Importance of Pastures
From time immemorial it is worldwide wisdom that Fresh Raw Milk –धारोष्ण गो दुग्ध is the best and complete diet. अमृतं किम् गोपय:, our tradition called Cow’s Milk- Ambrosia - अमृत. Vedas sang paeans of it.
Old age was like wear and tear of mechanisms of the human body. The self degenerating human diseases such as –Obesity, Diabetes, Cancer, Arthrosclerosis, Bone porosity, Cardiac Heart Troubles did not exist.
India is the land of world’s oldest surviving continuous civilization. The underlying secret extolled by Vedas is the Indian tradition of vegetarian diet and domesticated cow in every household. This wisdom of India is a gift to the modern world.
Modern science tells us that pesticide free Green Grass Fed cow’s Milk is rich in CLA and in diet Organic fresh raw food are the sustainable alternatives.
According to Vedas this was achieved by Cows that were self fed in pastures. परा मे यन्ति धीतयो गावो गव्यूतीरनु | इच्छन्ति रुरुचक्षसम् || ऋ1.25.16. Vedas are also here talking of cows’ instincts of selecting particular grasses in mixed pasture herbages. Rig veda elaborates on this to describe an ideal pasture as
“मयोभूर्वातो अभि वातूस्रा ऊर्जस्वतीरोषधीरा रिशन्ताम |
पीवस्वतीर्जीवधन्या: पिबन्त्ववसाय पद्वते मृळ || ऋ 10.169.1”
“In pasture while being self fed-With salubrious winds wafting over them Cows partake of medicinal herbs as their feed. They have access to divine waters (fresh stream waters) that bless and their feet tread on ground that makes them free of any disease.”
According to ‘Nutrition and Physical Degeneration’ by Weston A. Price, D.D.S. as cows feed in pastures ‘Animal Instincts are Helpful in Meeting Their Nutritional Needs’.
Instincts for wise choice of food are still retained by the animals in spite of our attempts to convert the Cow into a Chemical Engineering establishment, wherein her ration is as simple as “Urea and phosphoric acid mixed with carbohydrates and proteins” however crude. And add mineral mixtures if you like.
Milk, because of its role in reproduction as yet cannot be reduced to the simplicity of Chemical Engineering. This in brief is the About Forests as Pastures-
Vedas on Pastures and Forests
अरण्यों का गोचर महत्व
RV 10-146-3
उत गाव इवादन्युत वेश्मेव दृष्यते।
उतो अरण्यानि: सायं शकटीरिव सर्जति।। ऋ 10-146-3
Cow with other animals find sustenance in the wild like in their homes, and when in the evening carts laden with forest produce emerge they return to their home, as if the gods in forests are sending them back to their homes with carts laden with bounties of the forests.
RV 10-146-4
गामङ्गैष आ ह्व्यति दार्वङ्गैषो अपावधीत।
वसन्नरण्यान्यां सायक्रुक्षदितिं मन्यते ।। ऋ 10-146-4
The gods of forest as if give directions to the cows from not going astray, and allow men to cut down on some trees. (It is now accepted that branches of trees should be regularly lopped off. This provides leaf fodder for cows, and fire wood for rural women. There a great advantage hidden in the practice of pruning forest trees. This allows sun light to reach the ground level to facilitate undergrowth in forests. This undergrowth not only stabilizes the forest soil. This prevents soil erosion that results in Land slides and Floods. Green Undergrowth ground cover also gives rise to Pseudomonas Syringe bacteria that ensure regular rains in forests.)Those who chose to make their dwellings in forest are subject to hearing fearful noises in the darkness of the nights.
RV 10-138-2
अवासृज: प्रस्व: श्वञ्चयो गिरिनुदाज उस्रा अपिबो मधु प्रियम।
अवर्धयो वनिनो अस्य दंससा शुशोच सूर्यं ऋतजातया गिरा।।
Mountains have prompted clouds to release their loads, to provide growth of the forests, and for the cows to partake of these sweet bounties. The cows have delivered their calves in the forest caves, and by the actions of Sun and rains this process has been doubly blessed.
5.1.1.4 RV 10-27-8
गावो यवं प्रयुता अर्यो अक्षन् ता अपश्यं सहगोपाश्चरन्तीः ।
हवा इदर्यो अभितः समायन्कियदासु स्वपतिश्छ्न्दयाते स्वपतिश्छन्दयाते।।ऋ10.27.8
The herd of cows under the care of the herdsman, are feeding themselves beyond sight ( in pasture) , on being called back they return to the homes of their owners to bless with plentiful bounties.
5.1.4 RV 10-100-1
ऊर्जं गावो यवसे पीवो अत्तन ऋतस्य या: सदने कोशे अङ्ध्वे !
तनूरेव तन्वो अस्तु भेषजमा सर्वतातिमदितिं वृणीमहे !!ऋ10.100.1
RV 10-100-10
Cows as you loiter around to graze in the greens to feed, to gather all the medicinal and nutritive components for your body, so that we are always blessed with a medicinal and brain building gifts. ( here reference is to high EFA-CLA milk , which is possible only with Green fodder )
5.2.0 About forest pastures (From panini Ashta Dyayi )
Planned breeding of Cows
5.2.0.1 PA 1-2-7 3ग्राम्यपशुसङ्घेष्वतरुणेषु स्त्री ।।
It appears that only cows were allowed to go out in the pastures, unaccompanied with male calves or Bulls. (This obviously helped to prevent indiscriminate breeding)
5.2.0.2 PA 3-3-74 निपानमहाव:
Special arrangements were provided to arrange water troughs for the cattle in Pastures.
5.2.3 5.2.0.3 PA 3-3-69 समुदोरजः पशुषु।।
समज: पशूनां समुदाय इत्यर्थ: उदज: पशूनां प्रेणा मित्यर्थ:-काशिका
Cows being a herd were referred to as Samaja & on being driven off to feed to gather were called Udaja.
5.2.4
5.2.0.4 PA 3-3-119 गोचरसञ्चर वह व्रज व्यजापणनिगमाश्च।
Cows were also kept in pastures, which were called Vraj.
Cow fed freely in pastures,guided by availability of vegetation and green cover as new pastures were developed. Carts laden with commercial produce also emerged from pastures.
5.4.0.5 PA 5-2-18 गोष्ठात् खञ् भूतपूर्वे ।।
The previously used land was called
gosht. Forest from where cattle were removed was called goshthin.
5.2.65.4.0.6 PA 5-4-7
:-आअतिशञ्ग्वीन-;अषडक्षाशितं ग्वलंकर्मालं पुरुषाधयुत्तर पदात् ख: :-
This confirms that in the forests on the periphery of villages, cows were with facilities to feed themselves in rotation
भव इन्द्रश्च रक्षतम्।
पूषञस्त्वं पर्यावर्तानष्टा आयन्तु नो गृहान्।। मं ब्रा 1.8.1 गोभिल गृह सूक्त 3-6-1
Oh Cow as you go out to graze in pastures, let this be the provider of Vigor for you to motivate the world for its sustenance and nutrition, without you causing any damage to the environments while grazing, and come back to your home safely.
2.2.2 RV6.54.5.
पूषा गा अन्वेतु न: पूषान्न पूषा रक्षवर्वतः । पूषा वाजं सनोतु नः ।। ऋ6-54-5
Pushan ( the protector by nutrition and. multiplier of all progeny) may push from back our cows and bring them backto us full of bounties for us
2.2.3 – RV 6.54.6
पूषन्ननु प्र गा इहि यजमानस्य सुन्वत:।
अस्माकं स्तुवतामुत || ऋ6-54-6
May Pusha thus provide bounties for the Yajman, the owners of the cows who worship them.
2.2.4- RV 6.54.7
माकिर्ने शन्माकीं रिषन्माकी स शारि केवटे।
अथारिष्टा भिरा गहि।।ऋ 6-54-7
Cows may not get hurt by falling in to water wells. And return to
us after grazing without injury.
3.1.23 AV-9-7-21-23 प्रत्यङ् तिष्ठन् धातोदङ् तिष्ठन्त्सविता ! तृणानि प्राप्त: सोमो राजा !! मित्र ईक्षमाण आवृत्त आनन्द: !!
When feeding facing west it gains physical strength. When feeding on green fodder, facing north it gains brain strength. By enjoying itself thus it develops a friendly temperament.
Cows when well fed and happy, are the supreme friendliness personified and on their return from the pastures they are embodiment of supreme happiness on earth.
1.1.0.7- RV 1-161-11 land must be suitable for providing cow feed and water to be prosperous
गोपालन के लिए उपयुक्त प्रदेश ही सम्पन्न बनता है
उद्वत्स्वस्मा अकृणोतना तृणं निवस्त्वपः स्वपस्यया नरः ।
अगोह्यस्य यदस्तना गृहे तदद्येदमृभवो नानु गच्छथ ॥ ऋ 1-161-11
ऊंचे स्थानों पर गौ के लिए चारा, नीचे स्थानों पर गौ के लिए जल संचय करने के साधन द्वारा अपने प्रदेश को गौ के रहने के लिए उपयोगी बनाने से सम्पन्नता आती है।
By proper arrangements for pastures on higher grounds and water harvesting in low lying areas, land must be made hospitable for cows. Only such lands enjoy bounties and prosperities flowing through cows.
1.1.08 12.73
वि मुच्याध्वमघ्या देवयाना अगन्म तमसस्पारमस्य|
ज्योतिरापाम|| यजु 12.73
1.1.09 Make the land free of those who kill Cows to satisfy their hunger.
Yaju 30.18 Death sentence for killing a cow
मृत्यवे गोव्यच्छमंतकाय गोघातं क्षुधे यो गां विकृन्तन्तं || यजु 30.18
गौ हत्या करने वाले को मृत्यु दंड दिया जाए.
1.1.10 Cows graze and choose what they feed on
RV1.25.16
परा मे यन्ति धीतयो गावो गव्यूतीरनु |
इच्छन्ति रुरुचक्षसम् || ऋ1.25.16
Cows visit the faraway pastures to feed on their choice of vegetation after close examination.
This matter has relevance to text found in Kashyap Sanghita
importance of Cows self fed in Pastures to deliver healthy milk.
Indian Tradition To develop new pasture lands & manage Forests
According to Kautilyas’s Arth Shastra:2.18
भूमिच्छिद्र-विधानम्
1.अकृष्यायां भूमौ पशुभ्यो विवीतानि प्रयच्छेत् |
प्रदिष्टाभयस्थावरजङ्ग्मानि ब्राह्मणेभ्यो ब्रह्मसोमारण्यानि, तपोवनानि च तपस्विभ्य गोरुतपराणि प्रयच्छेत् | तावन्मात्र मेकद्वारं खातगुप्तं स्वादुफलगुल्मगुच्छमकण्टकिद्रुममुत्तानातोयाशयं दान्तमृग्चतुष्पदं भग्नंखदंष्ट्र्व्यालं मार्गायुकहस्तिहस्तिनीकलभं मृगवनं विहारार्थं राज्ञ: करेत् |
2.सर्वातिथिमृगं प्रत्यन्ते चयान्यन्मृगवनं बूमिवशेन वा निवेशयेत् |
3.कुप्यप्रदिष्टानां च द्रव्याणामेकैकशो वा वनं निवेशयेत्; द्रव्यवनकर्मांतानटवीश्च द्रव्यवनापाश्रया: |
4. प्रत्यन्ते हस्तिवनमटव्यारक्ष्यं निवेशयेत् | नागवनाद्यक्ष: पार्वतं नादेयं सारसमानूपं च नागवनं विदितपर्य न्तप्रवेशनिष्कसनं नागनपालै: पालयेत् | हस्तिघातिनं हन्यु: | दन्त युगं स्वयं मृतस्याहरत: सपादचतुष्पणो लाभ: |
1. Wastelands should be developed in to Pasturelands
2.a. Bráhmans shall be provided with forests for gurukuls , vegetable plantation, for religious learning, and for performing Somyag, and keeping cows. The area of this land should be the distance from where a cow can be heard roughly about 3KM across.
b. For the performance of penance by sages, similar forests areas safe from the dangers from animate or inanimate objects being rendered, and being named after the cows name (gótra) resident therein.
c. A forest as extensive as the above, provided with only one entrance rendered inaccessible by the construction of ditches all round, with plantations of delicious fruit trees, bushes, bowers, and thorn less trees, with an expansive lake of water full of harmless animals, and with tigers (vyála), beasts of prey (márgáyuka), male and female elephants, young elephants, and bisons—all deprived of their claws and teeth—shall be formed for the king's sports.
3.On the extreme limit of the country or in any other suitable locality, another game-forest with game-beasts; open to all, shall also be made.
4.In view of procuring all kinds of forest-produce described elsewhere, one or several forests shall be specially reserved. Manufactories to prepare commodities from forest produce shall also be set up. Wild tracts shall be separated from timber-forests.
4. In the extreme limit of the country, elephant forests, separated from wild tracts, shall be formed. The superintendent of forests with his retinue of forest guards shall not only maintain the up-keep of the forests, but also acquaint himself with all passages for entrance into, or exit from such of them as are mountainous or boggy or contain rivers or lakes. Whoever kills an elephant shall be put to death. Whoever brings in the pair of tusks of an elephant, dead from natural causes, shall receive a reward of four-and-a-half panas.
Suggestions by an experts committee on enhancing leaf fodder availability in India (1989)
An integrated approach for the restoration and benefit of the community needs
to be adopted for temperate, tropical, and semi-arid fodder trees. Attention must be
focused on the following aspects while formulating government policies for
various integrated systems:
Promising trees and shrubs for introduction into the various climatic zones of
India must be identified, with simultaneous development of easy and quick
methods of raising suggested fodder trees under various integrated systems.
A rational proportion of tree and shrub cover in grazing lands needs to be
developed.
An efficient marketing network is needed to accelerate the judicious use and
to set proper prices for minor products.
The two-tier concept, providing forage to the animal population and
increasing the carrying capacity of the grazing lands, must be promoted. The
heterogeneity ensures better use of environmental resources as the biomorphs
are of different heights and their roots extend to different depths.
A diversified or multitiered silvipasture system, that will ensure better use of
solar energy, capture efficiency, and energy flow to the food chain, should be
developed.
People's involvement for proper restoration of fodder trees should be sought
while afforesting community lands.
The Van Panchayats (community tree plantations in villages) need to be
administered by a single department and a village committee should decide
on the areas to be used, the species to be planted, and on the protection and
207
maturity of plants. Enough fodder should be available within a 7 km walking
distance.
There should be a complete ban on the industrial use of fodder trees.
The principle of shrubs and fodder tree management should sustain supplies
of fodders together with rest periods to ensure recovery from any damage
caused by partial defoliation.
Lopping management varies from species to species depending on their
growth capacity after lopping, their active growing period, their period of leaf
fall, etc. However, the following guidelines can be kept in mind about their
management: fresh leaves should not be lopped as they are often toxic;
saplings and poles should not be lopped; about two seasons' rest is required
after lopping for recovery; lopping may be restricted to the lower two-thirds
of the crown, the upper one-third can produce the feed; at the time of
lopping, branches having a diameter of over 7.5 cm should be avoided; and
lopping should be avoided as much as possible on eroded areas or on areas
prone to erosion.
The incorporation rate of tree leaves and pods into the diets of different
livestock, without loss of animal performance, should be determined.
Large-scale production of complete pelleted feeds for sheep and goats should
be attempted by incorporating different tree leaves and pods that have fallen
to the ground.
The chemical composition of leaves and pods, nutritive values, and toxic
factors and the methods to remove them need to be studied.
The economic feasibility of incorporating fodder leaves and pods into
livestock diets needs to be determined.
Soil in Pastures
It has been observed that calves get affected with Rickets in spite of ample sunshine and plenty of Milk, on certain soil types of low fertility. Fertility of Soil is best nurtured and sustained by Rumens- Cows’ Urine and Dung.
During War time England, deliberately reduced its population of pigs and poultry to rely more on cow rumens to maintain the soil fertility.
A good pasture ecosystem will have certain physical factors, the soil, water, and air, that determine what microbes, plants and animals will live there.
The microbes, plants, and animals together with the soil, water and air they live in create the ecosystem.
These areas were often open spaces of low growing, grass, herbs, weeds, shrub vegetation suitable for grazing livestock.
Often the soil may not be suitable for growing a strong yield of crops or inaccessible for harvest equipment. Such as the undulating rocky areas and waste lands like in Mewat. It is in these very soils and locations that Pasture lands can be developed for our starving cows.
Urine and dung of these cows will enrich and restore the mineral balance of the soils in these waste lands.
Technological interventions for developing such waste lands can proceed on following basis.
1. Allocation and marking of such land. Local volunteers can be assigned to survey the available lands in coordination with local Panchayat level, land record coordinating agencies. A hand held GPS route recorder can mark and fix the land locations.
These parcels of land can be referred to as rangeland, prairie or tame seeded grasses.
Rangeland
Much of the Canadian prairie landscape is composed of rangeland, where the natural vegetation is native species of grass, forbes and shrub. Community grazing land in Saskatchewan are almost always rangeland.
PrairieGrazing of cattle pastures can improve soil quality
Author:
Date: 22/03/2011
Introduction:
Researchers with the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) found that if cattle are managed so that they graze moderately, soil quality can be restored and emissions of carbon dioxide can be reduced. The researchers varied the number of cattle per acre and assessed how the soils responded to different grazing scenarios. Under each scenario, they looked at the amount of soil compaction that occurred, the amounts of organic carbon and nitrogen in the soil, and the amounts of surface plant residues, which help prevent erosion. They also looked at how the soil responded to three different fertilizer treatments (inorganic, mixed inorganic and organic broiler litter).
From an environmental standpoint, grasslands have traditionally been viewed as best managed by leaving the land unused. But the team found that while fertilizer type made little difference, different grazing scenarios produced different effects, and the grazed land produced more grass than the ungrazed land and had the greatest amount of carbon and nitrogen sequestered in soil. Sequestering carbon and nitrogen in soil has become a major goal for agriculture, since sequestration reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Further research findings will be published in the March 2011 issue of Agricultural Research magazine. (Source: USDA ARS, March 2011)
Print
Visit this site
Optimising nutrient cycles with trees in pasture fields
Written by Karl North
Download PDF
The main weakness in sustainable grassland farming in humid ecosystems is the leaching of soil nutrients below the root zone of most forage species. Nature’s solution is a tree-dotted savanna – a system where the deeper roots of trees bring up leached minerals, via leaf and fruit drop. You can re-design pasture farms to copy such natural systems, as this example from the Northeast United States shows.
