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Thread: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

  1. #201
    my army bradders's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    full spectrum lamps that produce low levels of UV light as part of the spectrum can help as can using full spectrum lighting in your home (not a matter of tricking the brain, uv light converts a form of cholesterol into Vit D in the skin) caution should be exercised where people with sensitive skin, eye problems or are otherwise photosensative are present as this kind of lighting could cause problems. Unfiltered halogen lights are useful in cold climated during winter as the heat the produce (thus wasting electricity) contributes to household heating (so doesn't actually go to waste) and can provide that additional UV exposure. As always caution should be excercized.
    If I sink to the bottom I can run to the shore.

  2. #202
    cobweb
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    thanks, Bradders, you are a mine of information. I stopped using halogen lamps because the bulbs were very expensive (dunno if they still are). We have full spectrum bulbs in most rooms but i actually don't use the big lights much, i prefer candles/table lamps as i am fairly light sensitive. I think a visor used for short periods every day would be better for me.

  3. #203
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    they are still a bit pricey and more expensive than true energy saving bulbs. Ideally full spectrum bulbs should be used only from around September to April in the home and allow plenty of natural light into the home through the windows (so take down the net curtains and keep the blinds up)
    SAD light boxes are of similar benefit in treating SAD to the visors and carry with them lower risks of eye problems and expose more skin to the light. Strangely the area on the backs of the ankles is of particular value (what an odd place I know) and light exposure here has been known to aid body clock recovery and remedy jet-lag too.
    If I sink to the bottom I can run to the shore.

  4. #204
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    oh, didn't know about the eye thing!
    we have 2 light boxes in the house, i will do more research on the visors.
    I was wondering about one of those desk type SAD lamps aswell. We also have the dawn/dusk simulator lamps, they are great.
    Weird about the backs of the ankles!.

  5. #205
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    Quote bradders View Post
    Strangely the area on the backs of the ankles is of particular value (what an odd place I know) and light exposure here has been known to aid body clock recovery and remedy jet-lag too.
    I heard about this a few years back (except I was told the back of the knee) but in trying to research it I couldn't find any evidence to support it. Can you point me in the direction of some?
    "I don't want to live on this planet any more" - Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth

  6. #206
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    I meant knees not ankles, was having a massive brain fart.
    I'll try to find some journals that are public accessible that show the reasoning behind this.
    If I sink to the bottom I can run to the shore.

  7. #207

    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    Quote bradders View Post
    I wasn't saying that we shouldn't get exposure to the sun (though the sun is quite dangerous for me as it happens) rather that as so many people live in different climates now than their skin is designed for, we live longer and damage is cumulative to a degree and we spend considerable amounts of time indoors, in offices etc that we can't rely principally on the sun even if that is the best source. The sun is also quite dangerous and must be respected accordingly. We can get vit D from a vegan diet, many plants contain reasonable levels of vitamin d2 and many products are also fortified so provided you ensure that you get enough from your diet there is no need to expose yourself to too much sunlight. (I myself have very sun sensative skin and have a non-regenerative form of vitiligo, early stages yet that sun exposure can make much worse).
    Yes, very much so. Sun exposure is good, but too much can be dangerous, especially if you have some additional condition or risk factor (like the skin cancer that runs through my family history). I wish I got more sun exposure (have not gotten out so much as I'd like due to illness and have hardly seen the sun the last few months and really ought to have gotten a vitamin D supplement to carry me through the winter).

  8. #208
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    I asked my doctor whether it was worth having a Vit D supplement. He said "You can get it in health stores. I could prescribe you some but to be honest I don't think you really need it"

    An honest doctor!

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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    I've done extensive research on vitamin D. Probably one of the best resources is www.vitamindcouncil.org

    The new research is showing we need 4000 to 6000 IU a day of Vitamin D3. Since I live in Indiana, it's physically impossible to produce vitamin D here for 5-6 months of the year so I've been taking vitamin D3 supplements from Carlson labs - it's definitely not vegan, it's made from fish .

    I just don't know any other way to get enough vitamin D though (4000 IU is significantly more than you would get from any plant sources that I know of). Do those infrared saunas produce enough UVB rays to allow your body to make vitamin D? Any other suggestions?

