generate adequate circulating vitamin D compared to fair-skinned people.
≈ People with limited sunlight exposure. People living at northern latitudes or who have limited sunlight exposure because of their working environment or culturalclothing rules may havelow vitamin D levels.
≈ Musculoskeletal pain sufferers. Patients with symptoms of hypothyroidism, nonspecific musculoskeletal pain, chronic low back pain, or fibromyalgia are frequently found to have low vitamin D levels and show clinical improvement after supplematation. Vitamin D screening is strongly recommended in patients presenting with musculosceletal pain.
≈ Overweight or obese people. Vitamin D can be locked in fat in obese patients, who have been found to have lower levels of circulating 25-hydroxy vitamin D and are at risk for deficiency.
≈ Breast fed infants and children with limited sunlight exposure. All children require adequate circulating vitamin D to prevent rickets. Dark skinned children and those who spend much of the day in indoor daycare centers are at risk for of deficiency. Breast fed infants often receive inadequate amounts of vitamin D, particularly when their mothers are deficient. Maternal supplementation or the use of cod liver oil or other vitamin D supplements in infants and children can avoid the risk of developing type I diabetes in childhood.

Vitamin D (when insufficient/deficient):

• contributes to cancer prevention (up to 75% of all)
• helps multiple sclerosis and autism increases bone mass (reduces osteoporosis, decreases fragility and fracture risk)
• improves muscle strength
• helps periodontal disease
• improves jump height (its velocity and force)
• improves depression
• helps to reduce dementia
• reduces coronary heart disease, left ventricular hypertrophy,and blood pressure
• increases insulin sensitivity (improves diabetes mellitus)
• reduces risk of infection (both bacterial and viral)
• reduces chronic vascular inflammation
• improves heart failure outcomes and treatment
• reduces circulating cytokines (pro-inflammatory and pro-pain chemicals in the body)
• prevents of autoimmune disease (multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis)
• helps autism