LEISA Magazine • 24.2 • June 2008
Optimising nutrient cycles with trees in pasture fields
Karl North
The main weakness in sustainable grassland farming in humid ecosystems is the leaching of soil nutrients below the root zone of most forage species. Nature’s solution is a tree-dotted savanna – a system where the deeper roots of trees bring up leached minerals, via leaf and fruit drop. You can re-design pasture farms to copy such natural systems, as this example from the Northeast United States shows.
Most off-farm inputs, such as inorganic fertilizers, are dependent on cheap fossil fuel. To the farmers at Northland Sheep Dairy in New York, U.S.A., sustainability means relying more on the farm’s own natural resources rather than off-farm inputs. Basic requirements for farming system sustainability are: • healthy water and mineral cycles, apart from minerals lost in product sales, which we replenish with rock powder inputs; • good energy capture and use, for example in the shape of soil organic matter; and • optimum biodiversity.
What is Pulsed Grazing ?
Pulsed Grazing is a method of repeated grazing of paddocks (fenced off parts of a field) in a pasture. It controls livestock density and the timing of livestock movement to maximise forage production over the growing season. This in turn maximises manure production to build soil organic matter. Forage plants experience repeated pulses of growth and removal of biomass, both above and below ground, over the growing season. Key aspects:
• Livestock enter a paddock before forage leaves its vegetative stage and growth slows.
• Livestock leave a paddock while there is still sufficient forage leaf area to jump-start regrowth.
• Grazing causes forage roots to die back, which adds soil organic matter from the dead root mass.
• Livestock return to the same paddock when leaf and root regrowth have fully recovered vigour and ability to recover from another grazing.
Soils high in organic matter are central to establishing water and mineral cycles. Soils in humid temperate regions are exceptional in their ability to accumulate organic matter over years. Fifty years ago, André Voisin’s book “Grass Productivity” stated that “pulsed grazing” (see Box) on permanent pasture is the fastest soil organic matter building tool that farmers have, at least in temperate climates. So we tried to design our whole agroecosystem to adapt and improve on the natural grass-ruminant ecosystems that helped create the deep topsoils of midwestern North America. In summary, the design focuses on three crucial areas:
1. Pasture management for a wide variety of productive, palatable perennial forages, kept in a vegetative state via pulsed grazing throughout the growing season to maximise biomass production;
2. Manure storage in a deep litter bedding pack under cover that is refreshed daily during the cold season to maximise nutrient retention (i.e. so that no nitrogen escapes as ammonia) and livestock health;
3. Composting the bedding pack to a proper carbon/nitrogen ratio during the warm season to maximise organic matter production, nutrient stabilisation and retention, and spreading the compost during the warm season as well, to maximise efficient nutrient recycling to the soil.
This design is working well on our farm and confirms Voisin’s thesis: within a few years our forage production tripled, and soil organic matter is slowly improving. The weakest link in the mineral cycle in our wet climate is nutrient losses to leaching.
Integrating deep-rooted trees into the system
Our solution was to design such a model for our area: forage fields that will incorporate enough trees and other deep rooted plants to mend the break in the mineral cycle (see Figure). Trees can make the system more productive and healthier than forest and pasture separately. In Cuba we have seen such systems for orchard or timber production in pastures surrounded by live legume fence posts that were regularly cut for forage. We can take our cue from the Cuban model, but we must adapt it to the temperate climate of our area.
Figure: Trees reach down into the deep soil, bringing up minerals that would otherwise have leached out into groundwater.
To mend the mineral cycle broken due to leaching, we aimed to maximise trees per acre, along with deep-rooted perennial forages like chicory that we added to the hay/pasture species mix. But we needed to space the trees to complement and improve hay and pasture production, not compete with it. So there were conflicting goals, and we had to find a balance between them. We chose tree species and spacing to achieve:
• High shade. To spread shade, and therefore spread lounging livestock, manure and wear on the vegetative cover evenly in the field. Tall, narrow trees spread shade through the day in a wide arc that covers much ground. Short blocky tree shapes throw a shade pattern that covers less ground over the day.
• Optimal shade. For soil moisture retention, forage growth and forage species diversity. Forage in hotter climates will benefit from closer spacing.
• Easy machine harvesting of forage in between the tree rows. Of the three machines we use (mower, tedder/rake, and baler) we based the spacing on the widest machine.
In view of these conflicting requirements we have proceeded cautiously by spacing trees widely at first, and adding more later on as experience shows the need. We started with a tree species called “honey locust” (Gleditsia triacanthos) because it serves multiple functions. It is a legume tree that adds nitrogen to soil; it is a nutritious and palatable forage for either cut-andcarry or browsing by large animals like our work mules; and its shape and small leaves provide the light and high shade that our pasture and sheep management requires.
Later we plan to add trees that can produce a food product such as hazelnuts or chestnuts. For several years we have been thinning an old apple orchard and grazing it with sheep and horses. We are trying to find the optimal spacing between trees to achieve the best sun/shade mix for pasture grass growth. We feel that there is much to learn about how trees, grazing animals and grasslands can be managed to work together to maximise the productivity of the whole beyond that of each one managed separately. In the area, farms practising similar systems are still rare. Interest in low input systems is growing as inputs become too expensive, but policy support is still poor.
Karl North. Northland Sheep Dairy, 3501 Hoxie Gorge Rd, Marathon, New York, U.S.A.
E-mail: northsheep@juno.com ; http://www.geocities.com/northsheep/
Reference
- Voisin, André, 1959 (English translation in 1988). Grass productivity. Island Publishers, Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
low good fat milk
गाय के दूध मे वसा पर विज्ञान
Subodh Kumar ( Email-subodh1934@gmail.com)
1. Fats in Cow's Milk
विश्व में वैज्ञानिक आधार पर अब यह सिद्ध हो चुका है कि हरे चारे पर गोचरों मे स्वपोषित गाय का दूध सब रोगों के लिए ओषधि का काम करता है. आयुर्वेद के अनुसार भी यही सत्य भी है.
भारतीय पम्परा मे वेदों मे गौपालन मे स्वच्छ वातावरण , स्वच्छ पेय जल और स्वच्छ हरे चरे पर गाय के पोषण के बारे मे विस्तृत उपदेश मिलता है.
पाश्चात्य देशों में साधारण लौकिक ज्ञान के अनुसार दूध मे पाए जाने वाले सभी वसा तत्व वांछनीय माने जाते थे. इसी ज्ञान से प्रेरित हो कर विश्व डेरी उद्योग की नीतियो का सम्पादन हुवा. डेरी विशेषज्ञो की सलह पर भारत वर्ष मे भी दूध के दाम वसा के अनुपात के आधार पर व्यापारिक लाभ को ध्यान मे रख कर निर्धारित करे गये.
गाय का दूध अमृत कब था
परन्तु जब भारतीय परम्परा मे गाय के दूध को जब अमृत बताया गया था उस समय आजकल जैसी गाय को खुन्टे पर बांध कर खल बिनोला दाना खिलाने की डेरी उद्योग जैसी व्यवस्था नही होती थी. न ही रसायनिक उर्वरकों , विषैले कीटनाशकों से प्रभावित अस्वच्छ पेय जल और आहर से प्रभावित वातावरण में गोपालन होता था. (इन्ही बातों को ध्यान में रख कर आज जैविक कृषि का पुनरुत्थान किया जा रहा है.)
दूध मे वसा का विषय
वैदिक काल मे गाय को दो प्रजातियों मे देखा जाता था. एक वे गाय जिन के दूध मे कम वसा होती थी और दूसरे वे गाय जिन के दूध मे वसा का अनुपात अधिक होता था. अधिक वसा वाले दूध को आहार मे प्रयोग करने मे सावधानी बरतने को कहा जाता था.
वसा का मुख्य प्रयोजन तो यज्ञ मे हवि बताया जाता था . आहार मे अलग से वसा का सेवन अच्छा नही माना जाता था.
यह दृष्टिकोण पूरी तरह से आधुनिक आयुर्विज्ञान से मेल खाता है.
प्राचीन भारत वर्ष के पाणिनी कालीन विवरण से ज्ञात होता है कि उस समय मे साधारण गाय के दूध मे 1% से कम वसा होनी बताई जाती है.
इस पर ऋग्वेद के मंत्र “ तयोरिद् घृतवत् पयो विप्रा रिहन्ति धीतिभि: ! गन्धर्वस्य ध्रुवे पदे!! ऋ1/22/14” से भी यही उपदेश मिलता है कि घृत और गोदुग्ध के घृत को बुद्धिमान बहुत सोच समझ के सेवन मे लाते हैं, यह जानकारी गन्धर्वों (विद्वत जनों) में सब को थी.
कौटिल्य के अर्थ शास्त्र के अनुसार गौ के दुग्ध मे 0.596% वसा प्रामाणिक थी.
क्षीर द्रोणे गवां घृतप्रस्थ: | पञ्च्भागाधिको महिषीणाम्| द्विभागाधिकोSजावीनाम् मन्थो वा सर्वेषां प्रमाणं,भूमितृणोदकविशेषाद्धि क्षीघृतवृद्धिर्भवति| कौटिल्यर्थ शास्त्र 45.29
One Dron of Cow milk provides one Prasth of butter, Buffalo milk has 5times higher, and goat milk has two times higher fat. These are the results obtained after churning of the milk curds. Butter/Fat content depends upon Soil, Green fodder and Water quality and availability .
(One Dron =12.788 Kg, one Prasth=768 grams.) Thus fat content of Cow milk in Kautilyas time is specified as 0.596%
डेरी दूध मे वसा
वेदों मे गाय को द्युभक्ता कहा गया है. गाय अपने स्वभाव से घुमक्कड होती है.डेरी उद्योग मे गाय को बांध कर रखने की व्यवस्था से श्रमविहीन गाय के दूध मे वही अवगुण उत्पन्न हो जाते हैं जैसे श्रमविहीन जीवन शैली से रहने वाले मनुष्यों मे रोग आ जाते हैं.
वैज्ञानिक अनुसन्धान से यह पाया गया है कि गाय के दूध मे दो मुख्य श्रेणी के वसा होते हैं. असंतृप्त और संतृप्त Unsaturated and Saturated . मानव स्वास्थ्य के लिए असंतृप्त वसा का महत्व आधुनिक विज्ञान के सामने 1982 मे नोबल पुरुस्कार के बाद आया है.
1990 के दशक तक तो असंतृप्त वसा अम्ल Unsaturated fatty acids का प्रभाव केवल शारीरिक स्वास्थ्य ही समझा जाता था. 2000 के दशक से ओमेगा3 का प्रभाव मनुष्य के मस्तिष्क की चेतना शक्ति, मानसिक तनाव इत्यादि से भी समझा जाने लगा है.
आज मनुष्य के शारीरिक और मानसिक स्वास्थ्य के लिए असंतृप्त वसा का आहार मे इतना मह्त्व माना जा रहा है कि ओमेगा3 की केप्स्यूल दवा के रूप मे सब रोगों के लिए रामबाण बता कर अरबों का व्यापार किया जा रहा है. यह सब समाज मे जन साधारण को अज्ञान के अंधकार मे रख कर ही किया जा पा रहा है.
वास्तव मे सारा सत्य तो गोमाता के अमृत तुल्य दूध ही मे छुपा है.
आधुनिक वैज्ञानिक अनुसन्धान के अनुसार जिसा ओमेगा 3 को इतना मह्त्वपूर्ण बताया जा रहा है वह संसार मे केवल हरे चारे पर पोषित गाय के दूध या ठण्डे जल की मछ्लियो मे ही पाया जाता है.खल बिनोला दाना इत्यादि खिलाने से जो दूध मे वसा तत्व बढता है वह संतृप्त Saturated fatतत्व बढता है जो मनव शरीर मे उच्च रक्त चाप इत्यादि से हृदय रोग बढाता है. दूध के वसा मे असंतृप्त वसा EFA Essential Fatty Acids Omega3 ,Omega6 ओमेगा3 और ओमेगा6 कुल वसा का 25% से 30% तक ही होते हैं. इन को ईएफए इसेंशल फेटी एसिड आवश्यक वसा कहा जाता है, क्योंकि यही वह वसा तत्व हैं जो मानव शरीर के लिए अत्यंत आवश्यक और महत्व्पूर्ण हैं.
हम ने भारत सरकार से अनुरोध किया है कि यदि दूध मे वसा के आधार पर दाम निर्धारित किये जाते हैं तो कुल वसा के आधार पर नही, असंतृप्त वसा के आधार पर किये जाने चाहियें. कुल वसा के आधार पर तो समाज मे हृदय रोग बढाने वाले दूध का प्रसार हो रहा है. गाय को जितना अधिक हरा चारा मिलेगा उस के दूध मे उतने ही गुणकारी असंतृप्त वसा EFA की मात्रा अधिक होगी समाज उतना ही स्वस्थ और निरोग होगा.
सारा डेरी दूध केवल अधिक वसा की मात्रा के आधार पर दूध को बेच कर समाज मे भैंस के दूध को बढावा दे कर समाज के स्वास्थ्य विषय की अनदेखी और अहित कर के गाय के साथ अन्याय भी कर रहा है. कृत्रिम दूध, होमोजेनाइज़ेशन, पास्च्युरैज़ेशन अलग अपने मे हानिकारक मुद्दे हैं.
आज योरपीय संघ का डेरी उद्योग इस विषय पर लिपजीन ‘Lipgene’ अनुसंधान अभियान से यह पता लगाने पर कि गाय के दूध मे प्राकृतिक रूप से कैसे अच्छे वसा की मात्रा बढाई जा सकती है, योरप की 21 अनुसंधान शालाओं मे एक ही विषय पर खोज कर रहा है. हमारी भरतीय परम्परा मे तो जैसा ऊपर लिखा है पाणिनी काल मे हमारी गाय के दूध मे प्रकृतिक रूप से केवल अच्छे वसा ही पाए जाते थे.
2007 में न्यूज़ीलेंड में मर्ज नाम की एक गौ के दुग्ध में 1% से कम वसा प्राप्त हो गया है. उस प्रजाति को बढ़ा कर एक उत्तम दुग्ध की आधिनिक गौ के व्यापारी करण की ओर आदुनिक डेर्ई उद्योग प्रयास रत है.
ग़ोदुग्ध के मह्त्वपूर्ण वसा तत्व
आधुनिक विज्ञान यह भी बताता है कि आहार मे ओमेगा3 से डी एच ए DHA ( Decosa hexaenoic acid) तत्व बनता है इसी तत्व से मानव मस्तिष्क और नेत्र शक्ति बनते हैं. ई एफ ए मे दो तत्व ओमेग3 और ओमेगा 6 बताए जाते हैं दोनो तत्व जब संतुलित अनुपात मे पोषण द्वारा प्राप्त होते हैं तभी मानव मस्तिष्क कुशाग्र और संतुलित होता है.
सम्पूर्ण विश्व मे आज भी भारतीयों की बुद्धिमत्ता का लोहा माना जता है.
क्या कभी पूजनीय रामदेव जी के प्रवचन सुनते हुए यह ध्यान मे आता है कि स्वामी जी कितनी सरलता से अभूत पूर्व विलक्षण कुशाग्र बुद्धि, विस्मयकारी स्मरणशक्ति द्वारा हिंदी, संस्कृत और अंग्रेज़ी मे वेदो.शास्त्रों, आयुर्वेद और आधुनिक पाश्चात्य आयुर्विज्ञान के सिद्धांतो से उद्धरित उपदेश देते हैं ? यह उसी प्रचीन वैदिक परम्परा का द्योतक है जिस के चलते सम्पूर्ण वेदो को कण्ठस्थ कर के भारतीय ज्ञान सम्पदा को सुरक्षित रखा जाता था. था.आज भी ऐसे साधारण ग्रामीण जनमानस से सम्पर्क होता है जिन्हे सम्पूर्ण रामचरित मानस पर इतना अधिकार है लि तुलसी की कोइ भी चोपाइ कभी भी सहज मे कह देते हैं.आज भी कितने ही विद्वान मिलते हैं जिन का वैदिक वाङ्मय, गीता, उपनिषद इत्यादि पर इतना अधिकार है कि कहीं पर भी संस्कृत उक्तियो का उद्धरण यथा स्थान प्रस्तुत कर देते हैं.
हम इस विलक्षण भारतीय मस्तिष्क सामर्थ्य शक्ति को कभी ध्यान नही देते. अंग्रेज़ी मे कहा जाता है कि ‘वी टेक इट फोर ग्रांटेड’
ऐसी कुशाग्र बुद्धि का परिचय साधारण जनमानस मे विश्व की किसी भी सभ्यता मे नही मिलता है. यह एक शोध का विषय है कि यह विस्मय कारी अनुभव भारत वर्ष ही मे क्यों देखने को मिलता है. यह सहस्रो वर्षों से गोमाता के अमृत तुल्य दूध पर पोषित भरतीय मस्तिष्क के लिए उपलब्ध ओमेग3 का ही प्रसाद है.
आधुनिक विज्ञान यह भी बताता है कि मानव मस्तिष्क का 70% भाग फास्फोरस युक्त वसा तत्व जिन्हे विज्ञान की भाषा मे डीएचए ओर ईपीए DHA ( Docoso Hexa enoic Acid) & EPA ( Ecosa pentaenoic acid) कहा जाता है.
आधुनिक विज्ञान के अनुसार ये डीएचए और ईपीए आहार से प्राप्त ओमेगा 3 से बनते हैं. यही तो वह वसा तत्व है जो गाय के दूध को अमृत तुल्य बनाते है. यहां यह भी बताने मे संकोच नही करना चाहिये कि यद्यपि पाश्चात्य आयुर्विज्ञान ब्रह्मचर्य का अभी तक कोई महत्व नही मानता परन्तु यह भी सब वैज्ञानिक जानते हैं कि मानव वीर्य भी उन्ही दो तत्वों से बना होता है जिन से मानव मस्तिष्क .
योग शिक्षा मे ऊर्ध्वरेता का यही महत्व है कि मानव रेतस मस्तिष्क की ओर ऊपर को प्रेरित होना चहिये. यही भत्सरिका, बाह्य , कपालभाती अनुलोम विलोम के प्राणयाम द्वारा ऊर्ध्व्रेता बन कर मानव हित का विषय है.
यही उपदेश प्रसिद्ध वेद मंत्र तच्च्क्षुर्देवहितं शुक्रमुच्चरत् जिस मे सौ वर्ष तक मानव शरीर की सब इंद्रियों को स्वस्थ होने की प्रार्थना है उस मे वेद का उपदेश है शुक्रमुच्चरत् शुक्र को ऊर्ध्वरेता बन कर मस्तिष्क मे धारण करने से ही हमारी सब इंद्रियां आजीवन स्वस्थ रह्ती हैं. यही वह भारतीय ज्ञान है जहां अभी पाश्चत्य आयुर्विज्ञान को पहुंचना है.