    I've written more about vitamin D on my blog for those who want more info on it too.

    http://healthandwellnessnewsnow.blog...vitamin-d.html
    http://healthandwellnessnewsnow.blog...-shocking.html

  10. #210
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    Do you have the stores CVS or Whole Foods Supermarkets near you? They sell vegan vitamin D2 as multivitamins from rainbowlight and countrylifevitamins. I have heard many say D2 is not as bio-availible as D3 so taking extra may be good and I also recommend you take it with meals, not just drinks.

    Suntan booths are evil. They lie about the possibilities of skin cancer and premature aging of skin so I won't go near them.

  11. #211
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    Well, I just got back from my endocrinologist. Turns out that shielding my easily-burned skin from the sun has brought me to the brink of rickets. I have the lowest vitamin D count he's seen in quite a while! I just assumed my parathyroid problems were related to calcium (there have been periods where I haven't looked after myself).

    He made a face when he learned that my calcium supplements were seaweed based, so he's making me take prescription ones. I was still getting 1200mg a day!
    "Keep your friends close and your enemies so close... you're almost kissing."

  12. #212
    cedartree cedarblue's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    Quote buttons View Post
    I have the lowest vitamin D count he's seen in quite a while! I just assumed my parathyroid problems were related to calcium (there have been periods where I haven't looked after myself).
    interesting buttons - i hve just been diagnosed with vit d deficiency despite being in the garden lots as i garden and grow my own veg.

    apparently the ideal level is 50 and i am 15. this may account for me being incredibly fatigued over the past 6 months or so.

    i am taking vit d + calcium tabs for around 6 months.

  13. #213
    cedartree cedarblue's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegans and vitamin D deficiency - Considering becoming a non-vegan

    Quote dostoyevsky View Post
    I've been reading up a lot on vitamin D deficiency and it would appear that a huge percentage of people in the northern hemisphere are vitamin D deficient.
    this is true - and not everyone who is deficient shows physical signs of it.

  14. #214
    EcoTribalVegan
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    I was at a vegan potluck and there was a nutritionalist speaking. She informed us that to meet our daily recommended vitamin D value, one need only be outside in direct sunlight for about 20 minutes. That doesn't seem too bad to me.

  15. #215
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    I think it depends where you live in the world and what time of year it is ETV, though I'm no expert.
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    ^ Yeah like if you live where I live, the amount of smog in the air makes it more difficult to get vitamin D from the sun.

  17. #217
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    I have no problems getting sun here in Melbourne, it's the sun that has problems getting me!

    I spent some time looking up rickets and osteomalacia (the adult form of the condition) last night. It scared the crap out of me! The <10 reading is going to go up. ASAP.
    "Keep your friends close and your enemies so close... you're almost kissing."

  18. #218
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    I asked the nutritionalist to clarify and she said that it can be "indirect" sunlight (i.e. if you're bundled up in the winter just your face is enough). I don't know how it would affect you at different latitudes to be honest...

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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    ^ Seriously?? That makes me feel so much better. I'll do research about my area...

  20. #220
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    the variables are considerable, hight of the sun during exposure, filtration effects (eg cloud, glass, pollution etc), skin type, duration of exposure, portion of body exposed, efficacy of production and retention in the individual, latitude, albedo of local surfaces, cosmetics...
    anyone concerned about vitamin D levels should consult their GP and if needed a dietitian too.

    (remember that the term 'nutritionist' is not a protected term in most countries and nutritionists should not be confused with registered dietitians whom are required by law to have specific qualifications)
    If I sink to the bottom I can run to the shore.

  21. #221
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    Well the supplements my endo man put me on are non-vegan, gosh darn it! Question is, what should I do with my existing supplements?
    "Keep your friends close and your enemies so close... you're almost kissing."

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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    ^ Give them to someone or find out how to return them?

  23. #223
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    I've got an ultra violet light emitter. I read that a low dose of U.V. can help prevent skin cancer, by keeping the skin healthy...and something to do with stimulating immune response at the skin [which makes sense].

    Obviously describing dose is going to be a problem with U.V. due to its being the cause of many skin cancers too. This will take more explanation as I eat one or two pounds of raw carrots daily, which makes me so orange that people think I use a sunbed, or tanning lotion when I'm not using the U.V. lamp.

    I used to walk into town wearing shorts, boots, and a hat.... down to temperatures of seven centigrade. I got occasional comments, but it was fairly straight forward as far as I was concerned. I used "face hours" as my unit for vitamin D production.

