This doctor should lose his license!
From the desk of Dr. Karlo Mauro, ND
Dear Health Conscious Friend,
I
saw a patient last week who told me about her medical doctor's response when she asked him to test her vitamin D blood levels...
"You don't need a blood test. Just take 1000iu per day like my wife and you'll be fine," he said.
Surprised, she went on to say, "But I read that it's important to know your blood levels to see if you're deficient so you know exactly how much to take... especially with my mom and grandmother having breast cancer and all... I just want to make sure and protect myself."
He responded in a very condescending way, "Do you know how much money it would cost our government if we tested every single person for vitamin D?"
Then he proceeded to write her a prescription for Lipitor® for her slightly elevated cholesterol levels and walked out as she was saying "But... but... "
She couldn't believe what she just witnessed.
"He treated me like I a five-year old," she told me.
It saddens me when I hear stories like this. It's scary to think that educated medical doctors simply aren't reading their medical journals to learn about the new research on vitamin D.
Heck, even if they picked up their local newspaper once a week or watched an episode of Dr. Oz or 20/20, they'd learn a lot more than what they already know about vitamin D.
Many of their patients would be so much healthier (and probably need less prescription meds) if they had optimal vitamin D levels.
My patient should've responded with, "Do you know how much money the government would SAVE if everybody had optimal vitamin D levels?"
This physician, in my opinion, should lose his license.
Even if she didn't have a strong family history of breast cancer, everybody needs to know what their levels are. Your vitamin D levels are probably more important than your cholesterol levels. Then again, there's no money to be made with vitamin D.
In medical school, they learn that vitamin D is the "bone vitamin" ─ it helps regulate blood calcium levels. Usually not something most people should be overly concerned about unless their bones are thinning out.
As you probably have heard in the last few years, vitamin D is turning into the star of the vitamin world. And there’s a lot of research to back it up.
For example, there are well over 500 studies showing vitamin D’s effectiveness against cancer. Optimizing your blood vitamin D levels can cut your risk of many different cancers (including common ones like breast, colon and prostate) by 50%.
Studies also show that having enough vitamin D can cut your risk of developing diabetes and heart disease by 43%.
They have found receptor sites for vitamin D in almost every type of cell in your body. It can influence 3,000 genes out of your 26,000 genes in your body.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that there are literally thousands of health benefits from this one single vitamin.
Here are a few common health conditions that will benefit from having optimal vitamin D levels... autoimmune diseases (e.g., multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, etc.), obesity, chronic fatigue, depression, infertility, PMS, insomnia, migraines, hypertension, asthma, weakened immune system, etc.
I often say to my patients “If there’s only one supplement you take for the rest of your life, it should be vitamin D3.” (Fish oil is a very close second but I’ll save that for another day.)
Research also suggests that over 90% of people living in the U.S., Canada and U.K. are deficient in vitamin D.
The problem is, by having too little vitamin D, you will not show any obvious signs or symptoms. So, most of us are deficient and don't even know it.
As you probably know, your body doesn't just make vitamin D on its own. It's only made in the skin after exposure to the sun's ultraviolet B (UVB) rays.
It's Time To See The Light Again
Let me be clear: The best way to get vitamin D is from the sun. You can get it for free, without swallowing any food or pills. If you could sell sun in a bottle, you'd make billions.
Unfortunately, getting enough vitamin D from sun exposure is a major challenge for three quarters of the year in North America ─ especially up here in Canada.
And if you think you're getting enough vitamin D from foods, think again. You'd have to drink over 30 glasses of milk per day to get a decent dose of it!
Therefore, most people should be taking a vitamin D supplement ─ in particular, vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). It's the natural form which is used by the body much easier than the synthetic form, vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol).
Optimal Recommended Daily Intake
Vitamin D requirements are highly individual since the vitamin D you make from the sun is dependent on many factors such as...
• Skin Color - The darker your skin color, the less UVB penetrates. So, if you're naturally tanned or have darker skin, you're more likely to be deficient.
• Latitude - The further away you live from the equator (north or south), the less vitamin D you'll make and the more deficient you'll probably be.
• Time of Day - Between 10am and 3pm you'll get the greatest exposure to UVB rays. Unfortunately, this is the time most people avoid the sun.
• Season - Your vitamin D levels (and hence your immune system) can drop as much as 50% in the winter.
• Age - The older you get, the less vitamin D you'll make from the sun.
So you're probably been asking yourself...
"How much vitamin D am I supposed to take?"
Unfortunately, it's impossible to make a blanket dose recommendation that will cover everyone's needs.
Getting your vitamin D blood levels tested is the ONLY reliable way to determine the correct dose for YOU.
However, when you get your result, realize that there's a big difference between what your medical doctor considers "normal" versus what is "optimal."
They'll tell you that normal is between 75 nmol/L and 250 nmol/L (30 ng/ml - 100 ng/ml), but pay attention...
If you want to experience all the protective benefits of vitamin D (other than just bone health) you should be aiming for levels between 130 nmol/L and 160 nmol/L (52 ng/ml - 64 ng/ml).
In order to achieve these optimal vitamin D levels, most adults will need to take 10 to 20 times the recommended daily amounts ─ especially from November to April. A little bit less in the summer months, depending on how much direct sunlight you're getting (without sunscreen).
A lot of patients coming to see me have been taking 800 to 1000 units of vitamin D3 daily as recommended by their MD and think they're on "high" doses. What their medical doctors aren't telling them is, that amount will barely keep their levels at the lower end of the 'normal' range ─ nowhere near the optimal range.
Here's the thing: The only way to know that you're keeping your vitamin D levels within the optimal range is by getting your blood tested regularly. I usually recommend getting it tested every 3-4 months until it's in the optimal range and then a couple of times per year thereafter.