प्रोढों को स्मरण शक्ति बढाने के लिए पाश्चात्य आयुर्विज्ञान Phosphatidylserine ओषधि का प्रयोग करते हैं. इस दवा को बूचडखानों से गाय के मस्तिष्क से निकाला जाता है.
यहां यह भी समझ मे आना चाहिए कि सारा विश्व गोहत्या बंद करने के लिए क्यो तैयार नही होता. क्रितृम विटामिन डी और उपरुल्लिखित ओषधि जैसी कितनी ही अत्यधिक आर्थिक महत्व की वस्तुएं बूचड्खानो से उपलब्ध होती हैं. यही नही सारा विश्व का वेक्सीन अनुसंधान भी गौ माता के ही शरीर से प्राप्त अवयवों पर निर्भर रहता है.
Subodh Kumar ( Email-subodh1934@gmail.com)
1. Fats in Cow's Milk
विश्व में वैज्ञानिक आधार पर अब यह सिद्ध हो चुका है कि हरे चारे पर गोचरों मे स्वपोषित गाय का दूध सब रोगों के लिए ओषधि का काम करता है. आयुर्वेद के अनुसार भी यही सत्य भी है.
भारतीय पम्परा मे वेदों मे गौपालन मे स्वच्छ वातावरण , स्वच्छ पेय जल और स्वच्छ हरे चरे पर गाय के पोषण के बारे मे विस्तृत उपदेश मिलता है.
पाश्चात्य देशों में साधारण लौकिक ज्ञान के अनुसार दूध मे पाए जाने वाले सभी वसा तत्व वांछनीय माने जाते थे. इसी ज्ञान से प्रेरित हो कर विश्व डेरी उद्योग की नीतियो का सम्पादन हुवा. डेरी विशेषज्ञो की सलह पर भारत वर्ष मे भी दूध के दाम वसा के अनुपात के आधार पर व्यापारिक लाभ को ध्यान मे रख कर निर्धारित करे गये.
गाय का दूध अमृत कब था
परन्तु जब भारतीय परम्परा मे गाय के दूध को जब अमृत बताया गया था उस समय आजकल जैसी गाय को खुन्टे पर बांध कर खल बिनोला दाना खिलाने की डेरी उद्योग जैसी व्यवस्था नही होती थी. न ही रसायनिक उर्वरकों , विषैले कीटनाशकों से प्रभावित अस्वच्छ पेय जल और आहर से प्रभावित वातावरण में गोपालन होता था. (इन्ही बातों को ध्यान में रख कर आज जैविक कृषि का पुनरुत्थान किया जा रहा है.)
दूध मे वसा का विषय
वैदिक काल मे गाय को दो प्रजातियों मे देखा जाता था. एक वे गाय जिन के दूध मे कम वसा होती थी और दूसरे वे गाय जिन के दूध मे वसा का अनुपात अधिक होता था. अधिक वसा वाले दूध को आहार मे प्रयोग करने मे सावधानी बरतने को कहा जाता था.
वसा का मुख्य प्रयोजन तो यज्ञ मे हवि बताया जाता था . आहार मे अलग से वसा का सेवन अच्छा नही माना जाता था.
यह दृष्टिकोण पूरी तरह से आधुनिक आयुर्विज्ञान से मेल खाता है.
प्राचीन भारत वर्ष के पाणिनी कालीन विवरण से ज्ञात होता है कि उस समय मे साधारण गाय के दूध मे 1% से कम वसा होनी बताई जाती है.
इस पर ऋग्वेद के मंत्र “ तयोरिद् घृतवत् पयो विप्रा रिहन्ति धीतिभि: ! गन्धर्वस्य ध्रुवे पदे!! ऋ1/22/14” से भी यही उपदेश मिलता है कि घृत और गोदुग्ध के घृत को बुद्धिमान बहुत सोच समझ के सेवन मे लाते हैं, यह जानकारी गन्धर्वों (विद्वत जनों) में सब को थी.
कौटिल्य के अर्थ शास्त्र के अनुसार गौ के दुग्ध मे 0.596% वसा प्रामाणिक थी.
क्षीर द्रोणे गवां घृतप्रस्थ: | पञ्च्भागाधिको महिषीणाम्| द्विभागाधिकोSजावीनाम् मन्थो वा सर्वेषां प्रमाणं,भूमितृणोदकविशेषाद्धि क्षीघृतवृद्धिर्भवति| कौटिल्यर्थ शास्त्र 45.29
One Dron of Cow milk provides one Prasth of butter, Buffalo milk has 5times higher, and goat milk has two times higher fat. These are the results obtained after churning of the milk curds. Butter/Fat content depends upon Soil, Green fodder and Water quality and availability .
(One Dron =12.788 Kg, one Prasth=768 grams.) Thus fat content of Cow milk in Kautilyas time is specified as 0.596%
डेरी दूध मे वसा
वेदों मे गाय को द्युभक्ता कहा गया है. गाय अपने स्वभाव से घुमक्कड होती है.डेरी उद्योग मे गाय को बांध कर रखने की व्यवस्था से श्रमविहीन गाय के दूध मे वही अवगुण उत्पन्न हो जाते हैं जैसे श्रमविहीन जीवन शैली से रहने वाले मनुष्यों मे रोग आ जाते हैं.
वैज्ञानिक अनुसन्धान से यह पाया गया है कि गाय के दूध मे दो मुख्य श्रेणी के वसा होते हैं. असंतृप्त और संतृप्त Unsaturated and Saturated . मानव स्वास्थ्य के लिए असंतृप्त वसा का महत्व आधुनिक विज्ञान के सामने 1982 मे नोबल पुरुस्कार के बाद आया है.
1990 के दशक तक तो असंतृप्त वसा अम्ल Unsaturated fatty acids का प्रभाव केवल शारीरिक स्वास्थ्य ही समझा जाता था. 2000 के दशक से ओमेगा3 का प्रभाव मनुष्य के मस्तिष्क की चेतना शक्ति, मानसिक तनाव इत्यादि से भी समझा जाने लगा है.
आज मनुष्य के शारीरिक और मानसिक स्वास्थ्य के लिए असंतृप्त वसा का आहार मे इतना मह्त्व माना जा रहा है कि ओमेगा3 की केप्स्यूल दवा के रूप मे सब रोगों के लिए रामबाण बता कर अरबों का व्यापार किया जा रहा है. यह सब समाज मे जन साधारण को अज्ञान के अंधकार मे रख कर ही किया जा पा रहा है.
वास्तव मे सारा सत्य तो गोमाता के अमृत तुल्य दूध ही मे छुपा है.
आधुनिक वैज्ञानिक अनुसन्धान के अनुसार जिसा ओमेगा 3 को इतना मह्त्वपूर्ण बताया जा रहा है वह संसार मे केवल हरे चारे पर पोषित गाय के दूध या ठण्डे जल की मछ्लियो मे ही पाया जाता है.खल बिनोला दाना इत्यादि खिलाने से जो दूध मे वसा तत्व बढता है वह संतृप्त Saturated fatतत्व बढता है जो मनव शरीर मे उच्च रक्त चाप इत्यादि से हृदय रोग बढाता है. दूध के वसा मे असंतृप्त वसा EFA Essential Fatty Acids Omega3 ,Omega6 ओमेगा3 और ओमेगा6 कुल वसा का 25% से 30% तक ही होते हैं. इन को ईएफए इसेंशल फेटी एसिड आवश्यक वसा कहा जाता है, क्योंकि यही वह वसा तत्व हैं जो मानव शरीर के लिए अत्यंत आवश्यक और महत्व्पूर्ण हैं.
हम ने भारत सरकार से अनुरोध किया है कि यदि दूध मे वसा के आधार पर दाम निर्धारित किये जाते हैं तो कुल वसा के आधार पर नही, असंतृप्त वसा के आधार पर किये जाने चाहियें. कुल वसा के आधार पर तो समाज मे हृदय रोग बढाने वाले दूध का प्रसार हो रहा है. गाय को जितना अधिक हरा चारा मिलेगा उस के दूध मे उतने ही गुणकारी असंतृप्त वसा EFA की मात्रा अधिक होगी समाज उतना ही स्वस्थ और निरोग होगा.
सारा डेरी दूध केवल अधिक वसा की मात्रा के आधार पर दूध को बेच कर समाज मे भैंस के दूध को बढावा दे कर समाज के स्वास्थ्य विषय की अनदेखी और अहित कर के गाय के साथ अन्याय भी कर रहा है. कृत्रिम दूध, होमोजेनाइज़ेशन, पास्च्युरैज़ेशन अलग अपने मे हानिकारक मुद्दे हैं.
आज योरपीय संघ का डेरी उद्योग इस विषय पर लिपजीन ‘Lipgene’ अनुसंधान अभियान से यह पता लगाने पर कि गाय के दूध मे प्राकृतिक रूप से कैसे अच्छे वसा की मात्रा बढाई जा सकती है, योरप की 21 अनुसंधान शालाओं मे एक ही विषय पर खोज कर रहा है. हमारी भरतीय परम्परा मे तो जैसा ऊपर लिखा है पाणिनी काल मे हमारी गाय के दूध मे प्रकृतिक रूप से केवल अच्छे वसा ही पाए जाते थे.
2007 में न्यूज़ीलेंड में मर्ज नाम की एक गौ के दुग्ध में 1% से कम वसा प्राप्त हो गया है. उस प्रजाति को बढ़ा कर एक उत्तम दुग्ध की आधिनिक गौ के व्यापारी करण की ओर आदुनिक डेर्ई उद्योग प्रयास रत है.
ग़ोदुग्ध के मह्त्वपूर्ण वसा तत्व
आधुनिक विज्ञान यह भी बताता है कि आहार मे ओमेगा3 से डी एच ए DHA ( Decosa hexaenoic acid) तत्व बनता है इसी तत्व से मानव मस्तिष्क और नेत्र शक्ति बनते हैं. ई एफ ए मे दो तत्व ओमेग3 और ओमेगा 6 बताए जाते हैं दोनो तत्व जब संतुलित अनुपात मे पोषण द्वारा प्राप्त होते हैं तभी मानव मस्तिष्क कुशाग्र और संतुलित होता है.
सम्पूर्ण विश्व मे आज भी भारतीयों की बुद्धिमत्ता का लोहा माना जता है.
क्या कभी पूजनीय रामदेव जी के प्रवचन सुनते हुए यह ध्यान मे आता है कि स्वामी जी कितनी सरलता से अभूत पूर्व विलक्षण कुशाग्र बुद्धि, विस्मयकारी स्मरणशक्ति द्वारा हिंदी, संस्कृत और अंग्रेज़ी मे वेदो.शास्त्रों, आयुर्वेद और आधुनिक पाश्चात्य आयुर्विज्ञान के सिद्धांतो से उद्धरित उपदेश देते हैं ? यह उसी प्रचीन वैदिक परम्परा का द्योतक है जिस के चलते सम्पूर्ण वेदो को कण्ठस्थ कर के भारतीय ज्ञान सम्पदा को सुरक्षित रखा जाता था. था.आज भी ऐसे साधारण ग्रामीण जनमानस से सम्पर्क होता है जिन्हे सम्पूर्ण रामचरित मानस पर इतना अधिकार है लि तुलसी की कोइ भी चोपाइ कभी भी सहज मे कह देते हैं.आज भी कितने ही विद्वान मिलते हैं जिन का वैदिक वाङ्मय, गीता, उपनिषद इत्यादि पर इतना अधिकार है कि कहीं पर भी संस्कृत उक्तियो का उद्धरण यथा स्थान प्रस्तुत कर देते हैं.
हम इस विलक्षण भारतीय मस्तिष्क सामर्थ्य शक्ति को कभी ध्यान नही देते. अंग्रेज़ी मे कहा जाता है कि ‘वी टेक इट फोर ग्रांटेड’
ऐसी कुशाग्र बुद्धि का परिचय साधारण जनमानस मे विश्व की किसी भी सभ्यता मे नही मिलता है. यह एक शोध का विषय है कि यह विस्मय कारी अनुभव भारत वर्ष ही मे क्यों देखने को मिलता है. यह सहस्रो वर्षों से गोमाता के अमृत तुल्य दूध पर पोषित भरतीय मस्तिष्क के लिए उपलब्ध ओमेग3 का ही प्रसाद है.
आधुनिक विज्ञान यह भी बताता है कि मानव मस्तिष्क का 70% भाग फास्फोरस युक्त वसा तत्व जिन्हे विज्ञान की भाषा मे डीएचए ओर ईपीए DHA ( Docoso Hexa enoic Acid) & EPA ( Ecosa pentaenoic acid) कहा जाता है.
आधुनिक विज्ञान के अनुसार ये डीएचए और ईपीए आहार से प्राप्त ओमेगा 3 से बनते हैं. यही तो वह वसा तत्व है जो गाय के दूध को अमृत तुल्य बनाते है. यहां यह भी बताने मे संकोच नही करना चाहिये कि यद्यपि पाश्चात्य आयुर्विज्ञान ब्रह्मचर्य का अभी तक कोई महत्व नही मानता परन्तु यह भी सब वैज्ञानिक जानते हैं कि मानव वीर्य भी उन्ही दो तत्वों से बना होता है जिन से मानव मस्तिष्क .
योग शिक्षा मे ऊर्ध्वरेता का यही महत्व है कि मानव रेतस मस्तिष्क की ओर ऊपर को प्रेरित होना चहिये. यही भत्सरिका, बाह्य , कपालभाती अनुलोम विलोम के प्राणयाम द्वारा ऊर्ध्व्रेता बन कर मानव हित का विषय है.
यही उपदेश प्रसिद्ध वेद मंत्र तच्च्क्षुर्देवहितं शुक्रमुच्चरत् जिस मे सौ वर्ष तक मानव शरीर की सब इंद्रियों को स्वस्थ होने की प्रार्थना है उस मे वेद का उपदेश है शुक्रमुच्चरत् शुक्र को ऊर्ध्वरेता बन कर मस्तिष्क मे धारण करने से ही हमारी सब इंद्रियां आजीवन स्वस्थ रह्ती हैं. यही वह भारतीय ज्ञान है जहां अभी पाश्चत्य आयुर्विज्ञान को पहुंचना है.
प्रोढों को स्मरण शक्ति बढाने के लिए पाश्चात्य आयुर्विज्ञान Phosphatidylserine ओषधि का प्रयोग करते हैं. इस दवा को बूचडखानों से गाय के मस्तिष्क से निकाला जाता है.
यहां यह भी समझ मे आना चाहिए कि सारा विश्व गोहत्या बंद करने के लिए क्यो तैयार नही होता. क्रितृम विटामिन डी और उपरुल्लिखित ओषधि जैसी कितनी ही अत्यधिक आर्थिक महत्व की वस्तुएं बूचड्खानो से उपलब्ध होती हैं. यही नही सारा विश्व का वेक्सीन अनुसंधान भी गौ माता के ही शरीर से प्राप्त अवयवों पर निर्भर रहता है.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Doctors Join Fight Against Livestock Antibiotics
Doctors Join Fight Against Livestock Antibiotics
By RP Siegel | August 19th, 2011 1 Comment
•
•
• inShare1
•
•
It’s been said that what you don’t know can’t hurt you, but I have a feeling, just a hunch, that the fellow who coined that phrase, is probably not around anymore.
Today’s post is about a subject that not a lot of people want to talk about, which is part of a bigger question that people don’t even want to think about; that being, where does our food come from?
The answer to the larger question, in the largest measure, is factory farms. There are many exceptions of course, but even when those are all combined, they only constitute a small portion of today’s dietary pie
Not only do we not want to know what goes on in factory farms, but the people who own and operate those farms don’t want us to know either. In fact, in Florida, it is now illegal to film the operation of a factory farm. I don’t think this is because the cows and chickens are camera shy. More likely, if people could see how their food is actually being produced, they would likely try very hard to obtain their food another way. Which brings us to today’s story.
A number of doctors are beginning to express concerns about the growing incidence of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria in humans. Much of this proliferation is believed to be the result of the widespread use of antibiotics in livestock as a preventative measure in response to unsanitary conditions and overcrowding. According to theWorldwatch Institute’s 2006 State of the world report, 74 percent of the world’s poultry, 43 percent of beef, and 68 percent of eggs are now produced this way.
Because antibiotics kill off entire populations of bacteria, any organisms that manage to survive will find themselves with little to no competition for nutrients and will therefore flourish. The resulting antibiotic-resistant strains have become highly problematic. In fact, one group of pathogens known as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), is now responsible for more deaths each year than AIDS.
The recent outbreak of salmonella in ground turkey that killed one person and sent over a hundred to the hospital, led to the second largest recall of its kind. Thirty-six million pounds of ground meat were destroyed.
The part of the antibiotic resistance story that is associated with food production “is largely hidden for docs,” said Oakland area cardiologist Jeff Ritterman, one of many doctors who have begun to get involved in this issue. Ritterman claims he was shocked when he first heard that 80 percent of the nation’s antibiotics are given to livestock.
While industry leaders and their PR representatives deny any connection between the use of livestock antibiotics and the outbreaks of resistant strains, a growing number of doctors are taking exception. It’s a statistical near-certainty that given this many opportunities to proliferate, drug-resistant strains will inevitably emerge.
Lucia Sayre, co-executive director of the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility(PSR), says “Nobody believes anyone more than their docs and nurses,” Sayre said, citing a recent Gallup Poll that found 70 percent of people trusted their doctor’s advice without a second opinion. “We’re trying to max their voice.” He believes that the power and respect of the medical community can leverage a movement to change the food industry.
“A doctor may be able to help individuals in their office, but changes in policy can lift the health of an entire population,”Ritterman said. “We need to really advance American medicine to the policy stage. Doctors are trained to see the world through a health lens. Politicians, businessmen and economists are not.”
Hospitals such as Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, Vt., which serves an estimated 2 million meals a year to patients, visitors and employees have begun phasing out foods produced with non-therapeutic antibiotics. Today, about 90 percent of their beef meets this goal.
“I kept seeing more and more cases of antibiotic resistance at the hospital. It doesn’t make sense to keep doing it the way we’re doing it, not to mention that cases of resistance are costly,” said Diane Imrie, director of nutrition services at Fletcher Allen. A study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases in 2009 found that antibiotic-resistant infections cost U.S. hospitals more than $20 billion annually.
PSR has helped coordinate physicians in their push for new federal environmental health legislation. More than 1,000 signatures have been collected for the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act, introduced in March after getting buried in Congress in 2007 and 2009. Another 378 groups have now endorsed the bill, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
“Antibiotics are one of the most useful and important medical advances in recent history. Their effectiveness, however, is being compromised by bacterial resistance, arising in part from excessive use of antibiotics in animal agriculture,” wrote Michael D. Maves, executive vice president of the AMA, in a letter of support for the legislation.