    I installed the emitter above my bed. Fortunately the house is cold in winter, so I can't lie under the lamp for too long before I am pretty cold. The dose is so low that I wouldn't burn if I fell asleep under it for eight hours.... though I might go blind sleeping with my eyes open.
    Last edited by whalespace; Feb 10th, 2010 at 07:41 AM.
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  24. #224
    buttons's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    Quote baby_vicuña View Post
    ^ Give them to someone or find out how to return them?
    Good idea! Thanks. Although, I'm not sure if any of my omni friends and family will take them, as they of course get all the nutrients they need without even trying, or even knowing how much of each nutrient they need each day.
    "Keep your friends close and your enemies so close... you're almost kissing."

  25. #225
    Rentaghost Marrers's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    Many images spinning through my mind from whalespace's post!

    buttons will you have to take the prescribed supplements forever or just short term? I was just thinking if it is relatively short term you might need your old supplements afterwards (to take instead of the prescribed ones or alternate with them).
    Idleness is not doing nothing. Idleness is being free to do anything. - Floyd Dell

  26. #226
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    I ordered some Deva vegan vitamin D tablets this morning.

  27. #227
    my army bradders's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    Quote buttons View Post
    Well the supplements my endo man put me on are non-vegan, gosh darn it! Question is, what should I do with my existing supplements?
    personal advice, speak to a good pharmacist about the differences between them and if possible get them to recommend a more vegan version of the one prescribed, if that requires a prescription then take the name to the doctor to get it prescribed. This is a fairly common process for example when it turns out that tablets are in gelatine capsules or something has lactose in it.
    I'd hold onto your old ones for now and even bring them with you to the pharmacist so they can see what the difference may be.

    But if your levels are low and you need the boost, the most effective solution should be followed, even if that is the prescribed tablets.
    If I sink to the bottom I can run to the shore.

  28. #228
    cedartree cedarblue's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    Quote bradders View Post
    But if your levels are low and you need the boost, the most effective solution should be followed, even if that is the prescribed tablets.
    this is what i am doing. i don't know if my prescribed supplements are vegan but i've paid for them now and will take them to help my health till they are done - then i will see if i can get the vegan ones to take.

  29. #229
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    Quote bradders View Post
    This is a fairly common process for example when it turns out that tablets are in gelatine capsules or something has lactose in it.
    I would guess that in this case it is the difference between D3 from wool and D2 which is vegetarian or vegan but seems to be seen as an inferior source.
    Idleness is not doing nothing. Idleness is being free to do anything. - Floyd Dell

  30. #230
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    most likely, also may be animal tested depending on brand/ legal requirements where you are
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  31. #231
    buttons's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    Thanks for the advice everyone! I've decided to take the pills my doctor prescribed at least until my next appointment. That way he'll know what I've been taking, exactly how much I've been taking down to the mcg, and any absorption issues I may have (a solid possibility, according to my doctor) will be made clear.

    It's not ideal, and irradiated lanolin is really quite gross if you think about it, but I think it's the best course of action to take right now.
    "Keep your friends close and your enemies so close... you're almost kissing."

  32. #232
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    I was recently diagnosed with "dangerously" low vitamin D levels...Am taking supplements but the exhaustion is almost crippling.

    Anyone who's dealt with this or know someone who's dealt with it...any idea about how long before I should start to feel a little better?
    Check out the Toronto Vegetarian Podcast at veg.ca/tvp !

  33. #233
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    I'm sorry, I can't really help you. My vit D issues haven't affected my energy level. I hope things improve for you.
    "Keep your friends close and your enemies so close... you're almost kissing."

  34. #234
    Ex-admin Korn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    Here are some articles covering yet another potential reason to get out in the sun: you'll feel better!

