Liposomal Vitamin D3

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Overview
Vitamin D or “the sunshine vitamin”is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in a limited amount of foods, available as a dietary supplement, and produced endogenously by ultraviolet rays from sunlight. Vitamin D is the only vitamin that the body can manufacture from sunlight (UVB). Unfortunately, with today’s lifestyles of indoor living and extensive use of sunscreens, we are now a society with millions of individuals deficient in proper Vitamin D intake. [5-6]

Scientists, for over a century, have recognized that Vitamin D is involved in bone health. It is essential for promoting calcium absorption in the gut and maintaining adequate serum calcium and phosphate concentrations to enable normal mineralization of bone. It is also needed for bone growth and bone remodeling by osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Without sufficient Vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle, or misshapen. Together with calcium, Vitamin D helps protect older adults from osteoporosis. The latest research, however, shows that Vitamin D deficiency is linked to a surprising number of other health considerations such as depression, back pain, impaired immunity, macular degeneration, and both insulin resistance and pre-eclampsiaduring pregnancy. [19]

Natural Sources Of Vitamin D
Food: Very few foods in nature contain vitamin D3. The flesh of wild caught fish (such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel) and fish liver oils are among the best sources. [14,17] Note that 3.5 ounces of wild caught salmon contains 600 to 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 and the same portion of farm raised salmon contains 100 to 250 IU of vitamin D3. [13] Small amounts of vitamin D3 are also found in beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks. Vitamin D3 in these foods is primarily in the form of cholecalciferol. [14]

Sunlight: Vitamin D is produced endogenously (within the body), when ultraviolet rays from sunlight strike the skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis. Season, geographic latitude, time of day, cloud cover, and sunscreen are among the factors that affect UV radiation and Vitamin D synthesis, thus resulting in inadequate Vitamin D levels.

For example, the UV energy above 42 degrees north latitude (a line approximately between the northern border of California and Boston) is insufficient for cutaneous vitamin D synthesis [4,23], along with otherlocations like Western Pennsylvania, where there are only about 80 days a year of sunshine.­

Supplementation: You cannot get enough vitamin D daily through the sun and food alone. This is why supplementation is recommended. Recent research has shown the benefits of taking a Vitamin D3 supplement ­­­on a daily basis of up to 10,000 IU a day. [19]

Groups At Risk Of Vitamin D Inadequacy
If you find yourself in any of the categories below, you would be well advised to get a blood test to determine your vitamin D levels.

Sunscreen Use - Osteomalacia has been documented in women who cover all of their skin whenever they are outside for religious or cultural reasons. The application of sunscreen with an SPF factor of only 8 reduces production of vitamin D by 95% creating a similar problem to covered skin. [12,23]

Dark Skin - People with dark skin synthesize less vitamin D on exposure to sunlight than those with light skin. The risk of vitamin D deficiency is particularly high in dark-skinned people who live far from the equator. [15]

Breast Fed Infants - Infants who are exclusively breast fed are at high risk of vitamin D inadequacy, particularly if they have dark skin and/or receive little sun exposure. Human milk generally provides 25 IU of vitamin D per liter, which is not enough for an infant if it is the sole source of vitamin D. Older infants and toddlers exclusively fed milk substitutes and weaning foods that are not vitamin D fortified are also at risk of vitamin D deficiency. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all infants that are not consuming at least 500 ml (16 ounces) of vitamin D fortified formula or milk be given a vitamin D3 supplement of 200 IU/day. [2,14,16,20]

Aging - The elderly have reduced capacity to synthesize vitamin D in the skin when exposed to UVB radiation, and are more likely to stay indoors or use sunscreen. Institutionalized adults are at extremely high risk of vitamin D deficiency without supplementation. [12]

Obesity - If you are overweight, it increases your risk of vitamin D deficiency. Once vitamin D is synthesized in the skin or ingested, it is deposited in body fat stores, making it less bio-available if you have large stores of body fat. [22]

Risk Factors Of Vitamin D Deficiency
In vitamin D deficiency, calcium absorption cannot be increased enough to satisfy the body’s calcium needs. Consequently, Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) production by the parathyroidglands is increased and calcium is mobilized from the skeleton to maintain normal serum calcium levels - a condition known as secondary hyperparathyroidism.(18) Although it has long been known that severe vitamin D deficiency has serious
consequences to bone health, recent research suggests that less obvious states of vitamin D deficiency are common and increase the risk of osteoporosis, stroke, heart attacks, mortality due to colon, pancreas, lymphoma, ovary and breast cancers, and other health considerations. [1,7,8,9,11)­]

Rickets - In infants and children, severe vitamin D deficiency results in the failure of bone to mineralize. Rapidly growing bones are most severely affected by rickets. The growth plates of bones continue to enlarge, but in the absence of adequate mineralization, weight-bearing limbs (arms and legs) become bowed. In infants, rickets may result in delayed closure of the fontanels (soft spots) in the skull, and the rib cage may become deformed due to the pulling action of the diaphragm. In severe cases, low serum calcium levels (hypocalcemia) may cause seizures. Although fortification of foods has led to complacency regarding vitamin D deficiency, nutritional rickets is still being reported in cities throughout the world. [3,10,20,21]

Osteomalacia - Although adult bones are no longer growing, they are in a constant state of turnover, or "remodeling." In adults with severe vitamin D deficiency, the collagenous bone matrix is preserved but bone mineral is progressively lost,resulting in bone pain and osteomalacia (soft bones). [10,12]

Muscle Weakness,Muscle Pain,and Bone Pain - Vitamin D deficiency causes muscle weakness and pain and bone pain in children and adults. [12]

Dosage
Proper dosage can be determined by age, living conditions, or specific disease states. It is suggested to check with a qualified healthcare professional to determine what dosage is right for you.

