Dr. Lipoff: Vitamin D: A Much Needed Vitamin

California, MD – If you are older, you may remember the days of sun tanning outside on a blanket that resembled aluminum foil, like they were chickens roasting on the grill. Not to mention slathering on the baby oil to help accentuate the deep cooking process for that all over tan.

If that wasn’t good enough they could always resort to the reflective board-Elizabethan collar contraption you would place around your neck to reflect sunlight on to your face.

Of course now we know that the sun’s rays can be harmful. Estimates for 2012 were that there would be two million new cases of skin Cancer. Many of us stay covered up outside, carry an umbrella or a hat or use sun block, 50 or higher is best, to limit the damaging effects on the sun’s rays. Nothing is better than a shirt and hat.

As far as sunscreens, well, after our country allowed them on the market skin cancer rose significantly because you are spreading chemicals directly on your skin. Now they are readily absorbed into the blood stream.

The safest ones on the market contain Zinc Oxide and/or Titanium Dioxide. Almost everything thing else on the market is a known carcinogen, like Oxybenzone. Thank you USA Government. Most of your shampoos, soaps, lip balm and toothpaste are also containing little harmful gems too. I will have some links on my Back At Your Best Facebook page for more in depth, disturbing research articles.

Dr. Michael Holick, author of The UV Advantage, determined if you lay in the sun long enough to produce some skin redness you have produced approximately 10,000- 25,000 IUs of Vitamin D or more.

It has been recommended that getting up to 10 minutes of sun exposure on your hands, arms and legs a couple times a week is sufficient to keep your body’s Vitamin D levels in check. If you live in a cloudy region you are more susceptible to becoming Vitamin D deficient.

A University of Maine study found nearly half of the girls were Vitamin D deficient. The girls were eating appropriately but from November to March their D levels dropped because of the limited amount of sunshine.

If we are absent of sunlight, using a place like Tantaztic for some quick UV exposure could be another way to get some “sun” exposure to help the body make Vitamin D. Speak with Ed Tully, the owner, as he knows the tanning businesses like nobody else.

Many doctors now test for a Vitamin D deficiency because we are not getting the sun exposure we once used to. The sun helps us make Vitamin D, which is important for many reasons.

Helps calcium and phosphorus absorption
Prevents Osteoporosis, Osteomalacia, arthritis and Rickets
Healthy skin and reduces wrinkles
Reduces inflammation
Regulates blood pressure
Helps the brain function
Reduces Rheumatoid Arthritis in women
It helps keep our bones and immune system strong
Helps keep muscles strong and reduces muscle tension and spasms
Can help fight Cancer cells from multiplying; control insulin production with Diabetic patients and improve kidney function
May have a relation to Multiple Sclerosis. The further north you go the greater the incidence of MS

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is stored in your body. Vitamin D2 and D3 are the most important forms we need. The first is made by plants and the second when we are exposed to sun.

The best foods to consume to maintain healthy vitamin D levels are:

Shitake mushrooms
Fish and fish oils
Fortified dairy products and cereals
Egg yolks

Vitamin D is the third most popular supplement on the market but the pills aren’t as good as forming it naturally in your body. However it is better than nothing considering we need about 800 – 2000 IU/daily.

Early in my practice I read a study on multivitamins from various companies not having the levels of each vitamin or mineral they advertised on the bottle. Companies are under more scrutiny now and can’t get away with that. Or can they?

A 2013 study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association: Internal Medicine tested 55 bottles of Vitamin D from 12 different companies. They concluded that the true amounts of Vitamin D in each pill could range from nine percent to 146 percent of what they were supposed to have.

So you could be getting ripped off or taking more than you thought which could be dangerous too. Try to eat healthy and find a quality multivitamin to fill in any nutritional gaps you may have.

Dr. Jay M. Lipoff is the owner of Back At Your Best Chiropractic & Physical Therapy, LLC, which is located at 23127 Three Notch Road, Suite 205, just past the WAWA at Route 235 and Route 4 intersection.

Dr. Lipoff is also the author of “Back At Your Best; Balancing the Demands of Life With the Needs of Your Body.” It is available in book and Kindle format at Amazon.

He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Syracuse University in 1990, a Doctorate of Chiropractic (D.C.) from New York Chiropractic College (NYCC) in 1994 and he became a Certified Fitness Trainer (CFT) in 2005.

Dr. Lipoff is an Executive Board Member, International Chiropractic Association Council on Fitness and Sports Health Science; has a radio segment: Back At Your Best in 5 Minutes or Less, President and Founder; Foundation 4 Heroes, Contributing writer, Huffington Post’ Co-Founder, Drug Free Training USA; Member, NY Strength-promoting the importance of physical conditioning; Board Member of Public Relations Committee, Maryland Chiropractic Association; has spoken on nationally broadcasted radio interviews, has articles in print and referenced in over 100 print papers, magazine and on websites, President, Wildewood Business Network-promoting better business relations and community outreach.