Their effort will have to overcome resistance from folks like pharmaceutical lobbyist Richard Carnevale, of theAnimal Health Institute, who objects to making the changes needed to eliminate the widespread use of antibiotics, such as reducing crowding and providing better sanitary conditions, saying that it would “increase production costs.” Some might say, you pay now or you pay later.
Meanwhile, until we can get such legislation, if you choose to eat meat, you should seriously consider buyingorganic. A recent study shows that poultry raised using organic “practices have significantly lower levels of antibiotic- and multi-drug resistant enterococci bacteria.”
[Image credit/maraker/Flickr Creative Commons]
RP Siegel is the co-author of the eco-thriller Vapor Trails, the first in a series covering the human side of various sustainability issues including energy, food, and water. Like airplanes, we all leave behind a vapor trail. And though we can easily see others’, we rarely see our own.
By RP Siegel | August 19th, 2011 1 Comment
•
•
• inShare1
•
•
It’s been said that what you don’t know can’t hurt you, but I have a feeling, just a hunch, that the fellow who coined that phrase, is probably not around anymore.
Today’s post is about a subject that not a lot of people want to talk about, which is part of a bigger question that people don’t even want to think about; that being, where does our food come from?
The answer to the larger question, in the largest measure, is factory farms. There are many exceptions of course, but even when those are all combined, they only constitute a small portion of today’s dietary pie
Not only do we not want to know what goes on in factory farms, but the people who own and operate those farms don’t want us to know either. In fact, in Florida, it is now illegal to film the operation of a factory farm. I don’t think this is because the cows and chickens are camera shy. More likely, if people could see how their food is actually being produced, they would likely try very hard to obtain their food another way. Which brings us to today’s story.
A number of doctors are beginning to express concerns about the growing incidence of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria in humans. Much of this proliferation is believed to be the result of the widespread use of antibiotics in livestock as a preventative measure in response to unsanitary conditions and overcrowding. According to theWorldwatch Institute’s 2006 State of the world report, 74 percent of the world’s poultry, 43 percent of beef, and 68 percent of eggs are now produced this way.
Because antibiotics kill off entire populations of bacteria, any organisms that manage to survive will find themselves with little to no competition for nutrients and will therefore flourish. The resulting antibiotic-resistant strains have become highly problematic. In fact, one group of pathogens known as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), is now responsible for more deaths each year than AIDS.
The recent outbreak of salmonella in ground turkey that killed one person and sent over a hundred to the hospital, led to the second largest recall of its kind. Thirty-six million pounds of ground meat were destroyed.
The part of the antibiotic resistance story that is associated with food production “is largely hidden for docs,” said Oakland area cardiologist Jeff Ritterman, one of many doctors who have begun to get involved in this issue. Ritterman claims he was shocked when he first heard that 80 percent of the nation’s antibiotics are given to livestock.
While industry leaders and their PR representatives deny any connection between the use of livestock antibiotics and the outbreaks of resistant strains, a growing number of doctors are taking exception. It’s a statistical near-certainty that given this many opportunities to proliferate, drug-resistant strains will inevitably emerge.
Lucia Sayre, co-executive director of the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility(PSR), says “Nobody believes anyone more than their docs and nurses,” Sayre said, citing a recent Gallup Poll that found 70 percent of people trusted their doctor’s advice without a second opinion. “We’re trying to max their voice.” He believes that the power and respect of the medical community can leverage a movement to change the food industry.
“A doctor may be able to help individuals in their office, but changes in policy can lift the health of an entire population,”Ritterman said. “We need to really advance American medicine to the policy stage. Doctors are trained to see the world through a health lens. Politicians, businessmen and economists are not.”
Hospitals such as Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, Vt., which serves an estimated 2 million meals a year to patients, visitors and employees have begun phasing out foods produced with non-therapeutic antibiotics. Today, about 90 percent of their beef meets this goal.
“I kept seeing more and more cases of antibiotic resistance at the hospital. It doesn’t make sense to keep doing it the way we’re doing it, not to mention that cases of resistance are costly,” said Diane Imrie, director of nutrition services at Fletcher Allen. A study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases in 2009 found that antibiotic-resistant infections cost U.S. hospitals more than $20 billion annually.
PSR has helped coordinate physicians in their push for new federal environmental health legislation. More than 1,000 signatures have been collected for the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act, introduced in March after getting buried in Congress in 2007 and 2009. Another 378 groups have now endorsed the bill, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
“Antibiotics are one of the most useful and important medical advances in recent history. Their effectiveness, however, is being compromised by bacterial resistance, arising in part from excessive use of antibiotics in animal agriculture,” wrote Michael D. Maves, executive vice president of the AMA, in a letter of support for the legislation.
Their effort will have to overcome resistance from folks like pharmaceutical lobbyist Richard Carnevale, of theAnimal Health Institute, who objects to making the changes needed to eliminate the widespread use of antibiotics, such as reducing crowding and providing better sanitary conditions, saying that it would “increase production costs.” Some might say, you pay now or you pay later.
Meanwhile, until we can get such legislation, if you choose to eat meat, you should seriously consider buyingorganic. A recent study shows that poultry raised using organic “practices have significantly lower levels of antibiotic- and multi-drug resistant enterococci bacteria.”
[Image credit/maraker/Flickr Creative Commons]
RP Siegel is the co-author of the eco-thriller Vapor Trails, the first in a series covering the human side of various sustainability issues including energy, food, and water. Like airplanes, we all leave behind a vapor trail. And though we can easily see others’, we rarely see our own.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
veterinary services in Vedas
Veterinary service in Vedas
In praise of domesticated cow, वशा - गौ सूक्त, ऋषि-कश्यप
AV 10.10.1
नमस्ते जायमानायै जाताया उत ते नमः ।
बालेभ्यः शफेभ्यो रूपायाघ्न्ये ते नमः ।। अथर्व 10-10-1
Homage to cow while it is being born, and homage to cow after it is born, homage all your beautiful physical form including hair in the tail and the hoofs.
प्रसवकाल में गौ को प्रणाम।
गौ के सुन्दर रूपवान शरीर, सुन्दर पून्छ, सुन्दर खुरों,को प्रणाम।।
10.10.2 Qualities of a Veterinary expert गौ चिकित्सा विशेषज्ञ के गुण
यो विद्यात् सप्त प्रवतः सप्त विद्यात् परावतः ।
शिरो यज्ञ्यस्य यो विद्यत् स वशां प्रति गृह्णीयात् ।। अथर्व 10-10-2
Those who have the knowledge about functioning of the seven parts of the physical body ( two hands, two feet, anus/urethra, vulva and rumen systems that relate to internal functions , and the seven parts (mouth, eyes, ears, skin, udders, dung and urine) which are related to the bounties that are bestowed by cows, those educated wise persons who can relate intellectually in their mind, the role cow plays in the everyday life, only such learned persons are fit to take complete charge of domesticated cows.
AV 10-10-3
वेदाहं सप्त प्रवतः सप्त वेद परावतः।
शिरो यज्ञ्यस्याहं वेडा सोंं चास्यां विचक्षणम् ।। अथर्व 10-10-3
The competent person to take charge of matters connected with cows is skilled with cow care functions, is also aware of the role that cow plays in performance of various yagyas, and thus in promoting virtuous intellectual ecological qualities of society
AV10-10-4
यया द्यौर्यया पृथिवी ययापो गुपिता इमाः ।
वशां सहस्रधारां ब्रह्मणाच्छावदामसि ।। अथर्व 10-10-4
The domesticated cows provide thousands of bounties for protecting the environments impacting the soil, water and the atmosphere. It is for learned people to intelligently make use of all these possibilities in reality.
गौ समस्त द्यौ,पृथ्वी, जलों को संरक्षण प्रदान करती है। परमेश्वर की वेद वाणी से दिए सह्स्रों विद्याओं का उपदेश बुद्धि मान जन ग्रहण कर के लाभान्वित हों।
AV10-10-5
शतं कंसाः शतं दोग्धारः शतं गोप्तारो अधि पृष्ठे अस्याः।
ये देवास्तस्यां प्राणन्ति ते वशां विदुरेकधा ।। अथर्व 10-10-5
Hundreds of persons engage in welfare of the cows, hundreds of persons engaging in care of cows like milking, protecting and providing for the cows and the learned persons who devote themselves to matters connected with cows, (for the welfare of the entire community and environments) serve the society.
गो सेवा से जुड़े सेंकड़ों लोग, उत्तम पात्रों में दुग्ध दोहन, गोसेवा, गोरक्षा से समाज को जीवन दे कर गौ के महत्व को समझते हैं।
Sam Veda 626 High milk yielding Cows. दुग्ध उत्पादन को बढाना
सहर्षभा: सहवत्सा उदेत विश्वा रूपाणि विभ्रती द्वर्यूधनी:। उरु: पृथुरयं वो अस्तु लोक इमा आप: सुप्रपाणा इह स्त ।
Cohabiting with bulls and calves as family high productivity cows of double size milk yielding udders bring immense shine all round to brighten the world, Oh cows come to us. This wide world with running waters be yours for comforts..
हर्षसे, वृषभ गौ वत्स परिवार (नसल सुधार से) दुगनी बड़ी उधनी वाली बन कर प्रचुर मात्रा में दुग्ध प्रदान कर के समाज को सुख रूप गुण युक्त बनाएं। हमारे सब स्वच्छ जल भूमि (गोचर) इत्यादि साधन गौ को समर्पित हों।
Friday, August 5, 2011
Cow's blessings to Masai people
Deccan Herald
Reporter's diary: This is Kenya not India, Masai keep land squeaky clean
• August 1, 2011
• By S. Sujatha
• DC
• Nairobi
Tags:
Kenya, travel
A Masai tribal demonstrates his spring-jump ability, which the Masai tribesmen claim is made possible by their diet of cow’s blood mixed in milk - DC
•
Kenya. The name itself conjures images of never-ending veldts and grasslands teeming with animals and of course the Masai Mara National Park, one of the largest and most bountiful wildlife reserves in the world.
While Masai Mara is known throughout the world, the inhabitants of the region, the Masai, are relatively lesser known.
Unlike other Africans, the Masais are instantly recognisable by their colourful clothes and beads and by their tall aristocratic statures and sharp profiles.
While coming from one of the poorer sections of Africa, the Masai, who are hereditary cattle herders, are known for their friendly and easy-going attitude.
Every ready with a salutation of “Jambo”, one hardly ever finds a Masai who is not smiling. They are also great sticklers for cleanliness, a far cry from many of us who wouldn’t think twice about spitting paan on staircases of houses where we do not live.
As an example of their unending patience and good manners, it is said that automobile manufacturers in this East African country need not fix horns in their vehicles.
Though considered under developed, their state of economy does not let these people forget the virtues of courtesy. Even little children never forget their “thank yous” when you share something with him.
Driving through the city or the countryside, you will be forced to keep a chocolate wrapper or empty biscuit packet in your pocket instead of throwing it out of the window, as everything is kept neat and clean.
The Masai may be among the poorest people in the world, but they make sure that their public spaces are extraordinarily clean unlike most city slickers in India.
“Our staple drink is milk mixed with cow’s blood. It gives us iron,” said a lean Masai, who effortlessly springs over 10 feet while keeping his legs together, much like a springbok. Since most Masais live inside the game park, they are not allowed to cultivate the land as it might lead to man-animal conflicts.
They, however, have very strong religious sentiments and visit churches regularly.
Indians are not strangers in Kenya as there is a rich history of Indian businessmen and workers living for generations here. At present too, the country offers many investment opportunities and South Indian professionals head various businesses here.
Companies like Airtel, Essar, Reliance, Tata, Ashok Leyland, Larsen and Toubro etc. all have bases in Kenya.
•
•
1 Comment
subodh kumar 02/08/2011 - 04:42am
A very good article that omitted to mention that majority of long distance running physical endurance records in the world are held by Massai. Average per capita milk consumption of Massai is 3 liters. They do not suffer from obesity and other modern diseases. The social traits - not fighting among themselves - love for cleanliness, love for God in Massai are blessings of Gau mata. The Massai cows belong to the same Bos indicus family as Indian cows. Their cows produce A2 type milk that is free from Opioid BCM7. Massai may be considered a poor community by standards of modern money-centric values. But if they are healthy, physically fit, peace loving, full of self confidence to face even lions in the forests without fire arms. They are God loving. They are RICH people. These are the bounties that flow from cows according to Vedas.
Reporter's diary: This is Kenya not India, Masai keep land squeaky clean
• August 1, 2011
• By S. Sujatha
• DC
• Nairobi
Tags:
Kenya, travel
A Masai tribal demonstrates his spring-jump ability, which the Masai tribesmen claim is made possible by their diet of cow’s blood mixed in milk - DC
•
Kenya. The name itself conjures images of never-ending veldts and grasslands teeming with animals and of course the Masai Mara National Park, one of the largest and most bountiful wildlife reserves in the world.
While Masai Mara is known throughout the world, the inhabitants of the region, the Masai, are relatively lesser known.
Unlike other Africans, the Masais are instantly recognisable by their colourful clothes and beads and by their tall aristocratic statures and sharp profiles.
While coming from one of the poorer sections of Africa, the Masai, who are hereditary cattle herders, are known for their friendly and easy-going attitude.
Every ready with a salutation of “Jambo”, one hardly ever finds a Masai who is not smiling. They are also great sticklers for cleanliness, a far cry from many of us who wouldn’t think twice about spitting paan on staircases of houses where we do not live.
As an example of their unending patience and good manners, it is said that automobile manufacturers in this East African country need not fix horns in their vehicles.
Though considered under developed, their state of economy does not let these people forget the virtues of courtesy. Even little children never forget their “thank yous” when you share something with him.
Driving through the city or the countryside, you will be forced to keep a chocolate wrapper or empty biscuit packet in your pocket instead of throwing it out of the window, as everything is kept neat and clean.
The Masai may be among the poorest people in the world, but they make sure that their public spaces are extraordinarily clean unlike most city slickers in India.
“Our staple drink is milk mixed with cow’s blood. It gives us iron,” said a lean Masai, who effortlessly springs over 10 feet while keeping his legs together, much like a springbok. Since most Masais live inside the game park, they are not allowed to cultivate the land as it might lead to man-animal conflicts.
They, however, have very strong religious sentiments and visit churches regularly.
Indians are not strangers in Kenya as there is a rich history of Indian businessmen and workers living for generations here. At present too, the country offers many investment opportunities and South Indian professionals head various businesses here.
Companies like Airtel, Essar, Reliance, Tata, Ashok Leyland, Larsen and Toubro etc. all have bases in Kenya.
•
•
1 Comment
subodh kumar 02/08/2011 - 04:42am
A very good article that omitted to mention that majority of long distance running physical endurance records in the world are held by Massai. Average per capita milk consumption of Massai is 3 liters. They do not suffer from obesity and other modern diseases. The social traits - not fighting among themselves - love for cleanliness, love for God in Massai are blessings of Gau mata. The Massai cows belong to the same Bos indicus family as Indian cows. Their cows produce A2 type milk that is free from Opioid BCM7. Massai may be considered a poor community by standards of modern money-centric values. But if they are healthy, physically fit, peace loving, full of self confidence to face even lions in the forests without fire arms. They are God loving. They are RICH people. These are the bounties that flow from cows according to Vedas.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Vitamin D its significance to human health
vitamin D
What can high-vitamin D foods do for you?
• Help optimize calcium metabolism
• Help optimize phosphorus metabolism
• Help prevent type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, heart attack, congestive heart failure, and stroke
• Help prevent falls and muscle weakness
• Help prevent osteoporosis while maintaining bone integrity
• Help regulate insulin activity and blood sugar balance
• Help regulate immune system responses
• Help regulate muscle composition and muscle function
• Help regulate blood pressure
• Lower risk of excessive inflammation
• Lower risk of some bacterial infections
• Support cognitive function, especially in older persons
• Support mood stability, especially in older persons
• Help prevent chronic fatigue
• Help prevent the following types of cancer: bladder, breast, colon, ovarian, prostate and rectal
What events can indicate a need for more foods rich in vitamin D?
• Muscle aches and muscle weakness
• Frequent falls, particularly among older persons
• Bone pain, frequent bone fractures, or soft bones
• Stunted growth in children
• Asthma in children (especially severe asthma)
• Impaired cognitive function, especially among older persons
• Lowered immunity
• Chronic low energy and fatigue
• Depression, particularly among older persons
• Presence of any autoimmune disorder
• Lack of exposure to sunlight for any reason, including geography, use of sunscreen, or wearing of protective clothing
Concentrated food sources of vitamin D include salmon, sardines, shrimp, milk, cod, and eggs. Among salmon, wild-caught fish have been shown to average significantly more vitamin D than non-organically farmed fish.
For serving size for specific foods, see Nutrient Rating Chart below at the bottom of this page.
• Description
• Function
• Deficiency Symptoms
• Toxicity Symptoms
• Cooking, storage and processing
• Factors that affect function
• Drug-nutrient interaction
• Nutrient interaction
• Health conditions
• Supplements
• Food Sources
• Public Recommendations
• References
Description
Up until the mid-1990's, the answer to this question would have been fairly simple: vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin needed to prevent a bone disease in children called "rickets." Previous studies dating all the way back to the early 1800's had determined that cod liver oil could help to prevent and cure particular problems with bone development in children. In the early 1900's, a compound called "fat-soluble factor D" was isolated from cod liver oil, and this factor turned out to be the vitamin that we now refer to as "vitamin D." Scientific investigation of rickets helped establish the role of sunlight in providing us with vitamin D, and it also helped establish the role of vitamin D in bone health.
Beginning in the mid-1990's, however, our understanding of vitamin D began to change in a dramatic way. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the last 15 years have brought a revolution in our understanding of this vitamin! We now know that vitamin D is not simply a fat-soluble vitamin needed for healthy bones- it's also a hormone. When a substance functions like a vitamin, it participates in and regulates our metabolism, allowing it to function properly. And that is exactly what vitamin D does: it helps to regulate our bone development, our muscle function, our immune function, our insulin activity, our calcium balance, and our phosphorus balance. Just like for estrogen and cortisol, there are receptors for vitamin D (called VDRs, or vitamin D receptors) on the cell membranes of most cell types in the body. Instead of serving a very limited metabolic role in relationship to bone health, vitamin D plays a sweeping role in many diverse aspects of our health according to research conducted over the past 15 years.