Toxicity
Recent studies show 10,000 IU Vitamin D3 has no associated toxicity. [19]

Vinco’s Vitamin D3
Vinco’s Vitamin D3 (10,000 IU) is a great tasting, liposomal (for better absorption), fat-soluble supplement that has been shown to be beneficial in promoting calcium absorption to enable normal mineralization of bone, bone growth, and bone remodeling. It has also been shown to be beneficial with depression, back pain, impaired immunity, macular degeneration, and both insulin resistance and pre-eclampsia during pregnancy. Always seek the advise of a qualified healthcare professional to see if Vinco’s Vitamin D3 - 10,000 IU is right for you.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

References
1. Ahonen MH, Tenkanen L, Teppo L, Hakama M, Tuohimaa P. Prostate cancer risk and prediagnostic serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels (Finland). Cancer
Causes Control 2000;11:847-52

2. Biser-Rohrbaugh A, Hadley-Miller N. Vitamin D deficiency in breast-fed
toddlers. J Pediatr Orthop 2001;21:508-11. [PubMed]

3. Chesney R. Rickets: an old form for a new century. Pediatr Int 2003;45: 509-11. [PubMed]

4. Cranney C, Horsely T, O'Donnell S, Weiler H, Ooi D, Atkinson S, et al. Effectiveness and safety of vitamin D. Evidence Report/Technology Assessment No. 158
prepared by the University of Ottawa Evidence- based Practice Center under Contract No. 290-02.0021. AHRQ Publication No. 07-E013. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2007. [PubMed]

5. DeLuca HF, Zierold C. Mechanisms and functions of vitamin D. Nutr Rev 1998;56:S4-10. [PubMed]

6. DeLuca HF. Overview of general physiologic features and functions of vitamin D. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;80:1689S-96S. [PubMed]#

7. Feskanich D, Ma J, Fuchs CS, et al. Plasma vitamin D metabolites and risk of colorectal cancer in women. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2004;13:1502-8.

8. Garland CF, Garland FC, Gorham ED, et al. The role of vitamin D in cancer
prevention. Am J Public Health 2006;96:252-61.

9. Giovannucci E, Liu Y, Rimm EB, et al. Prospective study of predictors of vitamin D status and cancer incidence and mortality in men. J Natl Cancer Inst
2006;98:451-9.

10. Goldring SR, Krane S, Avioli LV. Disorders of calcification: osteomalacia and rickets. In: DeGroot LJ, Besser M, Burger HG, Jameson JL, Loriaux DL, Marshall
JC, et al., eds. Endocrinology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: WB Saunders, 1995:1204-27.

11. Gorham ED, Garland CF, Garland FC, et al. Vitamin D and prevention of
colorectal cancer. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2005; 97: 179-94.

12. Holick MF. Vitamin D: the underappreciated Dlightful hormone that is
important for skeletal and cellular health. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes
2002;9:87-98.

13. Holick, MF. Medical progress: vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med 2007; 357(3); 266-281.

14. Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes: Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Vitamin D, and Fluoride. Washington, DC:
National Academy Press, 1997.

15. Nesby-O'Dell S, Scanlon KS, Cogswell ME, Gillespie C, Hollis BW, Looker AC, et al. Hypovitaminosis D prevalence and determinants among African-American
and white women of reproductive age: third National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey, 1988-1994. Am J Clin Nutr 2002;76:187-92. [PubMed abstract]

16. Prentice A. Vitamin D deficiency: a global perspective. Nutr Rev. In press.

17. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Nutrient Data Laboratory. Search the USDANational Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.
[http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search]

18. Vieth R, Ladak Y, Walfish PG. Age-related changes on the 25-hydroxy Vitamin D versus parathyroid hormone relationship suggest a different reason why
older adults require more Vitamin D. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003 Jan;88(1):185-91

19. Vieth R. Why the optimal requirement for vitamin D3 is probably much higher than what is officially recommended for adults. J Steriod Biochem Mol Biol 2004;89-90:575-9.

20. Wagner CL, Greer FR, and the Section on Breastfeeding and Committee on Nutrition. Prevention of rickets and vitamin D deficiency in infants, children,
and adolescents. American Academy of Pediatrics.2008;122(5):1142-1152.
Available at: http://www.aap.org/new/VitaminDreport.pdf .

21. Wharton B, Bishop N. Rickets. Lancet 2003;362:1389-400. [PubMed abstract]

22. Wortsman J, Matsuoka LY, Chen TC, Lu Z, Holick MF. Decreased bioavailability of vitamin D in obesity. Am J Clin Nutr 2000;72:690-3. [PubMed ]

23. Yetley EA. Assessing vitamin D status of the U.S. population. Am J Clin Nutr. In press.