Will the Government Act Before Countless More Suffer Needlessly?
Sen. Orin Hatch, R-Utah, complained for years that the FDA dragged its feet and ignored the science about the need for folic acid supplementation to prevent neural tube birth defects in newborns. Under fierce pressure, the FDA finally admitted the truth and such defects were reduced. Now the FDA is again refusing to tell the American people about another supplement which can save lives, this time in a flu pandemic, but also in reducing heart disease and cancer and other life destroying conditions.
The government has created a web site (www.flu.gov) expressly dedicated to educating the public about flu, including Swine Flu. This site however says nothing about natural forms of prevention and treatment, including even Vitamin D.
We are now asking the CDC, FDA, NIH, and HHS to tell the truth about the immense benefits to be gained from Vitamin D supplementation during the flu season and year round. We are also requesting that HHS update the government’s web site, www.flu.gov to include the incontestable scientific research behind Vitamin D.
There are reliable scientific studies showing a positive correlation between Vitamin D and a decrease in flu occurrence and complications. There is good science explaining this correlation. If the government nevertheless believes more studies are in order, we request that the government sponsor and pay for more trials.
What Can Be Done this Flu Season?
As Bill Faloon of the Life Extension Foundation has pointed out, many doctors are not trained to recognize a Vitamin D deficiency until rickets develop in children or osteomalacia (softening of the bones) develops in adults . Even so, many doctors are now urging their patients to supplement with Vitamin D.
Whether your doctor is up to date or not, you should take the initiative. Have your Vitamin D level checked. If you are below an optimum Vitamin D level, take a supplement. Changing your diet alone cannot create optimal Vitamin D levels. Only supplementation or sufficient exposure to the sun (without sun block and when the sun’s rays are sufficiently strong) can do that.
The blood work that checks Vitamin D status is called the 25, hydroxy vitamin D test. Some experts are satisfied with a minimum reading of 30 ng/ml, but it is doubtful that this is high enough to make your immune system work at optimal levels. While a level of 30 ng/ml defines the bottom of the normal range, Integrative doctors often like to see levels of 70 or 80 (but no higher than 100) ng/ml. Use of the blood test is the best way to prevent over-dosing.
Seniors are especially apt to be vitamin D deficient and have been found to be less likely to succumb to all causes of mortality when they have optimal levels of vitamin D. Young people are also often deficient even though Vitamin D is essential as the body grows and matures.
The most recent Harvard Heart Letter confirms that at least one-third of Americans of all ages are Vitamin D deficient. “Deficient” in this instance was defined as less than 20 ng/ml of 25-hydroxy vitamin D. The Harvard letter stated that supplements are the simplest and safest way to get vitamin D and recommended 800 to 1,000 IU from supplements as a daily goal. The Vitamin D Council recommends 5,000 IU daily, but in conjunction with blood testing. The U.S. government claims to be highly concerned about Swine flu and the general health of the American public, but does not even recommend 800 IU. For the most part, it says nothing.
Imagine for a moment that a drug company announced the development of a new drug matching the preventive and curative properties of Vitamin D. Does anyone think the government would remain silent about such a new drug? Of course not. The government would promote the use of the new wonder drug. This is a scandal. Please join us in asking the government to do its duty to the American people by telling the truth about Vitamin D for flu and for general health. Take Action Here!
For more on the extensive science behind Vitamin D
Read About the Science, extracted from an article by Bill Faloon of the Life Extension Foundation.
Visit Natural Health Science News Vitamin Research, which includes studies that explain how Vitamin D works to prevent flus and respiratory disease as well as to minimize flu symptoms
Vist Vitamin D Council which also features numerous studies on influenza and Vitamin D
For additional discussion on Vitamin D, see any of the following:
Dr. Mercola provides a lecture covering resources, research, and recommendations on Vitamin D in addition to many other articles.
Grassroots Health provides information about a worldwide public health campaign to solve the vitamin D deficiency epidemic through a focus on testing and education with an invite to individuals to join the campaign by getting their Vitamin D levels tested.
Life Extension Magazine also provides additional important articles (shown below), covering the critical role of Vitamin D and an assessment of just how Vitamin D deficient we all probably are.
- Bill Faloon Vitamin D article, 2009
- Life Extension Foundation Vitamin D article, 2009
- Julius Goepp MD, Vitamin D article, 2009
Natural News provides links to more than 200 featured Vitamin D articles.