There are two basic types of vitamin D. Ergosterol is the basic building block of vitamin D in plants. Cholesterol is the basic building block of vitamin D in humans. When ultraviolet light from the sun hits the leaf of a plant, ergosterol is converted into ergocalciferol, or vitamin D2. In just the same way, when ultraviolet light hits the cells of our skin, one form of cholesterol found in our skin cells-called 7-dehydrocholesterol-can be converted into cholecalciferol, a form of vitamin D3. (The revolution in our understanding of vitamin D has led to extensive research on both D2 and D3, and it is the overwhelming consensus of researchers that D3 is our best bet when supplementing with vitamin D. In fact, in 2006, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition argued that D2 should no longer be considered as a nutrient "suitable for fortification or supplementation," given the strong hormonal advantages of D3. You'll find more about the issue of delivery form and supplementation in our section entitled "Form in Dietary Supplements.")
In the life of a plant, the ergocalciferol form of vitamin D2 serves to accomplish most of the desired purposes that were intended for this substance. In the life of a human, however, cholecalciferol is not the final intended form for this vitamin. In order for our bodies to come up with the fully active form of vitamin D3, further metabolism is required. A first step involves conversion of cholecalciferol into hydroxyvitamin D, also called 25-hydroxyvitamin D or 25(OH)D. Hydroxyvitamin D can be formed in the liver, kidney, lung, skin, prostate, brain, blood vessel linings, and macrophage cells of the immune system. An enzyme called CYP27A1 is required for formation of hydroxyvitamin D. A second step involves conversion of hydroxyvitamin D into dihydroxyvitamin D (also called 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D or 25(OH)2D). This second step can take place in the lung, brain, liver, stomach, spleen, kidney, colon, thymus, lymph nodes, skin, placenta, and in the monocyte and dendritic cells of the immune system. An enzyme called CYP27B1 is required for formation of dihydroxyvitamin D. The different forms of vitamin D and their relationships are summarized in the chart below:
Form of Vitamin D Where Found What's Needed to Activate This Form of Vitamin D New Form of Vitamin D That Get's Created
7-dehydrocholesterol Skin UVB sunlight Cholecalciferol
cholecalciferol Many cell types CYP27A1 Hydroxyvitamin D 25(OH)D
25(OH)D Hydroxyvitamin D Many cell types CYP27B1 Dihydroxyvitamin D 25(OH)2D
25(OH)2D dihydroxyvitamin D Many cell types Already most active form No new form needed
Dihydroxyvitamin D (the only fully active hormonal form of vitamin D) does not last for very long in our body. The half-life of this hormone is between 2-3 weeks. For this reason, our vitamin D needs must be met on a fairly regular basis.
Before leaving this introductory description of vitamin D, it is important to note that our revolutionized understanding of vitamin D as a hormone found in a wide variety of cell types and responsible for the regulation of many different physiologic process has brought along with it a new understanding of how much we need. (You'll find more information on this topic in our section entitled "Public Health Recommendations.") There is a definite bottom line here: we need much more than we thought! When researchers had been limiting their research on vitamin D to bone health and rickets, they had been arriving at a clinical determination of about 15-20 ng/mL of vitamin D in our blood to keep us healthy. Once the research on vitamin D was expanded to include muscle health, immune health and other aspects of vitamin D function, this blood level of 15-20 ng/mL was clearly determined to be insufficient. Researchers quickly showed that blood levels of 30-50 ng/mL were needed to support these other health functions. In other words, our understanding of "normal vitamin D" has changed completely! Our blood levels need to be about twice as high as we previously thought, and it takes far more vitamin D intake than we previously thought to achieve those higher blood levels. (Once again, you will find more information on this topic in our sections entitled "Form in Dietary Supplements" and "Public Health Recommendations.")
How it Functions
What is the function of vitamin D?
The hormonal functions of vitamin D include regulation of bone health, regulation of muscle health (including both skeletal and heart muscle), regulation of immune response, regulation of insulin and blood sugar, and regulation of calcium and phosphorus metabolism. Further details about these functions are presented in the paragraphs below.
Regulation of bone health, calcium, and phosphorus
Bone composition involves many different substances, including collagen proteins, keratin proteins, and a variety of minerals including silicon, boron, and magnesium. But two especially critical bone components are the minerals calcium and phosphorus. These minerals form the bulk of a substance called hydroxyapatite, which accounts for over half of all bone composition.
The importance of hydroxyapatite in bone places a premium on calcium and phosphorus metabolism and their passage in and out of the body. While bone health is regulated by many different substances in the body-including growth hormone, testosterone, and estrogens-the importance of calcium and phosphorus in bone health also points to the special importance of two bone health regulators, namely parathyroid hormone (PTH) and vitamin D.
It's the job of our parathyroid glands to put out PTH whenever our blood calcium level gets too low. When that happens, PTH triggers release of calcium from our bones in order to boost our blood level back up to normal. PTH also triggers our kidneys to retain more calcium (keeping it available for our bloodstream) and excrete more phosphorus (thereby helping to create a more favorable ratio of calcium to phosphorus in our blood). If there is too much PTH released from our parathyroid glands, however, we may end up removing too much calcium from our bones and leaving too much in our blood, compromising both our cardiovascular and our bone health. Research has shown vitamin D deficiency to be a key risk factor for overproduction of PTH and optimal levels of vitamin D to be associated with healthy parathyroid function (and desirable PTH levels). Like PTH, vitamin D helps the intestines absorb more calcium from our food, and it also helps our kidneys hang on to calcium. But unlike PTH, vitamin D also helps our kidneys retain phosphorus. The two hormones work together in order to assure proper balances of calcium and phosphorus in our bloodstream and in our bones. Interestingly, PTH "knows" that it must act in partnership with vitamin D because it triggers conversion of hydroxyvitamin D into dihydroxyvitamin D (the hormonally active form).
Regulation of immune function
It would be very difficult to overestimate the importance of recent discoveries about vitamin D and the immune system. Vitamin D's role in immune regulation has revolutionized research in this area to such a degree that it is virtually impossible to investigate an autoimmune disease without considering the possible role of vitamin D. This statement holds true for health conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, and numerous other autoimmune conditions.
Discovery of vitamin D's critical role in immune function was aided by the discovery of vitamin D receptors (VDRs) on the immune system's macrophage and dendritic cells in the past 15 years. Once triggered by vitamin D, macrophage cells are capable of releasing antibacterial peptides (parts of protein) like cathelicidin, and these antibacterial proteins play a critical role in the immune system's prevention of infection. Of special interest in this area has been infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (responsible for tuberculosis) and Mycobacterium leprae (responsible for leprosy). Vitamin D deficiency has emerged as a clear risk factor for these diseases.
Autoimmune conditions remain an extremely active area of vitamin D research. In current research on multiple sclerosis, for example, clinicians are experimenting with vitamin D doses up to 40,000 IU, and in research on rheumatoid arthritis, doses up to 100,000 IU are being used in some clinical trials. (To get some perspective on these vitamin D supplementation levels, they can be compared to the current adult Dietary Reference Intake recommendations for vitamin D, which range from 200-600 IU.)
Regulation of blood pressure and cardiovascular health
Vitamin D plays a direct role in regulating our blood pressure by inhibiting the activity of a system called the renin-angiotensin system. It's the job of the renin-angiotensin system to help increase our blood pressure whenever it gets too low. (The renin-angiotensin system accomplishes this task by helping our body retain sodium and water-thus providing more fluid in our blood vessels-and by causing our blood vessels to constrict and thereby increasing the pressure inside them.) We need optimal levels of vitamin D to hold this system in check, and to prevent it from raising our blood pressure under inappropriate circumstances.
Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to be a significant risk factor for high pressure in a variety of studies, and risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy (called pre-ecclampsia) has also been associated with maternal deficiency of vitamin D. In one interesting study on a group of individuals with high blood pressure, those whose UVB exposure was increased by using tanning beds (30 min/3 times a week) increased their vitamin D levels by 180% and decreased their blood pressure by about 5%. (Ultraviolet B light is the type of light required to convert 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin into cholecaliferol, a preliminary form of vitamin D.)
The key role played by vitamin D in regulation of calcium metabolism has opened the door to research about broad cardiovascular benefits of vitamin D not limited to its role in regulation of blood pressure. Overloading of cells with calcium is a problem for heart tissue, and it is associated with increased risk of oxidative stress and tissue damage. By triggering unwanted release of PTH, vitamin D deficiency can result in precisely this situation of cellular calcium overload. In several studies, the ability of heart tissue to heal after an event like heart attack has been shown to suffer significantly in the absence of optimal vitamin D.
Regulation of insulin and blood sugar
While researchers are not entirely clear about the exact mechanisms for vitamin D regulation of insulin metabolism and blood sugar balance, there is no doubt that vitamin D plays an important role in this area of body function. Vitamin D deficiency is clearly a risk factor for development of type 2 diabetes, and vitamin D levels have been associated with insulin secretion by the beta cells of the pancreas as well as insulin activity once released into the bloodstream. Interestingly, when vitamin D is deficient in the body and parathyroid hormone (PTH) is released in inappropriately large amounts, too much calcium can accumulate in the cells. When too much calcium accumulates in fat cells, these cells can end up producing too much cortisol, a hormone that counteracts the effectiveness of insulin. Similarly, too much accumulation of calcium in our fat and muscle cells can inhibit the formation of a protein called GLUT-4. This protein helps carry sugar (glucose) out of our bloodstream and into our cells, and it is designed to perform this function whenever directed to do so by insulin. Without sufficient vitamin D, too little GLUT-4 is formed, and insulin lacks one of the proper tools to do its job.
Regulation of muscle composition and muscle function
Research in this area of vitamin D function has expanded enormously in the past ten years, and vitamin D deficiency has been shown to play a key role in prevention of muscle weakness and prevention of falls, especially in older persons. Interestingly, vitamin D deficiency has been associated with too much accumulation of fat throughout muscle tissue, in such a way that muscle strength is decreased and physical performance is compromised. In one study in California on healthy young women, decreased muscle strength was not only associated with vitamin D deficiency but also found to be independent of muscle mass. In other words, women with deficient vitamin D intake were found to have less muscle strength even when their muscles were the same size as the muscles of other women. Some of the research on vitamin D deficiency and risk of falling has also stepped outside of muscle function per se and looked at the broader issue of neuromuscular function and the relationship of muscle movement to nerve activity. Since vitamin D is a key regulator of calcium metabolism, and calcium is known to play a key role in nerve firing and nerve triggering of muscle contraction, this broader research focus may turn up important information about vitamin D and its role in reducing risk of falls.
Prevention of cancer
The role of vitamin D in cancer prevention is a lively area of current research, and the mechanisms linking vitamin D to cancer prevention are not completely evident. Nevertheless, research has shown a clear role for vitamin D in prevention of the following types of cancer: bladder cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate, and rectal cancer. In certain situations, vitamin D may also play a role in cancer treatment. Vitamin D analogs (vitamin-D like substances synthesized in the laboratory) are actively being tests as anticancer agents, especially with respect to breast and prostate cancers.
Other functions of vitamin D
The presence of vitamin D receptors (VDRs) in so many different tissue types-including the brain and skin-has left the door open to a wide variety of vitamin D functions. There is considerable research underway in the area of vitamin D deficiency and cognitive function, especially in aging persons. Senile dementia and Alzheimer's disease are two areas where vitamin D deficiency is under active investigation. Mood disorders-especially depression in older persons-is also an area of active research with respect to vitamin D deficiency. Due to its role in immune regulation and the known presence of VDRs in skin, vitamin D is a particularly good candidate for investigation in a skin-related autoimmune disease like psoriasis. Research in this area is also well underway.
Deficiency Symptoms
What are deficiency symptoms for vitamin D?
Bone pain, frequent bone fractures, and softening of the bones can all be symptoms of vitamin D deficiency. So can muscle aches and muscle weakness since vitamin D helps to regulate muscle composition and prevent too much fat accumulation alongside of muscle tissue. In this context, especially in older persons, frequent falls can point to deficiency of this vitamin. The key role of vitamin D in regulation of immune response means that lowered immunity can be a symptom of vitamin D deficiency, as can the presence of any autoimmune disorder. In older persons, cognitive problems (disturbances in thought processes) and depression can be symptomatic of vitamin D deficiency, and in children, stunted growth and severe asthma have also been shown to have vitamin D deficiency as potential causes.
Toxicity Symptoms
What are toxicity symptoms for vitamin D?
Excessive intake of vitamin D can be toxic, and toxicity of vitamin D can come from either its plant-based (D2) or animal-based (D3) form. Symptoms of toxicity include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, high blood pressure, kidney malfunction, and failure to thrive. However, it is also important to note that vitamin D deficiency poses a far greater risk to the vast majority of individuals than vitamin D toxicity and that vitamin D toxicity from food intake is extremely unlikely. Less than one-third of all persons in the U.S. meet the Dietary Reference Intake level for vitamin D, and are far from consuming anything close to potentially toxic levels.
In 2010, the National Academy of Sciences set Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs) for vitamin D as follows:
• infants, 0-6 months: 25 micrograms (1,000 IU) per day
• infants, 6-12 months: 38 micrograms (1,500 IU) per day
• children, 1-3 years: 63 micrograms (2,500 IU) per day
• children, 4-8 year: 75 micrograms (3,000 IU)per day
• children and adolescents, 9-18 years: 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) per day
• adults, 19 years and older: 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) per day
• pregnant and lactating women, 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) per day.
While these toxicity limits are based on credible data, they do not attempt to address the issue that is posed by higher vitamin D intake amounts potentially needed to offset chronic deficiency of this vitamin. Clinical research has clearly shown that vitamin D supplementation in the range of 1,000-2,000 IU per day is unable to restore optimal vitamin D levels in many individuals with chronic vitamin D deficiency. In many cases, individuals with chronic vitamin D deficiency will need to exceed the vitamin D Upper Limits established by the National Academy of Sciences in order to bring the levels of hydroxyvitamin D in their blood up to optimal levels. Remedy of chronic vitamin D deficiency will also typically require supplementation of vitamin D since everyday food intake is typically unable to provide deficiency-offsetting amounts of this vitamin. Steps to remedy chronic vitamin D deficiency should always be taken in consultation with a licensed healthcare provider who is able guide and monitor changes in blood levels of vitamin D.
Individuals with primary hyperparathyroidism (overactivity of the parathyroid gland not caused by vitamin D deficiency) are at increased risk for vitamin D toxicity and should not take supplemental vitamin D without consulting a physician.
Impact of Cooking, Storage and Processing
How do cooking, storage, or processing affect vitamin D?
Since cow's milk-containing foods are an important source of vitamin D in the United States, and since most dairy products are not only fortified with vitamin D but also pasteurized prior to retail sale, there is good research data on the stability of vitamin D under different heating and storage conditions. Researchers have found virtually no loss of vitamin D following pasteurization of processed cheese under normal commercial conditions. They have also found a vitamin D loss of about 25-30% when cheese is exposed to an oven temperature of 450°F (232°C) for approximately 5 minutes. Since foods like frozen cheese pizzas are often cooked in the oven at temperatures between 400-450°F (204-232°C) for approximately 20 minutes, this research tells us that we can expect at least one-fourth of the vitamin D to be lost during the pizza re-heating process. This percentage of vitamin loss is still relatively low, however, in comparison to similar heating of other foods and loss of other vitamins (especially less heat-stable vitamins, like vitamin C).
Storage of cheese over a 9-month period at temperatures ranging from 39-84°F (4-29°C) have shown virtually no loss of vitamin D, also underscoring the relative stability of this vitamin.
Factors that Affect Function
What factors might contribute to a deficiency of vitamin D?
Insufficient sun exposure
By far the most important D-deficiency contributing factor faced worldwide is insufficient exposure to sunlight. More specifically, it is ultraviolet B sunlight in the range of 290-300nm that is needed to convert 7-dehydrocholesterol found in our skin cells into cholecalciferol (the preliminary form of vitamin D3).
Although the task of "getting enough sunlight" may seem like a fairly straightforward one, the relationship between our vitamin D status and our time in the sun is not nearly as simple as many people might think. First, there is the fluctuating nature of UVB light. UVB light-the kind needed for skin synthesis of vitamin D-is not always present with the same intensity just because there is visible sunlight. The intensity of UVB light varies dramatically with geographical location (latitude), time of year, time of day, degree of cloud cover, and other factors. In other words, there are times when your eyes might leave you thinking that you are getting good intensity UVB light and synthesizing optimal amounts of vitamin D in your skin cells, but you actually are not. In addition, there is the issue of latitude, angle of sunlight, and time of day. In higher-latitude countries across the globe, UVB light in the range of 290-300nm wavelengths may not be available except for a few hours in the middle of the day. In those countries, being outside on a "bright and sunny day" would not be enough to guarantee adequate skin synthesis of vitamin D. Skin pigmentation also plays an important role in skin synthesis of vitamin D. Darker skin pigmentation means less vitamin D synthesis per minute exposure to UVB light. (In the United States, for example, it is estimated that African American adults are 2-3 times more likely to have vitamin D insufficiency than Caucasian adults.) As all of these examples indicate, even when common sense tells you that you are getting good sun exposure and must be synthesizing plenty of vitamin D, you might not be, for a variety of reasons.
Some lifestyles and occupations provide unusual amounts of sun exposure. Individuals who work outdoors throughout the day in warmer climates have a great chance of getting good exposure to UVB light and synthesizing adequate amounts of vitamin D. Under optimal circumstances, our skin can synthesize between 10,000-20,000 IU of vitamin D (cholecalciferol) in 30 minutes. Yes, all of the practical factors still have to line up correctly (like angle of the sun, time of day, degree of cloud cover, etc.), but when people spend generous amounts of times outdoors in the sun on a regular basis, their chances of adequate vitamin D synthesis are greatly increased. At the other end of the spectrum, if an individual typically wears clothing that blocks a lot of the skin from exposure to sunlight, or typically uses sunblock, or works in a job that keeps him or her indoors throughout the day, chances of adequate vitamin D synthesis are greatly decreased.
Based on all of the factors listed above, we believe that the majority of U.S. adults are unlikely to be getting enough exposure to UVB sunlight in the 290-300nm wavelength required to allow for optimal skin synthesis of vitamin D. In addition, we believe that many people may assume that they get plenty of sunlight and have plenty of vitamin D synthesis in their skin cells when they actually do not. Except in cases where lifestyle and/or occupation makes exposure to sunlight an issue that is free from debate, we encourage individuals to avoid assumptions about the adequacy of their sunlight exposure and to treat their vitamin D needs as a matter for special focus and potential reason for follow-up healthcare consultation.
