[Barbara2]

Peter Gott
Updated: 04/15/2009 01:50:23 AM PDT

Dear Dr. Gott: I am a 70-year-old retired female nurse and an avid reader of your column. My health is good, and I take minimal medications — Xanax as needed, an antidepressant in the winter and daily vitamin and mineral supplements to include 5,000 international units of vitamin D.
This added vitamin D keeps my blood level at 54, which my doctor told me is good. When I was only getting 400 IU daily, it was below 30, so my doctor prescribed 10,000 IU daily for several months (until it was 50), at which point my dose was lowered.

I have enclosed some articles from different sources on the importance of vitamin D and hope that you will re-evaluate your position on the necessary amount of the essential vitamin.

Dear Reader: Thank you for including the information. My position on the amount of necessary vitamin D in the daily diet is directly related to various government sources that indicate 400 IU is adequate for healthy people. However, this does not mean that current research is incorrect.

As more studies are done, several sources have found that vitamin D deficiency is on the rise among infants, children, teens, adults and seniors. Further studies need to be done to determine why this is happening and what steps we can take to prevent future generations from developing this deficiency. Simply being outside for 15 minutes in the sun every day can provide dramatic results.

I do not recommend that people increase their vitamin D intake, but I can
encourage them to see their physicians to discuss the issue. A simple blood test may be all that is needed to determine whether a deficiency is present. If it is, supplementation may solve the problem, but a referral to an endocrinologist or other specialist may be advised to determine whether there is a more serious underlying cause.

Vitamin D deficiency can lead to several problems, the most common of which is weak, brittle bones. This can lead to fractures, which can take a long time to heal because unhealthy bone does not heal as quickly or as well as normal bone. It has also been linked with thyroid disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke, asthma, heart failure and more.

Several physicians who specialize in bone health have begun suggesting the recommended daily intake be increased to about 1,000 IU, which is more than double the standard. Until further studies have shown that this will benefit a majority of the population without serious side effects, I must stick to the old guidelines but am willing to change my opinion when more definitive results are available.