    Vitamin D and Depression
    What about other diseases associated with vitamin D deficiency? What explains the significant association between depression and diabetes, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, advanced cancer, pancreatic cancer, and decreased bone mineral density in women? Our favorite study, showing the association between depression and bone mineral density, concludes with the following sentence: "We postulate that there may be an unmeasured third factor, such as an endogenous steroid, that is responsible for both low BMD and depression." The paper says not a word about the steroid hormone, vitamin D.Therefore, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, and low bone mineral density are all associated with depression. One parsimonious explanation is that vitamin D deficiency causes some portion of all these illnesses. Remember, all these diseases are multifactorial, so we are only talking about the percentage of the illness possibly caused by vitamin D deficiency. See Zittermann for the best review of diseases associated with vitamin D deficiency. DOES VITAMIN D AFFECT THE BRAIN?Vitamin D rapidly increases the in-vitro genetic expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (the rate-limiting enzyme for the catecholamine biosynthesis) by threefold. Summer sunlight increases brain serotonin levels twice as much as winter sunlight, a finding compatible with both bright light in the visible spectrum and vitamin D affecting mood. Vitamin D is widely involved in brain function with nuclear receptors for vitamin D localized in neurons and glial cells. Genes encoding the enzymes involved in the metabolism of vitamin D are expressed in brain cells. The reported biological effects of vitamin D in the nervous system include the biosynthesis of neurotrophic factors, inhibition of the synthesis of inducible nitric oxide synthase and increased glutathione levels, suggesting a role for the hormone in brain detoxification pathways. Evidence suggests that vitamin D may help mood but that evidence is not conclusive. (Remember, the way our medical literature system works, scientists often do not publish negative studies). The two positive studies above used vitamin D to treat seasonal affective disorder, not major depression. We were unable to find any studies in the literature in which patients with depression were treated with enough natural sunlight, artificial sunlight or plain old cholecalciferol to raise their levels to 35 ng/mL or higher. We all know how we feel after a week at the beach, but is that bright light, vitamin D, or something else?Evidence exists that major depression is associated with low vitamin D levels and that depression has increased in the last century as vitamin D levels have surely fallen. Evidence exists that depression is associated with heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer and low bone mineral density, all illnesses thought to be caused, in part, by vitamin D deficiency. Finally, vitamin D has profound effects on the brain including the neurotransmitters involved in major depression.


    http://www.webmd.com/depression/guid...ecovery?page=2
    6. Get plenty of vitamin D
    Vitamin D increases levels of serotonin in the brain. Researchers, though, are unsure how much vitamin D is ideal. There are individual differences based on where you live, the time of year, your skin type, and your level of sun exposure. Researchers from the University of Toronto noticed that people who were suffering from depression, particularly those with seasonal affective disorder, tended to improve as their levels of vitamin D in the body increased over the normal course of a year. The recommendation is to try to get about 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D a day from food if possible.

    http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/28862
    ...Reinhold Vieth, PhD, a vitamin D researcher at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Toronto... gave patients a questionnaire to gauge their likelihood of depression. Those whose answers suggested a strong possibility of depression were then given supplements containing a daily dose of either 600 or 4,000 international units (IUs) of Vitamin D. They started taking the supplements in summer and continued through the winter.

    The patients were re-evaluated a year later. With both doses, patients suffering from depression improved as their vitamin D levels increased to at least 40 ng/mL, what some vitamin D researchers recommend as a normal blood level.

    ...John Cannell, MD, who heads the Vitamin D Council, a group of doctors and researchers who study the effects of this nutrient, is a staff psychiatrist at Atascadero State Hospital, a California psychiatric hospital.

    'Basically, what vitamin D does is increase levels of the [chemical] serotonin in the brain," he tells WebMD. Many antidepressant medications work the same way.'"
    I will not eat anything that walks, swims, flies, runs, skips, hops or crawls.

  35. #235
    baffled harpy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    And if you can combine sun with exercise and nature it's even better, apparently

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8654350.stm

    (This study is making a direct link between nature etc and depression, there isn't anything about vitamin D in it as far as I know, but could still be relevant.)

  36. #236
    buttons's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    Went to the endocrinologist last week. I was at <10L. Now I'm at 91. Yay! Turns out I was overdoing the pills! I'm down to 2 a day. And I don't have any problems re. processing vitamin D or calcium.
    "Keep your friends close and your enemies so close... you're almost kissing."

