The Nov. issue of Consumer Reports *On Health* has what I think is a really
good article, "Do You Need More Vitamin D?"   Long, but good info to know.

Theola
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To summarize the risks of too little VIT-D:

 BONES: weak bones, aching joints, rickets in children, ostomalacia in
adults, worsens osteoporosis.  *But even moderately low levels that fall
within the normal range may also weaken bones and increase risk of fractures
because extra parathyroid hormone is churned out which pulls calcium out of
bones.*  The vitamin may also slow the progression of osteoarthritis.

CANCER: Cancer death rates are higher in the North than in the South.
Reduced sunlight correlates w/ increased risk of 13 types of cancer,
including breast, colon, ovary, prostate, and non-Hodgkins lymphoma.  Vit. D
inhibits the development and growth of cancer in animals.

HEART DISEASE:  People w/ thin bones often have extensive calcium deposits
in their arteries.  Theory is that excess parathyroid hormone dumps it
there.  Elevated para-thy may also raise blood pressure.  A few studies have
linked low Vit-D w/ increased likelihood of both calcified arteries and
coronary disease.

DIABETES: Pancreas needs Vit-D to produce insulin.  Lack increases risk of
Type 1.  People in higher, darker latitudes have an increased risk and at
younger age.

SCHIZOPHRENIA and MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS: Both conditions arise more often in
populations that get little sunlight.  Vit-D has reversed MS in mice.

Young and middle-aged white people in the sunny regions, including the
American South, almost always get enough just by going about their daily
affairs, but just about everybody else is at risk, especially in the winter.
Numerous studies have found substantial wintertime drops.  In addition to
living in dark, high latitudes, additional factors increase the risk of
Vit-D deficiency:

OLDER AGE: Studies show that most people over 65 have insufficient levels.
Number of reasons--they tend to cover their bodies more, apply strong
suncreens, stay indoors more than younger people, their skin's ability to
synthesize the vit is reduced (lengthier exposure doesn't help--they need to
compensate by exposing more skin), they're more likely to take certains
drugs such as laxatives and cholesterol-lowring med
(cholestyramine/Questran) that interferes with absorption.

DARKER SKIN COLOR:  The darker your skin, the more sunlight you need to
generate Vit-D.

EXCESS WEIGHT:  VIT-D is fat soluble, so in overweight people, the
substantial amounts of the vit manufactured by the skin gets trapped in the
excess fat cells.  Obese individuals have about two-thirds less than other
people and are typically deficient.

PRESCRIPTION:  Sun needs to be strong enough--going out too early or too
late in the day won't stimulate enough production.  Mid-morning and
mid-afternoon in the North; a little earlier or later than that in the
South.  To obtain enough,  seek sun exposure during three seasons of the
year--spring summer and fall if you live in the North because there the
winter sun is too weak to stimulate production.  Any three seasons if you
live far enough south.  ***Regardless of race, people who are overweight or
older than 60 should expose their hands and lower arms as well as their face
or lower legs without sunscreen for roughly one-quarter the time it takes
their skin to start turning red.  People who are younger or thinner need to
expose only their hands and lower arms. Darker skin requires up to 50% more
time exposure; living at higher latitudes also increases the time needed for
exposure in the months before and after June.***

People who can't or won't spend the necessary time outdoors need to consider
supplementation/dietary sources.  Young and middle aged should get 400
iu/day; older persons 600-800 iu; people of any age who rarely or never get
outdoors probably need 1000iu.  ***However, obtaining even the lower amount
from food can be difficult.  Few foods other than fatty fish are good
natural sources.  The most common fortified food is milk, which many people
avoid (while each cup of milk is supposed to be fortified w/ 100 iu, studies
have not yet proved the reliability of the fortification process).  If you
don't consume enough of these foods to reach the recommended dietary intake
for *your age and sun-exposure level* consider taking a supplement.  That's
particularly appropriate in winter and among people at increased risk of
osteoporosis.  Osteo risk factors include being a postmenopausal woman,
especially if menopause started early, pre-menopausal if there's family
history of osteo, all women if they consumed little calcium as a child, lack
of weight-bearing exercise, heavy alcohol intake, smoking, and being thin,
white, or Asian.


If you do take a supplement, make sure it contains no more than the dose
that brings you up to roughly the amount described for your age group.  the
typcial muti-vitamin contains 400 iu, enough for young and middle-aged
people exposed to some but not enough sun and for similarly exposed older
people who regularly consume lots of milk or fish.; other people may need
600-1000 iu a day.  However, too much supplemental (more than about 2000 iu
a day] can lead to elevated clcium levels and deposits throughout the body
and kidney damage.  ***IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO GET A TOXIC DOSE OF VIT-D FROM SUN
EXPOSURE BECAUSE IT'S A SELF-REGULATING MECHANISM.***

SUMMING UP: Insufficient Vit-D levels appear to be far more hazardous and
more common than previously believed.

DIETARY SOURCES OF VIT-D:
FOOD / SERVING SIZE / IU

Egg, whole    1      26
Oysters    3oz    544
Cod-liver Oil    1 tsp    452
Catfish    3oz    424
Mackeral    3 oz    394
Salmon    3 oz    238
Sardines, canned in oil    3 oz    231
Tuna, bluefin    3 oz    170
Halibut    3 oz    170
Tuna, canned in water    3 oz    136
Shrimp    3 oz    122
Sole/Flounder    3 oz    51
Cod    3 oz    48
Bass, freshwatrer    3 oz    34
Swordfish    3 oz    34
Clams    3 oz    7
Shiitake Mushrooms    2 oz    57
Chanterelle    2 oz    48