The importance of sunlight for vitamin D health has been the subject of longstanding research. The term "vitamin D winter" was coined several decades ago to summarize the impact of this lower-sunlight season on potential compromise in vitamin D status. More recently, the idea of a "vitamin D winter" has been revisited to include a look at diseases which are related to vitamin D deficiency. Researchers are discovering that many autoimmune conditions have greater severity in winter versus summer, and they are investigating possible links with vitamin D deficiency under these circumstances. Similarly, there has been a strong research trend for studying the occurrence of vitamin D-related diseases at different latitudes on the earth. Over the past 10 years, researchers have found "South to North" trends for increased occurrence of multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, and type 1 diabetes. In other words, there is lesser incidence of these vitamin D deficiency-related diseases at lower latitudes (closer to the equator) where UVB light exposure is presumably higher, and greater incidence of these vitamin D deficiency-related diseases at higher latitudes (farther from the equator).
Breastfeeding and pregnancy
Since nursing mothers must help supply their infants with vitamin D, breastfeeding can pose a challenge both to mothers and infants in terms of vitamin D status. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Canadian Pediatric Society (CPS) have both recommended vitamin D supplementation for both mothers and infants for this reason. (See the section on "Public Health Recommendations" for more information.)
Insufficient dietary fat or inability to absorb dietary fat
Since vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, a diet that is extremely low in fat and/or the presence of certain medical conditions that cause a reduction in the ability to absorb dietary fat may cause vitamin D deficiency. These medical conditions include pancreatic enzyme deficiency, Crohn's disease, celiac sprue, cystic fibrosis, surgical removal of part or all of the stomach, gall bladder disease, and liver disease. Symptoms of fat malabsorption include diarrhea and greasy stools.
Health conditions that involve the parathyroid gland or kidney
Under certain circumstances, the conversion of inactive forms of vitamin D to calcitriol is impaired. For example, diseases that affect the parathyroid gland, liver, and/or kidney impair the synthesis of the active form of vitamin D.
Aging
The production of vitamin D precursors in the skin decreases with age. Additionally, with age the kidneys and many other organ systems and cell types are less able to convert vitamin D to its active hormone form.
Genetic susceptibility
Some individual's genetic inheritance includes genetic polymorphisms that result in the production of vitamin D receptors (VDR) that don't work very well. To help compensate for such VDR defects, these individuals need more vitamin D than would normally be necessary.
Drug-Nutrient Interactions
What medications affect vitamin D?
The following medications impact the absorption, utilization, and/or activation of vitamin D:
• Anticonvulsant medications, including Dilantin, are used to control seizure activity in people with epilepsy and brain cancer, and those who have suffered head trauma through injury or stroke. These medications decrease the activity of vitamin D.
• Bile acid sequestrants (Cholestyramine, Colestipol) are a class of drugs used to lower cholesterol levels. These drugs may reduce the intestinal absorption of the fat-soluble nutrients, including vitamins A, D, E, and K.
• Cimetidine (Tagamet and Tagamet HB) prevents the release of hydrochloric acid into the stomach and is used to treat the symptoms associated with stomach and duodenal ulcers and acid reflux. This drug may reduce vitamin D activation by the liver.
• Hormone replacement therapy may increase blood levels of vitamin D.
• The corticosteroids are a family of anti-inflammatory drugs, including hydrocortisone and prednisone, that are commonly used in the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and ulcerative colitis. These drugs reduce the activation of vitamin D.
• Heparin, an anticoagulant prescription medication used to prevent blood clots after surgery, may interfere with vitamin D activation.
Vitamin D impacts the following medications:
• Vitamin D may interfere with the effectiveness of calcium channel-blockers, a class of drugs used to treat chest pain, irregular heart beat, and high blood pressure.
• Taking supplemental vitamin D and calcium along with thiazide diurectics can cause blood levels of calcium to increase above normal levels.
Nutrient Interactions
How do other nutrients interact with vitamin D?
Vitamin D plays a role in maintaining normal blood levels of calcium. As a result, vitamin D impacts the absorption and storage of calcium. Vitamin D also stimulates the absorption of phosphorus.
Vitamin D helps to regulate the production of certain calcium-binding proteins that function in the bones and kidneys. Because these binding proteins are also dependent on vitamin K, interrelationships between vitamin D and vitamin K have become the subject of active research investigation.
Health Conditions
What health conditions require special emphasis on vitamin D?
Vitamin D may play a role in the prevention and/or treatment of the following health conditions:
• Asthma (severe childhood)
• Atherosclerosis
• Bladder cancer
• Breast cancer
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Colon cancer
• Congestive heart failure
• Crohn's disease
• Ovarian cancer
• Depression
• Epilepsy
• Fibromyalgia
• Heart attack
• Hypertension
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Insulin resistance
• Kidney disease
• Leprosy
• Liver disease
• Metabolic syndrome
• Multiple sclerosis
• Myofascial pain syndrome
• Osteoporosis
• Periodontal disease
• Preeclampsia
• Psoriasis
• Rectal cancer
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Senile dementia
• Stroke
• Tinnitus
• Tuberculosis
• Type 2 diabetes
• Ulcerative colitis
Form in Dietary Supplements
What forms of vitamin D are found in dietary supplements?
The two forms of vitamin D used in dietary supplements are ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). Ergocalciferol is sometimes considered a vegetarian source of vitamin D since it can be plant-derived. However, yeast is also commonly used as a source of D2 as are other fungi (like ergot). Some individuals would regard these microbially produced forms of D2 as animal-based, while others would not. There's also one "synthetic versus natural" issue involved with supplemental vitamin D. When the plant building block for vitamin D2 (ergosterol) is used to produce vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol), it's usually irradiated in a chemistry lab in order to produce this D2 form.
Cholecalciferol, the D3 form of the vitamin, can be obtained from animal or microbial sources. One practice for generating the D3 found in supplements involves sheep's wool. Sheep (and many other animals) have sebaceous glands in their skin that secrete a complex variety of substances, including cholesterol (in the form of 7-dehydrocholesterol). The secretions from the sebaceous glands naturally find their way into the animal's fur. A supplement manufacturer wanting to produce vitamin D3 supplements can remove the secretions from the fur (in this case sheep's wool), process and purify the 7-dehydrocholesterol, expose it to UVB (ultra-violet B) light, and thereby convert it into cholecalciferol.
From our perspective, very few individuals will benefit from supplementation with vitamin D2 versus vitamin D3. Although we might not go as far as the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition-which argued in 2006 that D2 should no longer be considered as a nutrient "suitable for fortification or supplementation" given the strong hormonal advantages of D3-we believe that the vast majority of unwanted consequences from vitamin D deficiency stem from deficiency of the hormonally active, dihydroxyvitamin D form of this nutrient. For this reason, we believe that D3 is the delivery form of choice when supplementing with vitamin D.
Within the category of D3 supplements, the most common form for vitamin D3 delivery is gel caps containing D3 in liquid form (and often dispersed in flax oil or olive oil). D3 is also available in powdered form in D3 capsules, in powdered form involving pressed tablets, and in unencapsulated liquid form (D3 drops). We have not seen non-proprietary, peer-reviewed studies comparing these various delivery forms of vitamin D3. In general, we have seen more problems with absorption of powdered vitamins from tablets versus capsules due to problems in digestive track breakdown of pressed tablets. For this reason, we favor use of vitamin D3 capsules over vitamin D3 tablets when selecting from dry powder versions of vitamin D3. However, with respect to encapsulated powders versus encapsulated liquids (or liquid drops in unencapsulated form), we believe that your most important consideration is reliability of the manufacturer and quality control/ assurance provided by that manufacturer.
Vitamin D is often measured in International Units (IU) or micrograms. One microgram of cholecalciferol is equal to 40 IU of vitamin D.
Food Sources
What foods provide vitamin D?
Excellent sources of vitamin D include salmon while very good sources include sardines, shrimp and vitamin-D fortified milk.
Good food sources of vitamin D include cod and eggs.
Introduction to Nutrient Rating System Chart
In order to better help you identify foods that feature a high concentration of nutrients for the calories they contain, we created a Food Rating System. This system allows us to highlight the foods that are especially rich in particular nutrients. The following chart shows the World's Healthiest Foods that are either an excellent, very good, or good source of vitamin D. Next to each food name, you'll find the serving size we used to calculate the food's nutrient composition, the calories contained in the serving, the amount of vitamin D contained in one serving size of the food, the percent Daily Value (DV%) that this amount represents, the nutrient density that we calculated for this food and nutrient, and the rating we established in our rating system. For most of our nutrient ratings, we adopted the government standards for food labeling that are found in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's "Reference Values for Nutrition Labeling."Read more background information and details of our rating system.
Food Serving
Size Cals Amount
(IU) DV
(%) Nutrient
Density World's
Healthiest
Foods Rating
Salmon, chinook, baked/broiled World's Healthiest Foods ranked as quality sources of:
vitamin D 261.9 411.00 102.8 7.1 excellent
Shrimp, steamed/boiled 4 oz-wt 112.3 162.39 40.6 6.5 very good
Sardines 3.25 oz can 191.4 250.24 62.6 5.9 very good
Cow's milk, 2% 1 cup 121.2 97.60 24.4 3.6 very good
Shiitake Mushrooms, raw 1 cup 49.3 29.00 7.2 2.6 good
Cod, baked/broiled 4 oz-wt 119.1 63.50 15.9 2.4 good
Egg, whole, boiled 1 each 68.2 22.88 5.7 1.5 good
World's Healthiest
Foods Rating Rule
excellent DV>=75% OR Density>=7.6 AND DV>=10%
very good DV>=50% OR Density>=3.4 AND DV>=5%
good DV>=25% OR Density>=1.5 AND DV>=2.5%
Public Health Recommendations
What are current public health recommendations for vitamin D?
In 2010, the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences established revised Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) recommendations for vitamin D based on new research in this area. The following Adequate Intake (AI) levels for vitamin D were established in 2010 for infants:
• Infants 0-6 months: 10 micrograms (400 IU) per day
• Infants 6-12 months: 10 micrograms (400 IU) per day
The following Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) were established for children, teenagers, and adults:
• Children 1-13 years: 15 micrograms (600 IU)
• Teenagers 14-18 years: 15 micrograms (600 IU)
• Adults 19-70 years: 15 micrograms (600 IU)
• Adults above 70 years: 20 micrograms (800 IU)
• Pregnant and lactating women: 15 micrograms (600 IU)
While we were glad to see the the National Academy of Sciences making revised public health recommendations in 2010 for increased intake of vitamin D, we do not believe that all health and lifestyle factors evaluated in research studies on vitamin D research were fully addressed in the revised recommendations. Over the past 15 years, more than 10,000 studies on vitamin D have been published in research journals. These studies have convincingly shown that: (1) we need much more vitamin D than we previously thought; (2) lifestyle trends have significantly reduced our exposure to sunlight; (3) prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is far greater than previously estimated, and (4) more vitamin D is required to remedy deficiency than can be obtained in a standard diet.
In studies on infants and toddlers, between 40-65% have been shown to be vitamin D insufficient with blood levels of hydroxyvitamin D below 30 ng/mL in several countries throughout the world, and in studies in the U.S., including a recent study in Massachusetts. Insufficiency has also been shown in U.S. teens, at a level of approximately 60% (once again, using the standard of 30 ng/mL or less for hydroxyvitamin D in the blood). Similar percentages have been determined for insufficiency in older individuals. Among young adults and middle-aged individuals, the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency has been estimated to range from a minimum of about 50% to a maximum of perhaps 75% or greater. It's important to note that "insufficiency" is a looser standard than "deficiency" and generally refers to a blood level of hydroxyvitamin D below 30 ng/mL rather than a blood level below 20 ng/mL. While this lower blood level has traditionally been used to diagnose vitamin D deficiency, it is no longer appears relevant for determining the amount of vitamin D needed for optimal hormonal regulation of many body processes by vitamin D. Realization of this greater level of vitamin D needed in our bloodstream is one result of the revolution that has taken place in our understanding of vitamin D over the past 15 years.
Just as we now realize that more vitamin D is needed in our blood, we also realize that it takes higher levels of vitamin D intake to bring blood levels up to a healthy standard. For example, in situations where sunlight is limited, we know that at least 1,000 IU of vitamin D are needed to increase blood levels of vitamin D from 20ng/mL to 30 ng/mL or higher. For prevention of bone loss in persons at risk for osteoporosis, we know that a minimum of 700 IU is required and that no prevention results have been demonstrated at levels of intake below 400 IU. Under circumstances involving autoimmune problems like rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis, experimental supplemental doses of vitamin D range not in 100s of IUs, but in 1,000s or 10,000s of IUs.
Since personal health history and personal exposure to sunlight play such an important role in determining each individual's vitamin D needs, it is very difficult to make a firm and fast public health recommendation for vitamin D that is guaranteed to meet the optimal requirements of each individual. For this reason, we like the basic two-fold approach taken by the Harvard School of Public Health, which can be found here.
On a first level, even though there is not yet conclusive research evidence available, daily supplementation with vitamin D in the range of 1,000 - 2,000 IU may provide important health benefits for many individuals. If your routine diet does not include plentiful amounts of vitamin D-rich foods, you may want to target the higher side of this range (while also increasing your intake of D-rich foods). If your diet already includes ample amounts of foods that are rich in vitamin D, you may want to target the lower side of this range when deciding on a supplementation level.
On a second level, if you are an individual who might be at higher risk for vitamin D deficiency (for example, because you have very limited exposure to sunlight), we encourage you to consult with your healthcare provider, schedule a blood test for vitamin D, and determine (in consultation with your healthcare provider) an appropriate level of vitamin D supplementation. Depending on the results of your blood test, you may very possibly need a greater level of vitamin D supplementation that is greater than the 4,000 IU Tolerable Upper Limit set by the National Academy of Sciences. Blood testing can definitely help to remove the "guesswork" factor here. You'll be able to determine the actual level of hydroxyvitamin D in your blood and see the actual amount of increase following supplementation at whatever level you and your healthcare provider determine to be appropriate. When supplementing with vitamin D, we support the position of the Harvard School of Public Health (and many other public health organizations) in recommending supplementation with vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) rather than D2 (ergocalciferol)."
What is our bottom line with respect to food versus supplemental intake of vitamin D? Based on studies showing the impact of supplemental D3 intake on blood levels of hydroxyvitamin D, we believe that the vast majority of U.S. adults and children will not be able to achieve optimal vitamin D status from food intake alone. Exactly how much D3 supplementation each individual may need-and the form of this supplementation-should be determined with the help of a healthcare provider. That healthcare provider can not only evaluate personal health history factors but can also monitor the impact of vitamin D supplementation of blood levels of this vitamin.
Despite this likely need for supplemental vitamin D, we also believe that it is important to maximize food intake of vitamin D. Intake of foods rich in vitamin D still remains a natural lifestyle option for obtaining this vitamin, even if this option is not sufficient all by itself to offset lack of sunlight exposure and other factors that have combined to compromise our vitamin D status.
With respect to women who are breastfeeding, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Canadian Pediatric Society (CPS) have both recommended vitamin D supplementation for both mothers and infants. The APP has recommended 200 IU of vitamin D per day for all infants 2 months and older, and 400 IU for newborns during the first days of life. These APP recommendations are generally consistent with the revised 2010 Adequate Intake (AI) levels for vitamin D set by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). The NAS recommends 400 IU of vitamin D for newborns and infants up to 12 months of age. It is worth pointing out that direct vitamin D supplementation for the infant is separate and apart from any vitamin D supplementation that the mother herself might need. Given the special challenges posed by breastfeeding for vitamin D sufficiency, the guidance of a healthcare provider is highly recommended to determine the steps needed for optimal vitamin D intake in this situation. Like breastfeeding, pregnancy poses a special challenge for vitamin D sufficiency. Once again, given the widespread nature of vitamin D deficiency, the DRIs may be unable to provide optimal guidelines for many pregnant women. For this reason, pregnant women are encouraged to work out a vitamin D sufficiency plan with their healthcare provider.
The National Academy of Sciences set Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs) for vitamin D as follows:
• infants, 0-6 months: 25 micrograms (1,000 IU) per day
• infants, 6-12 months: 38 micrograms (1,500 IU) per day
• children, 1-3 years: 63 micrograms (2,500 IU) per day
• children, 4-8 year: 75 micrograms (3,000 IU)per day
• children and adolescents, 9-18 years: 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) per day
• adults, 19 years and older: 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) per day
• pregnant and lactating women, 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) per day.
What can high-vitamin D foods do for you?
• Help optimize calcium metabolism
• Help optimize phosphorus metabolism
• Help prevent type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, heart attack, congestive heart failure, and stroke
• Help prevent falls and muscle weakness
• Help prevent osteoporosis while maintaining bone integrity
• Help regulate insulin activity and blood sugar balance
• Help regulate immune system responses
• Help regulate muscle composition and muscle function
• Help regulate blood pressure
• Lower risk of excessive inflammation
• Lower risk of some bacterial infections
• Support cognitive function, especially in older persons
• Support mood stability, especially in older persons
• Help prevent chronic fatigue
• Help prevent the following types of cancer: bladder, breast, colon, ovarian, prostate and rectal
What events can indicate a need for more foods rich in vitamin D?
• Muscle aches and muscle weakness
• Frequent falls, particularly among older persons
• Bone pain, frequent bone fractures, or soft bones
• Stunted growth in children
• Asthma in children (especially severe asthma)
• Impaired cognitive function, especially among older persons
• Lowered immunity
• Chronic low energy and fatigue
• Depression, particularly among older persons
• Presence of any autoimmune disorder
• Lack of exposure to sunlight for any reason, including geography, use of sunscreen, or wearing of protective clothing
Concentrated food sources of vitamin D include salmon, sardines, shrimp, milk, cod, and eggs. Among salmon, wild-caught fish have been shown to average significantly more vitamin D than non-organically farmed fish.
For serving size for specific foods, see Nutrient Rating Chart below at the bottom of this page.
• Description
• Function
• Deficiency Symptoms
• Toxicity Symptoms
• Cooking, storage and processing
• Factors that affect function
• Drug-nutrient interaction
• Nutrient interaction
• Health conditions
• Supplements
• Food Sources
• Public Recommendations
• References
Description
Up until the mid-1990's, the answer to this question would have been fairly simple: vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin needed to prevent a bone disease in children called "rickets." Previous studies dating all the way back to the early 1800's had determined that cod liver oil could help to prevent and cure particular problems with bone development in children. In the early 1900's, a compound called "fat-soluble factor D" was isolated from cod liver oil, and this factor turned out to be the vitamin that we now refer to as "vitamin D." Scientific investigation of rickets helped establish the role of sunlight in providing us with vitamin D, and it also helped establish the role of vitamin D in bone health.