And make sure they test the proper storage form which is called 25-hydroxyvitamin D ─ sometimes written as 25-OH vitamin D.
I can't stress this enough. You NEED to get your vitamin D blood tested to make sure your levels aren't too low... or too high for that matter.
You should be warned that it's NOT a matter of "more is better" when it comes to taking a vitamin D supplement. Blood levels approaching 250 nmol/L (100 ng/ml) can be quite toxic. However, most people would have to take a lot of vitamin D for many months in order to reach that level.
And besides, if you're monitoring your blood levels with your naturopathic or medical doctor a couple of times per year, you'll never reach those high levels.
Let me also add that those who have sarcoidosis, hyperparathyroidism, tuberculosis, lymphoma, kidney disease, kidney stones or high blood calcium levels should NOT be taking high doses of vitamin D.
Now that the sunny season is around the corner, it's a great time to get your "post-winter" vitamin D blood readings.
Then you'll know whether you should still continue to take vitamin D during the summer months or hold off until the fall.
Or perhaps you just didn't take enough this winter and you're still not in the optimal range. If so, then you should do what I call a "loading phase" for 4 to 6 weeks to give it a boost before the summer sun really hits us. The amount you should take during this "loading phase" is dependent on many factors.
If you're interested in knowing exactly how much vitamin D YOU should be taking, please listen up...
If you're a patient of mine, it's easy. Next time you're in for your regular follow-up appointment just throw in a...
"Hey Doc, I forgot to tell you, my vitamin D results came in and the reading was..." Then I'll proceed to tell you how much to take and for how long and when to retest. Simple.
However, if you're one of my subscribers who live on the other side of this continent it's a bit more challenging to come in to my clinic for a visit. It's still doable, but not easy (or cheap!). If you want more information on your vitamin D levels, you'll be glad to know that I'm now offering...
"Dr. Mauro's Online Vitamin D Email Consultations"
So, if you, a family member or friend can't physically come in to my office for a formal visit but have a medical doctor who isn't willing to work with you as you're trying to get your vitamin D levels optimized, just click on this link and book your Online Vitamin D Email Consult...
After you pay through PayPal, you'll be sent a short questionnaire that you are to fill out and email back to us. Once we receive this questionnaire, specific instructions regarding your vitamin D intake will be emailed to you within 2 business days.
If I were to sit down with you in my office, one-on-one and discuss your vitamin D levels, it would cost you over $350 in consultation fees.
Fortunately, you won’t have to pay anywhere close to $350. In fact, you won’t even pay $100.
The regular price for this vitamin D email consult is $47.
However, for the remainder of March and the entire month of April, the price for my readers will only be $19. That's 60% off!
So book your Online Vitamin D Email Consultation before April 30th right here...
Introducing Easy-to-Use Natural Vitamin D3 Drops
I recently switched the brand of vitamin D3 my family and I personally take as well as recommend to my patients. It's in a liquid drop form.
Not only is it more convenient to take, it's much more absorbable than regular vitamin D3 tablets since they put it through a special emulsification and micellized process.
When taken in this more absorbable form, vitamin D3 has been shown to significantly improve blood levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D.
That in itself was a good enough reason for me to switch brands.
Even better, I later found out another amazing fact about this bottle that confirmed my decision...
Each drop has 1000 international units of natural vitamin D3 and there are 1200 drops per tiny 30ml bottle!!
You'd never find a bottle of vitamin D that had 1200 tablets or capsules! And if you did, the price would be outrageous! I've done the math.
You'd have to purchase 13 bottles at 90 capsules per bottle to get about 1200 doses. That would cost you about $65.
The cost for one 30ml bottle of highly absorbable liquid vitamin D3 is $29.95 (Canadian dollars) plus $20 shipping and handling (only to residents of U.S. and Canada).
However, for a limited time, I'm offering my loyal readers a savings with the purchase of 3 or more bottles.
You might want to consider buying an extra few bottles for family members, friends and/or co-workers. It'll keep them healthier and will save you money.
However, there's a limit of 6 bottles per person.
Great Deal! - 1 Bottle Vitamin D3 Drops (30ml)
Regular Price: $29.95
Even Better Deal! - 3 Bottles Vitamin D3 Drops (30ml)
Regular Price: $89.85
Your Price: $71.88
You Save: $17.97 (20%)
The Best Deal! - 6 Bottles Vitamin D3 Drops (30ml)
Regular Price: $179.70
Your Price: $125.79
You Save: $53.91 (30%)
Click on the appropriate "Buy Now" button beside the number of bottles you'd like to purchase.
You'll then be brought to a secure PayPal order page. Make sure you see the appropriate number of bottles you selected. On this PayPal page the total price you see will include a shipping and handling fee of $20.
If you have a PayPal account, login and make your payment. If you do not have a PayPal account, go to the link in the bottom left corner that says...
... and click on the word "continue."
Then fill out your payment information and your order will be complete.
The bottles will be shipped within 2 business days. It'll take anywhere from 5 - 10 business days to arrive in the United States and 2 to 3 days in Canada.
Unfortunately, we can only ship to the U.S. and Canada.
Once processed and shipped, my assistant Cindy, will email you an invoice with the mail tracking number so you can track your package.
If you don't feel comfortable ordering online, simply email me (drmauro@thenaturopath.ca) or phone my clinic directly (519-739-2402) and we can process the order over the phone.
If you live in the Essex County region and want to save yourself $20 (S&H), I recommend that you email me or phone my clinic to place your order and pick it up when it arrives.
Yours in Natural Health,
Dr. Karlo Mauro, BSc, BA, MSEd, ND
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
