First and foremost, vitamin D IS ESSENTIAL to good health - you cannot live without it. Unfortunately, most of us, for one reason or another, do not get very much of it, especially as we age. The aging process, for unknown reasons, causes the body not to absorb much vitamin D from sun exposure alone. While I was constantly in the sun, during my mid 50s, my vitamin D levels, unbeknownst to me, had fallen to just 10, normal being a level of 50. I soon began developing sores all over my body, which went un-diagnosed or mis-diagnosed by no less than a dozen dermatologist.
The condition had worsened to the point where the ends of my fingers looked like raw hamburger and I had to wear white cotton gloves in order to play the keyboard and continue performing. Finally, an old friend at a retirement facility noticed the gloves, asked why I was wearing them and when I showed him my finger tips, he said his wife had the same problem and that she cleared up just three weeks after taking vitamin D. I went to the VA, had a vitamin profile performed, and was prescribed 5000 meq per day. Within 3 days, my fingers began healing. within a week, most of the other sores on my body were almost gone.
Three weeks later, I no longer had to wear gloves to perform, and all that remained was a bit of scar tissue where the major sores had been. As it turned out, I also had a deficiency of B-12, which as likely caused by some of side effects of my lung medications.
I did some extensive investigation into the vitamin D problem, and the sun rare provides a sufficient amount for individuals over age 50. Therefore, supplementals can be essential to maintain a relatively normal level. Low or lack of vitamin D is essential to many bodily functions, particularly heart, kidney, liver and other major organs.
Over exposure to the sun, which should be avoided, particularly by those over age 50 and under age 10, can and does cause skin cancers, the most deadly being melanoma. When I first began working in the field of medicine, melanoma had a overall mortality rate of 100 percent. Today, if un-diagnosed early, it is still very high, but with surgery and other treatment, the mortality rate is under 40 percent - still very high, though. Basil cell carcinoma is much more common, less aggressive, but still deadly if left untreated.
The vast majority of physicians never check your vitamin levels during a routine physical unless your ask them. It is the most overlooked test in the arsenal of medical testing for various diseases that cause significant health issues we all face today, especially in later life.
Don't know if I would be alive today has it not been for the advice I received from my friend in the retirement community. Now as for believing what you read, it all depends upon the source of that information. Obviously, not all that is written is accurate, which is evidenced by much of what we see in today's newspapers and magazines, often written by individuals with absolute no knowledge of the subject matter.
Stay healthy, get those vitamin levels checked regularly, and always check out the sources of articles, especially those written in publications other than accredited medical journals.
All the best,
Gary