Beginning in the mid-1990's, however, our understanding of vitamin D began to change in a dramatic way. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the last 15 years have brought a revolution in our understanding of this vitamin! We now know that vitamin D is not simply a fat-soluble vitamin needed for healthy bones- it's also a hormone. When a substance functions like a vitamin, it participates in and regulates our metabolism, allowing it to function properly. And that is exactly what vitamin D does: it helps to regulate our bone development, our muscle function, our immune function, our insulin activity, our calcium balance, and our phosphorus balance. Just like for estrogen and cortisol, there are receptors for vitamin D (called VDRs, or vitamin D receptors) on the cell membranes of most cell types in the body. Instead of serving a very limited metabolic role in relationship to bone health, vitamin D plays a sweeping role in many diverse aspects of our health according to research conducted over the past 15 years.
There are two basic types of vitamin D. Ergosterol is the basic building block of vitamin D in plants. Cholesterol is the basic building block of vitamin D in humans. When ultraviolet light from the sun hits the leaf of a plant, ergosterol is converted into ergocalciferol, or vitamin D2. In just the same way, when ultraviolet light hits the cells of our skin, one form of cholesterol found in our skin cells-called 7-dehydrocholesterol-can be converted into cholecalciferol, a form of vitamin D3. (The revolution in our understanding of vitamin D has led to extensive research on both D2 and D3, and it is the overwhelming consensus of researchers that D3 is our best bet when supplementing with vitamin D. In fact, in 2006, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition argued that D2 should no longer be considered as a nutrient "suitable for fortification or supplementation," given the strong hormonal advantages of D3. You'll find more about the issue of delivery form and supplementation in our section entitled "Form in Dietary Supplements.")
In the life of a plant, the ergocalciferol form of vitamin D2 serves to accomplish most of the desired purposes that were intended for this substance. In the life of a human, however, cholecalciferol is not the final intended form for this vitamin. In order for our bodies to come up with the fully active form of vitamin D3, further metabolism is required. A first step involves conversion of cholecalciferol into hydroxyvitamin D, also called 25-hydroxyvitamin D or 25(OH)D. Hydroxyvitamin D can be formed in the liver, kidney, lung, skin, prostate, brain, blood vessel linings, and macrophage cells of the immune system. An enzyme called CYP27A1 is required for formation of hydroxyvitamin D. A second step involves conversion of hydroxyvitamin D into dihydroxyvitamin D (also called 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D or 25(OH)2D). This second step can take place in the lung, brain, liver, stomach, spleen, kidney, colon, thymus, lymph nodes, skin, placenta, and in the monocyte and dendritic cells of the immune system. An enzyme called CYP27B1 is required for formation of dihydroxyvitamin D. The different forms of vitamin D and their relationships are summarized in the chart below:
Form of Vitamin D Where Found What's Needed to Activate This Form of Vitamin D New Form of Vitamin D That Get's Created
7-dehydrocholesterol Skin UVB sunlight Cholecalciferol
cholecalciferol Many cell types CYP27A1 Hydroxyvitamin D 25(OH)D
25(OH)D Hydroxyvitamin D Many cell types CYP27B1 Dihydroxyvitamin D 25(OH)2D
25(OH)2D dihydroxyvitamin D Many cell types Already most active form No new form needed
Dihydroxyvitamin D (the only fully active hormonal form of vitamin D) does not last for very long in our body. The half-life of this hormone is between 2-3 weeks. For this reason, our vitamin D needs must be met on a fairly regular basis.
Before leaving this introductory description of vitamin D, it is important to note that our revolutionized understanding of vitamin D as a hormone found in a wide variety of cell types and responsible for the regulation of many different physiologic process has brought along with it a new understanding of how much we need. (You'll find more information on this topic in our section entitled "Public Health Recommendations.") There is a definite bottom line here: we need much more than we thought! When researchers had been limiting their research on vitamin D to bone health and rickets, they had been arriving at a clinical determination of about 15-20 ng/mL of vitamin D in our blood to keep us healthy. Once the research on vitamin D was expanded to include muscle health, immune health and other aspects of vitamin D function, this blood level of 15-20 ng/mL was clearly determined to be insufficient. Researchers quickly showed that blood levels of 30-50 ng/mL were needed to support these other health functions. In other words, our understanding of "normal vitamin D" has changed completely! Our blood levels need to be about twice as high as we previously thought, and it takes far more vitamin D intake than we previously thought to achieve those higher blood levels. (Once again, you will find more information on this topic in our sections entitled "Form in Dietary Supplements" and "Public Health Recommendations.")
How it Functions
What is the function of vitamin D?
The hormonal functions of vitamin D include regulation of bone health, regulation of muscle health (including both skeletal and heart muscle), regulation of immune response, regulation of insulin and blood sugar, and regulation of calcium and phosphorus metabolism. Further details about these functions are presented in the paragraphs below.
Regulation of bone health, calcium, and phosphorus
Bone composition involves many different substances, including collagen proteins, keratin proteins, and a variety of minerals including silicon, boron, and magnesium. But two especially critical bone components are the minerals calcium and phosphorus. These minerals form the bulk of a substance called hydroxyapatite, which accounts for over half of all bone composition.
The importance of hydroxyapatite in bone places a premium on calcium and phosphorus metabolism and their passage in and out of the body. While bone health is regulated by many different substances in the body-including growth hormone, testosterone, and estrogens-the importance of calcium and phosphorus in bone health also points to the special importance of two bone health regulators, namely parathyroid hormone (PTH) and vitamin D.
It's the job of our parathyroid glands to put out PTH whenever our blood calcium level gets too low. When that happens, PTH triggers release of calcium from our bones in order to boost our blood level back up to normal. PTH also triggers our kidneys to retain more calcium (keeping it available for our bloodstream) and excrete more phosphorus (thereby helping to create a more favorable ratio of calcium to phosphorus in our blood). If there is too much PTH released from our parathyroid glands, however, we may end up removing too much calcium from our bones and leaving too much in our blood, compromising both our cardiovascular and our bone health. Research has shown vitamin D deficiency to be a key risk factor for overproduction of PTH and optimal levels of vitamin D to be associated with healthy parathyroid function (and desirable PTH levels). Like PTH, vitamin D helps the intestines absorb more calcium from our food, and it also helps our kidneys hang on to calcium. But unlike PTH, vitamin D also helps our kidneys retain phosphorus. The two hormones work together in order to assure proper balances of calcium and phosphorus in our bloodstream and in our bones. Interestingly, PTH "knows" that it must act in partnership with vitamin D because it triggers conversion of hydroxyvitamin D into dihydroxyvitamin D (the hormonally active form).
Regulation of immune function
It would be very difficult to overestimate the importance of recent discoveries about vitamin D and the immune system. Vitamin D's role in immune regulation has revolutionized research in this area to such a degree that it is virtually impossible to investigate an autoimmune disease without considering the possible role of vitamin D. This statement holds true for health conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, and numerous other autoimmune conditions.
Discovery of vitamin D's critical role in immune function was aided by the discovery of vitamin D receptors (VDRs) on the immune system's macrophage and dendritic cells in the past 15 years. Once triggered by vitamin D, macrophage cells are capable of releasing antibacterial peptides (parts of protein) like cathelicidin, and these antibacterial proteins play a critical role in the immune system's prevention of infection. Of special interest in this area has been infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (responsible for tuberculosis) and Mycobacterium leprae (responsible for leprosy). Vitamin D deficiency has emerged as a clear risk factor for these diseases.
Autoimmune conditions remain an extremely active area of vitamin D research. In current research on multiple sclerosis, for example, clinicians are experimenting with vitamin D doses up to 40,000 IU, and in research on rheumatoid arthritis, doses up to 100,000 IU are being used in some clinical trials. (To get some perspective on these vitamin D supplementation levels, they can be compared to the current adult Dietary Reference Intake recommendations for vitamin D, which range from 200-600 IU.)
Regulation of blood pressure and cardiovascular health
Vitamin D plays a direct role in regulating our blood pressure by inhibiting the activity of a system called the renin-angiotensin system. It's the job of the renin-angiotensin system to help increase our blood pressure whenever it gets too low. (The renin-angiotensin system accomplishes this task by helping our body retain sodium and water-thus providing more fluid in our blood vessels-and by causing our blood vessels to constrict and thereby increasing the pressure inside them.) We need optimal levels of vitamin D to hold this system in check, and to prevent it from raising our blood pressure under inappropriate circumstances.
Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to be a significant risk factor for high pressure in a variety of studies, and risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy (called pre-ecclampsia) has also been associated with maternal deficiency of vitamin D. In one interesting study on a group of individuals with high blood pressure, those whose UVB exposure was increased by using tanning beds (30 min/3 times a week) increased their vitamin D levels by 180% and decreased their blood pressure by about 5%. (Ultraviolet B light is the type of light required to convert 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin into cholecaliferol, a preliminary form of vitamin D.)
The key role played by vitamin D in regulation of calcium metabolism has opened the door to research about broad cardiovascular benefits of vitamin D not limited to its role in regulation of blood pressure. Overloading of cells with calcium is a problem for heart tissue, and it is associated with increased risk of oxidative stress and tissue damage. By triggering unwanted release of PTH, vitamin D deficiency can result in precisely this situation of cellular calcium overload. In several studies, the ability of heart tissue to heal after an event like heart attack has been shown to suffer significantly in the absence of optimal vitamin D.
Regulation of insulin and blood sugar
While researchers are not entirely clear about the exact mechanisms for vitamin D regulation of insulin metabolism and blood sugar balance, there is no doubt that vitamin D plays an important role in this area of body function. Vitamin D deficiency is clearly a risk factor for development of type 2 diabetes, and vitamin D levels have been associated with insulin secretion by the beta cells of the pancreas as well as insulin activity once released into the bloodstream. Interestingly, when vitamin D is deficient in the body and parathyroid hormone (PTH) is released in inappropriately large amounts, too much calcium can accumulate in the cells. When too much calcium accumulates in fat cells, these cells can end up producing too much cortisol, a hormone that counteracts the effectiveness of insulin. Similarly, too much accumulation of calcium in our fat and muscle cells can inhibit the formation of a protein called GLUT-4. This protein helps carry sugar (glucose) out of our bloodstream and into our cells, and it is designed to perform this function whenever directed to do so by insulin. Without sufficient vitamin D, too little GLUT-4 is formed, and insulin lacks one of the proper tools to do its job.
Regulation of muscle composition and muscle function
Research in this area of vitamin D function has expanded enormously in the past ten years, and vitamin D deficiency has been shown to play a key role in prevention of muscle weakness and prevention of falls, especially in older persons. Interestingly, vitamin D deficiency has been associated with too much accumulation of fat throughout muscle tissue, in such a way that muscle strength is decreased and physical performance is compromised. In one study in California on healthy young women, decreased muscle strength was not only associated with vitamin D deficiency but also found to be independent of muscle mass. In other words, women with deficient vitamin D intake were found to have less muscle strength even when their muscles were the same size as the muscles of other women. Some of the research on vitamin D deficiency and risk of falling has also stepped outside of muscle function per se and looked at the broader issue of neuromuscular function and the relationship of muscle movement to nerve activity. Since vitamin D is a key regulator of calcium metabolism, and calcium is known to play a key role in nerve firing and nerve triggering of muscle contraction, this broader research focus may turn up important information about vitamin D and its role in reducing risk of falls.
Prevention of cancer
The role of vitamin D in cancer prevention is a lively area of current research, and the mechanisms linking vitamin D to cancer prevention are not completely evident. Nevertheless, research has shown a clear role for vitamin D in prevention of the following types of cancer: bladder cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate, and rectal cancer. In certain situations, vitamin D may also play a role in cancer treatment. Vitamin D analogs (vitamin-D like substances synthesized in the laboratory) are actively being tests as anticancer agents, especially with respect to breast and prostate cancers.
Other functions of vitamin D
The presence of vitamin D receptors (VDRs) in so many different tissue types-including the brain and skin-has left the door open to a wide variety of vitamin D functions. There is considerable research underway in the area of vitamin D deficiency and cognitive function, especially in aging persons. Senile dementia and Alzheimer's disease are two areas where vitamin D deficiency is under active investigation. Mood disorders-especially depression in older persons-is also an area of active research with respect to vitamin D deficiency. Due to its role in immune regulation and the known presence of VDRs in skin, vitamin D is a particularly good candidate for investigation in a skin-related autoimmune disease like psoriasis. Research in this area is also well underway.
Deficiency Symptoms
What are deficiency symptoms for vitamin D?
Bone pain, frequent bone fractures, and softening of the bones can all be symptoms of vitamin D deficiency. So can muscle aches and muscle weakness since vitamin D helps to regulate muscle composition and prevent too much fat accumulation alongside of muscle tissue. In this context, especially in older persons, frequent falls can point to deficiency of this vitamin. The key role of vitamin D in regulation of immune response means that lowered immunity can be a symptom of vitamin D deficiency, as can the presence of any autoimmune disorder. In older persons, cognitive problems (disturbances in thought processes) and depression can be symptomatic of vitamin D deficiency, and in children, stunted growth and severe asthma have also been shown to have vitamin D deficiency as potential causes.
Toxicity Symptoms
What are toxicity symptoms for vitamin D?
Excessive intake of vitamin D can be toxic, and toxicity of vitamin D can come from either its plant-based (D2) or animal-based (D3) form. Symptoms of toxicity include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, high blood pressure, kidney malfunction, and failure to thrive. However, it is also important to note that vitamin D deficiency poses a far greater risk to the vast majority of individuals than vitamin D toxicity and that vitamin D toxicity from food intake is extremely unlikely. Less than one-third of all persons in the U.S. meet the Dietary Reference Intake level for vitamin D, and are far from consuming anything close to potentially toxic levels.
In 2010, the National Academy of Sciences set Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs) for vitamin D as follows:
• infants, 0-6 months: 25 micrograms (1,000 IU) per day
• infants, 6-12 months: 38 micrograms (1,500 IU) per day
• children, 1-3 years: 63 micrograms (2,500 IU) per day
• children, 4-8 year: 75 micrograms (3,000 IU)per day
• children and adolescents, 9-18 years: 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) per day
• adults, 19 years and older: 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) per day
• pregnant and lactating women, 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) per day.
While these toxicity limits are based on credible data, they do not attempt to address the issue that is posed by higher vitamin D intake amounts potentially needed to offset chronic deficiency of this vitamin. Clinical research has clearly shown that vitamin D supplementation in the range of 1,000-2,000 IU per day is unable to restore optimal vitamin D levels in many individuals with chronic vitamin D deficiency. In many cases, individuals with chronic vitamin D deficiency will need to exceed the vitamin D Upper Limits established by the National Academy of Sciences in order to bring the levels of hydroxyvitamin D in their blood up to optimal levels. Remedy of chronic vitamin D deficiency will also typically require supplementation of vitamin D since everyday food intake is typically unable to provide deficiency-offsetting amounts of this vitamin. Steps to remedy chronic vitamin D deficiency should always be taken in consultation with a licensed healthcare provider who is able guide and monitor changes in blood levels of vitamin D.
Individuals with primary hyperparathyroidism (overactivity of the parathyroid gland not caused by vitamin D deficiency) are at increased risk for vitamin D toxicity and should not take supplemental vitamin D without consulting a physician.
Impact of Cooking, Storage and Processing
How do cooking, storage, or processing affect vitamin D?
Since cow's milk-containing foods are an important source of vitamin D in the United States, and since most dairy products are not only fortified with vitamin D but also pasteurized prior to retail sale, there is good research data on the stability of vitamin D under different heating and storage conditions. Researchers have found virtually no loss of vitamin D following pasteurization of processed cheese under normal commercial conditions. They have also found a vitamin D loss of about 25-30% when cheese is exposed to an oven temperature of 450°F (232°C) for approximately 5 minutes. Since foods like frozen cheese pizzas are often cooked in the oven at temperatures between 400-450°F (204-232°C) for approximately 20 minutes, this research tells us that we can expect at least one-fourth of the vitamin D to be lost during the pizza re-heating process. This percentage of vitamin loss is still relatively low, however, in comparison to similar heating of other foods and loss of other vitamins (especially less heat-stable vitamins, like vitamin C).
Storage of cheese over a 9-month period at temperatures ranging from 39-84°F (4-29°C) have shown virtually no loss of vitamin D, also underscoring the relative stability of this vitamin.
Factors that Affect Function
What factors might contribute to a deficiency of vitamin D?
Insufficient sun exposure
By far the most important D-deficiency contributing factor faced worldwide is insufficient exposure to sunlight. More specifically, it is ultraviolet B sunlight in the range of 290-300nm that is needed to convert 7-dehydrocholesterol found in our skin cells into cholecalciferol (the preliminary form of vitamin D3).
Although the task of "getting enough sunlight" may seem like a fairly straightforward one, the relationship between our vitamin D status and our time in the sun is not nearly as simple as many people might think. First, there is the fluctuating nature of UVB light. UVB light-the kind needed for skin synthesis of vitamin D-is not always present with the same intensity just because there is visible sunlight. The intensity of UVB light varies dramatically with geographical location (latitude), time of year, time of day, degree of cloud cover, and other factors. In other words, there are times when your eyes might leave you thinking that you are getting good intensity UVB light and synthesizing optimal amounts of vitamin D in your skin cells, but you actually are not. In addition, there is the issue of latitude, angle of sunlight, and time of day. In higher-latitude countries across the globe, UVB light in the range of 290-300nm wavelengths may not be available except for a few hours in the middle of the day. In those countries, being outside on a "bright and sunny day" would not be enough to guarantee adequate skin synthesis of vitamin D. Skin pigmentation also plays an important role in skin synthesis of vitamin D. Darker skin pigmentation means less vitamin D synthesis per minute exposure to UVB light. (In the United States, for example, it is estimated that African American adults are 2-3 times more likely to have vitamin D insufficiency than Caucasian adults.) As all of these examples indicate, even when common sense tells you that you are getting good sun exposure and must be synthesizing plenty of vitamin D, you might not be, for a variety of reasons.
Some lifestyles and occupations provide unusual amounts of sun exposure. Individuals who work outdoors throughout the day in warmer climates have a great chance of getting good exposure to UVB light and synthesizing adequate amounts of vitamin D. Under optimal circumstances, our skin can synthesize between 10,000-20,000 IU of vitamin D (cholecalciferol) in 30 minutes. Yes, all of the practical factors still have to line up correctly (like angle of the sun, time of day, degree of cloud cover, etc.), but when people spend generous amounts of times outdoors in the sun on a regular basis, their chances of adequate vitamin D synthesis are greatly increased. At the other end of the spectrum, if an individual typically wears clothing that blocks a lot of the skin from exposure to sunlight, or typically uses sunblock, or works in a job that keeps him or her indoors throughout the day, chances of adequate vitamin D synthesis are greatly decreased.