  37. #237
    Rentaghost Marrers's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    Quote buttons View Post
    The endocrinologist . . . made a face when he learned that my calcium supplements were seaweed based, so he's making me take prescription ones. I was still getting 1200mg a day!
    Quote buttons View Post
    Turns out I was overdoing the pills!
    Glad to hear you have sorted that out buttons. But can you explain what you mean a little more clearly please? Do you mean taking too high a dose of your original Vit D tablets actually caused a deficiency? Or that they were in fact not effective?
    I presume things have improved since you have been taking the prescribed Vit D tablets - what dose was that compared to what you were originally taking?
    Idleness is not doing nothing. Idleness is being free to do anything. - Floyd Dell

  38. #238
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    Quote Marrers View Post
    Glad to hear you have sorted that out buttons. But can you explain what you mean a little more clearly please? Do you mean taking too high a dose of your original Vit D tablets actually caused a deficiency? Or that they were in fact not effective?
    I presume things have improved since you have been taking the prescribed Vit D tablets - what dose was that compared to what you were originally taking?
    I wasn't taking any before the doctor prescibed them. Turns out that for the last few months, I've taking a tablet too many. I blame his handwriting and my fear of squishy bones!

    Sorry. I'm bad at explaining things.
    "Keep your friends close and your enemies so close... you're almost kissing."

  39. #239
    Rentaghost Marrers's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    Sorry, I misread / remembered wrongly and assumed your calcium tablets had Vit D in them too.
    Idleness is not doing nothing. Idleness is being free to do anything. - Floyd Dell

  40. #240
    buttons's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    Crud, I've done it again!

    I wasn't on vit. D before I was informed of my deficiency. In addition to that, my rather straight-laced endo just wasn't a fan of my new-fangled seaweed hippie calcium supplements, and made me get different tablets! I'm sneakily switching back to the new-fangled hippie calcium supplements, as there wasn't any real problem with my calcium levels to start with I will go in search of vegan vit. D supplements once I clear the next appointment, just to keep my dosage consistent, and my endo happy.

    Apologies. I can construct coherent sentences occasionally. Honest!
    "Keep your friends close and your enemies so close... you're almost kissing."

  41. #241
    Ex-admin Korn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    It's May, and spring in the Northern hemisphere... so, don't sit here and read about vitamin D generated from sun/daylight exposure... get out in the sun!

    Remember, you'll get increased vitamin D levels even on cloudy days, and the body needs enough vitamin D to absorb calcium. The body also needs calcium to absorb B12, so the positive effect of not reading this post (or - hrmmm... writing it) and take a walk instead would be... triple-ish.
    I will not eat anything that walks, swims, flies, runs, skips, hops or crawls.

  42. #242
    patientia
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    I avoid ultraviolet light because of its carcinogenicity. I take Deva Vegan Vitamin D 800 IU. I have ordered them on the Internet because D2 cannot be bought where I live.

  43. #243
    Ex-admin Korn's Avatar
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    I will not eat anything that walks, swims, flies, runs, skips, hops or crawls.

  44. #244
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    'Epidemic' of vitamin D deficiency: MUHC study

    An excerpt:

    McGill research has discovered that low levels of vitamin D is linked to muscle fat and decreased strength in young people.


    A deficiency of vitamin D in study subjects has surprised doctors at the McGill University Health Centre.

    A study, released Thursday, found that 59 per cent of study subjects had too little vitamin D in their blood and nearly a quarter of the group had serious deficiencies.

    "Vitamin D insufficiency is a risk factor for other diseases," said Dr. Richard Kremer, the principal investigator of the study at the research institute.

    "Because it is linked to increased body fat, it may affect many different parts of the body. Abnormal levels of vitamin D are associated with a whole spectrum of diseases, including cancer, osteoporosis, and diabetes, as well as cardiovascular and autoimmune disorders," he said.
    The study is also referred to here:

    ...about 59 percent of people evaluated were deficient in vitamin D and about 25 percent were severely deficient.

    [...]

    The main reason why people are generally lacking in vitamin D is because people spend much more time indoors than they used to. Especially with computers, people often spend their entire days inside cubicles where they are exposed to little or no sunlight.
    I will not eat anything that walks, swims, flies, runs, skips, hops or crawls.

  45. #245
    cedartree cedarblue's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    i'm off to get the latest update on my vit d levels later today - i'll post the results. i've been taking a combined vit d & calcium supplement since around the end of last year.

