Lack of sunshine vitamin may cloud survival odds

(AP) -- New research linking low vitamin D levels with deaths from heart disease and other causes bolsters mounting evidence about the "sunshine" vitamin's role in good health.

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4.4/5 after 9 votes

• deatopmg - Jun 24, 2008
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  "Experts say the results shouldn't be seen as a reason to start popping vitamin D pills or to spend hours in the sun, which is the main source for vitamin D." - is this because if we, as a society, do start popping vitamin D3(three) doing so will likely cut into the profits of big pharma and the medical industry?
  
  "For one thing, megadoses of vitamin D pills can be dangerous and skin cancer risks from too much sunshine are well-known. But also, it can't be determined from this type of study whether lack of vitamin D caused the deaths, or whether increasing vitamin D intake would make any difference." - spin, spin, spin
  1) the megadoses they talk about are MASSIVE and it's unlikely anyone would consume that amount of "D".
  2)The skin cancer risks (melanoma) from sun exposure is drastically increased from the use of sun blocks because they block the natural production of "D3" which, as mentioned in the article, found to be protective.
  3)The fortification of milk w/ "D2" (plant derived) is based on ancient science. It may help against the end-stage deficiency disease Ricketts but "D2" is an ineffective substitution for the required form, "D3" found to be protective.
  
  "It has been estimated that at least 50 percent of older adults worldwide have low vitamin D levels, and the problem is also thought to affect substantial numbers of younger people. Possible reasons include decreased outdoor activities, air pollution and, as people age, a decline in the skin's ability to produce vitamin D from ultraviolet rays, the study authors said." - The authors are avoiding the obvious; SPF added to EVERY skin product. AND what does air pollution have to do with it? more spin
  
  Beware - the AMA is the doctors union and lobbying arm and it does everything possible to avoid biting the hands that feed - in this case the cosmetics industry and big pharma.
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