The truth about sun exposure and Vitamin D

If you know me at all you know I love myth busting.

I love it so much that I stick my neck out on a daily basis saying things that, while they are true, inflame some major power brokers like the drug companies.

However, I think it's time to look at some of the myths that are routinely picked up and spread like wildfire by Alternative Health Gurus or at least the teams of people that write for them.

Today, vitamin D and sun exposure is in the cross hairs.

Fact: Vitamin D has been shown to protect against several cancers including breast and colon cancer.

Fact: Fish Oil is a great source of Vitamin D and the dose I recommend of 6 capsules per day along with a regular diet will provide you with plenty of Vitamin D.

Fact: Not getting enough Vitamin D (Vitamin D deficiency) is indeed linked to breast, colon.

Fact: Too much Vitamin D is also toxic as this vitamin can be stored in the fat cells in your body and create a chronic toxicity situation the symptoms of which are:

Loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, followed by excessive thirst, weakness, nervousness and high blood pressure.

In the later phases, excess Vitamin D can cause calcium deposits in the kidney and other organs.

Myth: We are all at risk for cancers because we don't get enough sun.

Fact: You only need 5 minutes a day in the sun even if you have sunscreen on to get adequate amounts of Vitamin D.

Fact: The only people I have ever seen with Vitamin D deficiency are nursing home residents and Muslim women who are completely covered up or house bound.

The technical term for what they had was "osteomalacia" and in all cases it responded to Vitamin D therapy. In no case that I was aware of was there any increased incidence of cancer in that population. In plain English, there were not any more cancers in this group than any other.

Fact: There is no scientific data that links sunscreen use to Vitamin D deficiency or to skin cancer for that matter. There are a lot of internet articles claiming both things but there is not one scientific research project that substantiates these claims.

Fact: The book that originally caused the stir was called the "UV Advantage" and it was written by a doctor and a non-medical colleague (ghost writer?).

This book capitalized on the already popular conspiracy theory myths that never seem to go away on the internet. I think it was a smooth business move.

Sunlight is directly linked to numerous skin cancers and in conjunction with genetic factors like how well you can get rid of free radicals that come from radiation.

If you are concerned about your Vitamin D levels don't be. Unless you live through Artic winters you will get plenty of Vitamin D from Fish oil and Monster multi with minerals.

And the science supports the use of fish oil for skin cancer protection as well.

For those of you who want additional anti-oxidant protection, we make Super Wrinkle Guard, a product that is so potent in anti-oxidants it's like coating your body with rust inhibitor.

There is a lot to be concerned about in today's world.

Then again, there is also a lot of garbage.

Everyone has a 1st Amendment Right to Free Speech. Within that right is my personal right and mission to sweep the cyber streets clean of garbage.

See Ya tomorrow,

Doc