  46. #246
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    How did you get on cedar? (How does one get a UK gp to check vitamin D levels? Or are you having it done privately?)
    Idleness is not doing nothing. Idleness is being free to do anything. - Floyd Dell

  47. #247
    Ex-admin Korn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    Here's a source that mentions vitamin D levels in some plants . I haven't checked this info, but here it is:

    Some of the students expressed a difficulty in finding foods which would measure up to the daily suggested requirement or Vitamin D, and Vitamin B-12, relying on the sun for Vitamin D, and the nutritional yeast for their B-12. But suppose a person lived in a foggy or rainy atmosphere, and did not get out into the sun? Well, here we can use alfalfa as a very good source of Vitamin D. According to Dr. Christopher's recent laboratory tests, we see that alfalfa contains 4740 IU of Vitamin D per pound. Alfalfa is an excellent source of Vitamin D. Viktoras Kulvinskas also documents this fact in many of his writings.

    Here's som more info, suggesting that 12 flowering plants, mainly within the Solanaceae family, contains vitamin D:
    Vitamin D compound in plants:


    An appreciable number (15) of flowering plants, specially within the Solanaceae family, have been shown to contain vitamin D3 and its hydroxylated derivatives, including 1α,25(OH)2-vitamin D3 [1α,25(OH)D3], a pluripotent hormone in animals. These secosteroids have also been detected in members of the Cucurbitaceae, Fabaceae and Poaceae families. On the basis of recent cladistic analysis it is possible to predict that the synthesis of these compounds is a characteristic of the Angiosperms. Highly specific and sensitive bioassays and analytical procedures of high resolution are now available which may allow confirmation of this hypothesis. Solanum glaucophyllum is the species which accumulates 1α,25(OH)D3 to the greatest extent. The metabolite is distributed among different tissues of the plant as a free steroid or glycoside derivatives. The presence of 7-dehydrocholesterol, vitamin D3, 25(OH)D3 and 1α,25(OH)2D3 in S. glaucophyllum and other species has been unequivocally demonstrated. Moreover, recent studies with radioactive precursors, protein immunoblot and RNA hybridization analysis suggest the presence of specific hydroxylases for vitamin D3 and 25(OH)D3 structurally related to the corresponding enzymes in vertebrates. It appears then that plants possess a similar synthetic route to 1α,25(OH)2D3 as in animals. However, of unique biological importance, evidence obtained with S. glaucophyllum and Nicotiana glauca supports the operation of a non-photolytic reaction of vitamin D3 synthesis. Both intermediates and enzymes of the vitamin D3 pathway can be detected in cell and tissue cultures thus affording a convenient experimental model for studies on its molecular characterization and regulation. This is also endowed with biotechnological significance. Vitamin D3 compounds may play a function in Angiosperms. Studies in vitro have shown that, like mitogenic plant hormones, they stimulate root growth and differentiation through activation of the Ca2+ messenger system. There are vitamin D3 and 1α,25(OH)2D3 binding proteins in plants which exhibit characteristics suggesting a regulatory function. It remains to be established whether these binders act as true steroid hormone receptors.
    I will not eat anything that walks, swims, flies, runs, skips, hops or crawls.

  48. #248
    Ex-admin Korn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    From http://www.vitamins-supplements.org/...n-sources.php:

    The major source of vitamin D in active people is sunlight, as exposure of the skin to sunlight produces vitamin D in the body. Vitamin D is found in milk (fortified), cheese, whole eggs, liver, salmon, and fortified margarine. The skin can synthesize vitamin D if exposed to enough sunlight on a regular basis. Vitamin D is found in very few food sources including brewer's yeast, mushrooms and wheat bran, eggs, fish, and fish's oil.

    More on mushrooms and vitamin D here:

    The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the USA has been seeking a natural, non-animal food, rich in Vitamin D. That led them to mushrooms. It has been demonstrated that when white button mushrooms are exposed to Ultraviolet B radiation, for a short period of time, the level of Vitamin D increases to levels many times the minimum daily requirement, i.e. 10 mcg. Normally, a serving** of white button mushrooms contains 18 IU (0.45 mcg.). Treated mushrooms contain over 80 mcg.***

    Sundried mushrooms seems to be a useful solution...:
    http://www.dried-mushrooms.us/

    More about sun-treated mushrooms here:

    Most people are aware that the human body makes vitamin D in response to sunlight. Less known is the fact that mushrooms, even picked ones, can perform the same feat - which means that eating mushrooms that have been exposed to sunlight can be an excellent way to supplement your "D" levels.

