Linda, Did You Ask Me A Question About Vitamin D?

[tex]

Hi Linda,

The thought occurred to me as I was getting ready to log off tonight that I forgot something. Didn't you ask me in a post somewhere for an explanation of the difference between vitamin D and vitamin D3? Or was it someone else? The question may have been asked yesterday.

At any rate, I postponed responding to the question until I could finish something else, and then I forgot to go back to it. (At least that's the gist of my nagging suspicions).

If my suspicions are all wet, I apologize for wasting your time. If they're correct, I apologize for such a slow response.

At any rate here is the explanation:

Basically, there are two different forms of vitamin D: vitamin D-2 and vitamin D-3. Vitamin D-2 (known as ergocalciferol), is synthetic vitamin D, and it's the form made by mushrooms from exposure to sunlight, and this is the form of vitamin D that is prescribed by doctors. Vitamin D-3, (known as cholecalciferol), is the type that’s made in our skin. Virtually all OTC vitamin supplements are in the form of vitamin D-3.

Both types must be converted into the hormone calcitriol before they’re active and able to be utilized by our body. Vitamin D is sometimes referred to as calciferol, but that name is used as an umbrella term to include both vitamins D-2 and D-3.

Why do doctors prescribe vitamin D-2? Who knows, because research (a study of the Cochran database, for example) shows that it is nowhere near as beneficial for human health as vitamin D-3.

Vitamin D supplementation for prevention of mortality in adults.

Tex

[Blueberry]

Going outside the mention about the two types of vitamin D sold, I got a chuckle from the recent vitamin D news that can be found on most web sights the last few days. It concerns a NZ professor doing a meta study and finding that he believes vitamin D is not worth taking, nor helps with preventing bone fractures.

What made me laugh was just a month ago another NZ group looked at their governments new program of asking patients to take vitamin D. Their findings showed the program successful and worth it. With all the contradictory information out their makes one scratch their head.

"Vitamin D supplementation program cuts down on health care costs in New Zealand"

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/vitamin- ... w-zealand/

From The Vitamin D Council's web sight:

Widespread vitamin D supplementation in aged care facilities has saved the New Zealand government over a half-million dollars the past two years, according to a new press release.

In 2010 the MidCentral District Health Board (DHB) began encouraging health professionals to prescribe vitamin D to residents in aged care facilities. Between March 2010 and June 2012, the percentage of aged care residents supplementing with vitamin D jumped from 15 to 74 percent.

The main goal was to reduce falls-related fractures, and so far, they’ve had great success.

“Comparisons from before and after the start of the project show a 32 per cent reduction in aged residential care residents going to the emergency department with falls-related fractures,” says Associate Minister of Health Jo Goodhew. “And a 41 per cent reduction in their hospital admissions due to these fractures.”

Their results corroborate with past research, which shows that vitamin D supplementation can reduce falls and falls-related fractures

Due to the reduced admissions to the hospital, the vitamin D project has saved MidCentral DHB more than $540,000 (about $430,000 USD). There are also likely further savings due to reduced need for clinical support, hospital pharmacy services and rehabilitation.

Says Mrs. Goodhew, “The benefits of preventing falls in older people cannot be overstated. Preventing falls enables older people to maintain their independence and confidence.”

Source

Live News. Vitamin D project helps prevent falls and saves health costs. http://livenews.co.nz/2013/08/08/vitami ... lth-costs/

[ldubois7]

Thanks, Tex. That was me that asked. What a great memory you have....no brain fog left in you!

I appreciate the response, and now I understand the difference.