Based on all of the factors listed above, we believe that the majority of U.S. adults are unlikely to be getting enough exposure to UVB sunlight in the 290-300nm wavelength required to allow for optimal skin synthesis of vitamin D. In addition, we believe that many people may assume that they get plenty of sunlight and have plenty of vitamin D synthesis in their skin cells when they actually do not. Except in cases where lifestyle and/or occupation makes exposure to sunlight an issue that is free from debate, we encourage individuals to avoid assumptions about the adequacy of their sunlight exposure and to treat their vitamin D needs as a matter for special focus and potential reason for follow-up healthcare consultation.
The importance of sunlight for vitamin D health has been the subject of longstanding research. The term "vitamin D winter" was coined several decades ago to summarize the impact of this lower-sunlight season on potential compromise in vitamin D status. More recently, the idea of a "vitamin D winter" has been revisited to include a look at diseases which are related to vitamin D deficiency. Researchers are discovering that many autoimmune conditions have greater severity in winter versus summer, and they are investigating possible links with vitamin D deficiency under these circumstances. Similarly, there has been a strong research trend for studying the occurrence of vitamin D-related diseases at different latitudes on the earth. Over the past 10 years, researchers have found "South to North" trends for increased occurrence of multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, and type 1 diabetes. In other words, there is lesser incidence of these vitamin D deficiency-related diseases at lower latitudes (closer to the equator) where UVB light exposure is presumably higher, and greater incidence of these vitamin D deficiency-related diseases at higher latitudes (farther from the equator).
Breastfeeding and pregnancy
Since nursing mothers must help supply their infants with vitamin D, breastfeeding can pose a challenge both to mothers and infants in terms of vitamin D status. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Canadian Pediatric Society (CPS) have both recommended vitamin D supplementation for both mothers and infants for this reason. (See the section on "Public Health Recommendations" for more information.)
Insufficient dietary fat or inability to absorb dietary fat
Since vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, a diet that is extremely low in fat and/or the presence of certain medical conditions that cause a reduction in the ability to absorb dietary fat may cause vitamin D deficiency. These medical conditions include pancreatic enzyme deficiency, Crohn's disease, celiac sprue, cystic fibrosis, surgical removal of part or all of the stomach, gall bladder disease, and liver disease. Symptoms of fat malabsorption include diarrhea and greasy stools.
Health conditions that involve the parathyroid gland or kidney
Under certain circumstances, the conversion of inactive forms of vitamin D to calcitriol is impaired. For example, diseases that affect the parathyroid gland, liver, and/or kidney impair the synthesis of the active form of vitamin D.
Aging
The production of vitamin D precursors in the skin decreases with age. Additionally, with age the kidneys and many other organ systems and cell types are less able to convert vitamin D to its active hormone form.
Genetic susceptibility
Some individual's genetic inheritance includes genetic polymorphisms that result in the production of vitamin D receptors (VDR) that don't work very well. To help compensate for such VDR defects, these individuals need more vitamin D than would normally be necessary.
Drug-Nutrient Interactions
What medications affect vitamin D?
The following medications impact the absorption, utilization, and/or activation of vitamin D:
• Anticonvulsant medications, including Dilantin, are used to control seizure activity in people with epilepsy and brain cancer, and those who have suffered head trauma through injury or stroke. These medications decrease the activity of vitamin D.
• Bile acid sequestrants (Cholestyramine, Colestipol) are a class of drugs used to lower cholesterol levels. These drugs may reduce the intestinal absorption of the fat-soluble nutrients, including vitamins A, D, E, and K.
• Cimetidine (Tagamet and Tagamet HB) prevents the release of hydrochloric acid into the stomach and is used to treat the symptoms associated with stomach and duodenal ulcers and acid reflux. This drug may reduce vitamin D activation by the liver.
• Hormone replacement therapy may increase blood levels of vitamin D.
• The corticosteroids are a family of anti-inflammatory drugs, including hydrocortisone and prednisone, that are commonly used in the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and ulcerative colitis. These drugs reduce the activation of vitamin D.
• Heparin, an anticoagulant prescription medication used to prevent blood clots after surgery, may interfere with vitamin D activation.
Vitamin D impacts the following medications:
• Vitamin D may interfere with the effectiveness of calcium channel-blockers, a class of drugs used to treat chest pain, irregular heart beat, and high blood pressure.
• Taking supplemental vitamin D and calcium along with thiazide diurectics can cause blood levels of calcium to increase above normal levels.
Nutrient Interactions
How do other nutrients interact with vitamin D?
Vitamin D plays a role in maintaining normal blood levels of calcium. As a result, vitamin D impacts the absorption and storage of calcium. Vitamin D also stimulates the absorption of phosphorus.
Vitamin D helps to regulate the production of certain calcium-binding proteins that function in the bones and kidneys. Because these binding proteins are also dependent on vitamin K, interrelationships between vitamin D and vitamin K have become the subject of active research investigation.
Health Conditions
What health conditions require special emphasis on vitamin D?
Vitamin D may play a role in the prevention and/or treatment of the following health conditions:
• Asthma (severe childhood)
• Atherosclerosis
• Bladder cancer
• Breast cancer
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Colon cancer
• Congestive heart failure
• Crohn's disease
• Ovarian cancer
• Depression
• Epilepsy
• Fibromyalgia
• Heart attack
• Hypertension
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Insulin resistance
• Kidney disease
• Leprosy
• Liver disease
• Metabolic syndrome
• Multiple sclerosis
• Myofascial pain syndrome
• Osteoporosis
• Periodontal disease
• Preeclampsia
• Psoriasis
• Rectal cancer
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Senile dementia
• Stroke
• Tinnitus
• Tuberculosis
• Type 2 diabetes
• Ulcerative colitis
Form in Dietary Supplements
What forms of vitamin D are found in dietary supplements?
The two forms of vitamin D used in dietary supplements are ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). Ergocalciferol is sometimes considered a vegetarian source of vitamin D since it can be plant-derived. However, yeast is also commonly used as a source of D2 as are other fungi (like ergot). Some individuals would regard these microbially produced forms of D2 as animal-based, while others would not. There's also one "synthetic versus natural" issue involved with supplemental vitamin D. When the plant building block for vitamin D2 (ergosterol) is used to produce vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol), it's usually irradiated in a chemistry lab in order to produce this D2 form.
Cholecalciferol, the D3 form of the vitamin, can be obtained from animal or microbial sources. One practice for generating the D3 found in supplements involves sheep's wool. Sheep (and many other animals) have sebaceous glands in their skin that secrete a complex variety of substances, including cholesterol (in the form of 7-dehydrocholesterol). The secretions from the sebaceous glands naturally find their way into the animal's fur. A supplement manufacturer wanting to produce vitamin D3 supplements can remove the secretions from the fur (in this case sheep's wool), process and purify the 7-dehydrocholesterol, expose it to UVB (ultra-violet B) light, and thereby convert it into cholecalciferol.
From our perspective, very few individuals will benefit from supplementation with vitamin D2 versus vitamin D3. Although we might not go as far as the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition-which argued in 2006 that D2 should no longer be considered as a nutrient "suitable for fortification or supplementation" given the strong hormonal advantages of D3-we believe that the vast majority of unwanted consequences from vitamin D deficiency stem from deficiency of the hormonally active, dihydroxyvitamin D form of this nutrient. For this reason, we believe that D3 is the delivery form of choice when supplementing with vitamin D.
Within the category of D3 supplements, the most common form for vitamin D3 delivery is gel caps containing D3 in liquid form (and often dispersed in flax oil or olive oil). D3 is also available in powdered form in D3 capsules, in powdered form involving pressed tablets, and in unencapsulated liquid form (D3 drops). We have not seen non-proprietary, peer-reviewed studies comparing these various delivery forms of vitamin D3. In general, we have seen more problems with absorption of powdered vitamins from tablets versus capsules due to problems in digestive track breakdown of pressed tablets. For this reason, we favor use of vitamin D3 capsules over vitamin D3 tablets when selecting from dry powder versions of vitamin D3. However, with respect to encapsulated powders versus encapsulated liquids (or liquid drops in unencapsulated form), we believe that your most important consideration is reliability of the manufacturer and quality control/ assurance provided by that manufacturer.
Vitamin D is often measured in International Units (IU) or micrograms. One microgram of cholecalciferol is equal to 40 IU of vitamin D.
Food Sources
What foods provide vitamin D?
Excellent sources of vitamin D include salmon while very good sources include sardines, shrimp and vitamin-D fortified milk.
Good food sources of vitamin D include cod and eggs.
Introduction to Nutrient Rating System Chart
In order to better help you identify foods that feature a high concentration of nutrients for the calories they contain, we created a Food Rating System. This system allows us to highlight the foods that are especially rich in particular nutrients. The following chart shows the World's Healthiest Foods that are either an excellent, very good, or good source of vitamin D. Next to each food name, you'll find the serving size we used to calculate the food's nutrient composition, the calories contained in the serving, the amount of vitamin D contained in one serving size of the food, the percent Daily Value (DV%) that this amount represents, the nutrient density that we calculated for this food and nutrient, and the rating we established in our rating system. For most of our nutrient ratings, we adopted the government standards for food labeling that are found in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's "Reference Values for Nutrition Labeling."Read more background information and details of our rating system.
Food Serving
Size Cals Amount
(IU) DV
(%) Nutrient
Density World's
Healthiest
Foods Rating
Salmon, chinook, baked/broiled World's Healthiest Foods ranked as quality sources of:
vitamin D 261.9 411.00 102.8 7.1 excellent
Shrimp, steamed/boiled 4 oz-wt 112.3 162.39 40.6 6.5 very good
Sardines 3.25 oz can 191.4 250.24 62.6 5.9 very good
Cow's milk, 2% 1 cup 121.2 97.60 24.4 3.6 very good
Shiitake Mushrooms, raw 1 cup 49.3 29.00 7.2 2.6 good
Cod, baked/broiled 4 oz-wt 119.1 63.50 15.9 2.4 good
Egg, whole, boiled 1 each 68.2 22.88 5.7 1.5 good
World's Healthiest
Foods Rating Rule
excellent DV>=75% OR Density>=7.6 AND DV>=10%
very good DV>=50% OR Density>=3.4 AND DV>=5%
good DV>=25% OR Density>=1.5 AND DV>=2.5%
Public Health Recommendations
What are current public health recommendations for vitamin D?
In 2010, the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences established revised Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) recommendations for vitamin D based on new research in this area. The following Adequate Intake (AI) levels for vitamin D were established in 2010 for infants:
• Infants 0-6 months: 10 micrograms (400 IU) per day
• Infants 6-12 months: 10 micrograms (400 IU) per day
The following Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) were established for children, teenagers, and adults:
• Children 1-13 years: 15 micrograms (600 IU)
• Teenagers 14-18 years: 15 micrograms (600 IU)
• Adults 19-70 years: 15 micrograms (600 IU)
• Adults above 70 years: 20 micrograms (800 IU)
• Pregnant and lactating women: 15 micrograms (600 IU)
While we were glad to see the the National Academy of Sciences making revised public health recommendations in 2010 for increased intake of vitamin D, we do not believe that all health and lifestyle factors evaluated in research studies on vitamin D research were fully addressed in the revised recommendations. Over the past 15 years, more than 10,000 studies on vitamin D have been published in research journals. These studies have convincingly shown that: (1) we need much more vitamin D than we previously thought; (2) lifestyle trends have significantly reduced our exposure to sunlight; (3) prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is far greater than previously estimated, and (4) more vitamin D is required to remedy deficiency than can be obtained in a standard diet.
In studies on infants and toddlers, between 40-65% have been shown to be vitamin D insufficient with blood levels of hydroxyvitamin D below 30 ng/mL in several countries throughout the world, and in studies in the U.S., including a recent study in Massachusetts. Insufficiency has also been shown in U.S. teens, at a level of approximately 60% (once again, using the standard of 30 ng/mL or less for hydroxyvitamin D in the blood). Similar percentages have been determined for insufficiency in older individuals. Among young adults and middle-aged individuals, the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency has been estimated to range from a minimum of about 50% to a maximum of perhaps 75% or greater. It's important to note that "insufficiency" is a looser standard than "deficiency" and generally refers to a blood level of hydroxyvitamin D below 30 ng/mL rather than a blood level below 20 ng/mL. While this lower blood level has traditionally been used to diagnose vitamin D deficiency, it is no longer appears relevant for determining the amount of vitamin D needed for optimal hormonal regulation of many body processes by vitamin D. Realization of this greater level of vitamin D needed in our bloodstream is one result of the revolution that has taken place in our understanding of vitamin D over the past 15 years.
Just as we now realize that more vitamin D is needed in our blood, we also realize that it takes higher levels of vitamin D intake to bring blood levels up to a healthy standard. For example, in situations where sunlight is limited, we know that at least 1,000 IU of vitamin D are needed to increase blood levels of vitamin D from 20ng/mL to 30 ng/mL or higher. For prevention of bone loss in persons at risk for osteoporosis, we know that a minimum of 700 IU is required and that no prevention results have been demonstrated at levels of intake below 400 IU. Under circumstances involving autoimmune problems like rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis, experimental supplemental doses of vitamin D range not in 100s of IUs, but in 1,000s or 10,000s of IUs.
Since personal health history and personal exposure to sunlight play such an important role in determining each individual's vitamin D needs, it is very difficult to make a firm and fast public health recommendation for vitamin D that is guaranteed to meet the optimal requirements of each individual. For this reason, we like the basic two-fold approach taken by the Harvard School of Public Health, which can be found here.
On a first level, even though there is not yet conclusive research evidence available, daily supplementation with vitamin D in the range of 1,000 - 2,000 IU may provide important health benefits for many individuals. If your routine diet does not include plentiful amounts of vitamin D-rich foods, you may want to target the higher side of this range (while also increasing your intake of D-rich foods). If your diet already includes ample amounts of foods that are rich in vitamin D, you may want to target the lower side of this range when deciding on a supplementation level.
On a second level, if you are an individual who might be at higher risk for vitamin D deficiency (for example, because you have very limited exposure to sunlight), we encourage you to consult with your healthcare provider, schedule a blood test for vitamin D, and determine (in consultation with your healthcare provider) an appropriate level of vitamin D supplementation. Depending on the results of your blood test, you may very possibly need a greater level of vitamin D supplementation that is greater than the 4,000 IU Tolerable Upper Limit set by the National Academy of Sciences. Blood testing can definitely help to remove the "guesswork" factor here. You'll be able to determine the actual level of hydroxyvitamin D in your blood and see the actual amount of increase following supplementation at whatever level you and your healthcare provider determine to be appropriate. When supplementing with vitamin D, we support the position of the Harvard School of Public Health (and many other public health organizations) in recommending supplementation with vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) rather than D2 (ergocalciferol)."
What is our bottom line with respect to food versus supplemental intake of vitamin D? Based on studies showing the impact of supplemental D3 intake on blood levels of hydroxyvitamin D, we believe that the vast majority of U.S. adults and children will not be able to achieve optimal vitamin D status from food intake alone. Exactly how much D3 supplementation each individual may need-and the form of this supplementation-should be determined with the help of a healthcare provider. That healthcare provider can not only evaluate personal health history factors but can also monitor the impact of vitamin D supplementation of blood levels of this vitamin.
Despite this likely need for supplemental vitamin D, we also believe that it is important to maximize food intake of vitamin D. Intake of foods rich in vitamin D still remains a natural lifestyle option for obtaining this vitamin, even if this option is not sufficient all by itself to offset lack of sunlight exposure and other factors that have combined to compromise our vitamin D status.
With respect to women who are breastfeeding, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Canadian Pediatric Society (CPS) have both recommended vitamin D supplementation for both mothers and infants. The APP has recommended 200 IU of vitamin D per day for all infants 2 months and older, and 400 IU for newborns during the first days of life. These APP recommendations are generally consistent with the revised 2010 Adequate Intake (AI) levels for vitamin D set by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). The NAS recommends 400 IU of vitamin D for newborns and infants up to 12 months of age. It is worth pointing out that direct vitamin D supplementation for the infant is separate and apart from any vitamin D supplementation that the mother herself might need. Given the special challenges posed by breastfeeding for vitamin D sufficiency, the guidance of a healthcare provider is highly recommended to determine the steps needed for optimal vitamin D intake in this situation. Like breastfeeding, pregnancy poses a special challenge for vitamin D sufficiency. Once again, given the widespread nature of vitamin D deficiency, the DRIs may be unable to provide optimal guidelines for many pregnant women. For this reason, pregnant women are encouraged to work out a vitamin D sufficiency plan with their healthcare provider.
The National Academy of Sciences set Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs) for vitamin D as follows:
• infants, 0-6 months: 25 micrograms (1,000 IU) per day
• infants, 6-12 months: 38 micrograms (1,500 IU) per day
• children, 1-3 years: 63 micrograms (2,500 IU) per day
• children, 4-8 year: 75 micrograms (3,000 IU)per day
• children and adolescents, 9-18 years: 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) per day
• adults, 19 years and older: 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) per day
• pregnant and lactating women, 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) per day.
Vitamin D importance of Cow Milk
Vedas made Soorya Namaskar in front of rising sun an important daily ritual. The science behind this is about Vitamin D.
For a vegetarian the best source of Vitamin D is only cow milk . Please see the table below from Vitamin D council web site:-Salmon, chinook, baked/broiled World's Healthiest Foods ranked as quality sources of:
vitamin D 261.9 411.00 102.8 7.1 excellent
Shrimp, steamed/boiled 4 oz-wt 112.3 162.39 40.6 6.5 very good
Sardines 3.25 oz can 191.4 250.24 62.6 5.9 very good
Cow's milk, 2% 1 cup 121.2 97.60 24.4 3.6 very good
Shiitake Mushrooms, raw 1 cup 49.3 29.00 7.2 2.6 good
Cod, baked/broiled 4 oz-wt 119.1 63.50 15.9 2.4 good
Egg, whole, boiled 1 each 68.2 22.88 5.7 1.5 good
For a vegetarian the best source of Vitamin D is only cow milk . Please see the table below from Vitamin D council web site:-Salmon, chinook, baked/broiled World's Healthiest Foods ranked as quality sources of:
vitamin D 261.9 411.00 102.8 7.1 excellent
Shrimp, steamed/boiled 4 oz-wt 112.3 162.39 40.6 6.5 very good
Sardines 3.25 oz can 191.4 250.24 62.6 5.9 very good
Cow's milk, 2% 1 cup 121.2 97.60 24.4 3.6 very good
Shiitake Mushrooms, raw 1 cup 49.3 29.00 7.2 2.6 good
Cod, baked/broiled 4 oz-wt 119.1 63.50 15.9 2.4 good
Egg, whole, boiled 1 each 68.2 22.88 5.7 1.5 good
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)