    In the summer of 2004, mycologist Paul Stamets discovered that the level of vitamin D in freshly picked, indoor- grown shiitake mushrooms rose from 110 IU (international units) to an astonishing 46,000 IU per 100 grams when the mushrooms were placed outdoors in the sun for just six hours with the gills facing up (when the gills were facing down, the level rose to 10,900 IU).

    This means that eating just one gram of sun-treated shiitake - about one tenth of one mushroom - would give you 460 IU, close to the FDA's recommended daily dose of 400 IU, and about half of Dr. Weil's recommended 1,000 IU.

    In his book, Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World, Stamets concluded, "(In) populations where vitamin D is seriously deficient, sun-exposed dried mushrooms can help address a serious health issue."
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiitake:

    Shiitake are often dried and sold as preserved food in packages. These must be rehydrated by soaking in water before using. Many people prefer dried shiitake to fresh, considering that the sun-drying process draws out the umami flavour from the dried mushrooms by breaking down proteins into amino acids and transforms ergosterol to vitamin D. The stems of shiitake are rarely used in Japanese and other cuisines, primarily because the stems are harder and take longer to cook than the soft fleshy caps. The highest grade of shiitake are called donko in Japanese.
    http://hypography.com/forums/medical...ushrooms.html:
    The ongoing work so far has found that a single serving of white button mushrooms the most commonly sold mushroom will contain 869 percent the daily value of vitamin D once exposed to just five minutes of UV light after being harvested . If confirmed, that would be more than what's in two tablespoons of cod liver oil, one of the richest and most detested natural sources of the vitamin, according to the National Institutes of Health.



    According to this source, vitamin D can be found in these herbs: Alfalfa, Dandelion greens, Horsetail, Nettle and
    Parsley. Who wants to play the source-police game and find sources for this?

    There's even a book called "Mycelium running: how mushrooms can help save the world", which on p. 204 says that "500g of fresh maitake (more than one pound), or 50g dried, would provide enough vitamin D for 50 people!"


    There are an 38,000 species of mushrooms. How the perform when sun-treated/dried, and how bioavailable the vitamin D is for most of these mushrooms is probably still unknown, but since plants are known to behave like humans when exposed to sun, it's very unlikely that we won't see a lot of info in the future about using mushroom and mushroom products as vitamin D sources.
    I will not eat anything that walks, swims, flies, runs, skips, hops or crawls.

  49. #249
    Ex-admin Korn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    About vitamin D in dandelion:

    http://www.zhion.com/liver_issues/Dandelion.html

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/10...andelion-root/


    http://hartkeisonline.com/2010/04/08...g-properties/:
    According to the USDA, dandelions rank in the top 4 green vegetables in overall nutritional value. Dandelions are nature’s richest green vegetable source of beta carotene and outstanding source of vitamin K1. According to nutrition studies, dandelion supplies modest amounts of magnesium, phosphorus, copper, iron, potassium and manganese, as well as fiber (inulin), vitamins B6, C, E, (Alpha Tocopherol), thiamin, riboflavin, folate, and boron. Research from Russia and Eastern Europe shows that dandelion is also rich in vitamin D. Despite the fact that it does not contain large amounts of vitamin C, it has been used successfully to treat scurvy, which is caused by lack of vitamin C.
    From information quoted on this site,

    According to the USDA Bulletin #8, “Composition of Foods” (Haytowitz and Matthews 1984), dandelions rank in the top 4 green vegetables in overall nutritional value. Minnich, in “Gardening for Better Nutrition” ranks them, out of all vegetables, including grains, seeds and greens, as tied for 9th best. According to these data, dandelions are nature’s richest green vegetable source of beta-carotene, from which Vitamin A is created, and the third richest source of Vitamin A of all foods, after cod-liver oil and beef liver! They also are particularly rich in potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and the B vitamins, thiamine and riboflavin.

    Marei (Hobbs 1985) indicated that dandelion is also rich in micronutrients such as copper, cobalt, zinc, boron, and molybdenum, as well as Vitamin D.
    I will not eat anything that walks, swims, flies, runs, skips, hops or crawls.

  50. #250
    buttons's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegans, vitamin D and the sun

    Update: My levels are fine. My endo said I should consider dropping my intake when summer rolls around. So now I'm just going for a blood test through my GP every 4 months or so.
    "Keep your friends close and your enemies so close... you're almost kissing."

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