Calcium & D

The calcium myth
by Dr. Susan E. Brown, PhD

Calcium and vitamin D
The last few years have witnessed a virtual explosion of research on vitamin D. We now know that this sunshine vitamin plays a key role in the prevention of many chronic diseases including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, auto-immune disease and osteoporosis. When it comes to bone, we now know that vitamin D is the key to calcium absorption. To paraphrase noted vitamin D researcher Dr. Michael Holick, you can swim in calcium and it will do no good unless you have adequate vitamin D. Specifically, without vitamin D your body can only absorb 10 to 15% of dietary calcium, so even if calcium is present, the body can’t use it! When vitamin D is added, the absorption of dietary calcium increases to 30 to 40%. So, both calcium and vitamin D are necessary to prevent osteoporosis, including postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Most Americans don't get enough vitamin D, especially during the winter months, when there is less sunlight. Certain people may also be at a high risk for vitamin D deficiency, including the elderly, the obese, dark-skinned individuals, teenage girls, those who spend little time outdoors, and those who regularly use sunscreens. Because it is a fat soluble vitamin, vitamin D deficiencies also occur in people with fat malabsorption syndromes such as in celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, and inflammatory bowel disease.

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