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pooka
	Age: 33 Country: Canada Province/region: BC City: Cranbrook Partner: Sean Children: Yes, 4 Pregnant: Not anymore Occupation: sahm
	Online: More than 3 months ago Last updated: 883 days ago. Member since: 1518 days
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11-9-2009 - Vitamin D and immunity

My mood while writing this blog:
Ok

I originally wrote this for the Holistic Parents site that I created but figured since the worry about the swine flu was coming up I would share it here as well. If your interested in reading more articles and getting involved in that site the link is Holistic Parenting just send a message where you got the link so I can approve you.

So for the past while I have been getting very interested in the function of vitamin D and your bodies immune response. The more I read the more I an honestly convinced that raising a persons vitamin D supply for the winter months, especially while pregnant might go a very long way to providing some really good defense from flu’s and colds etc. Some of the information I have found includes the idea that through evolution some species have used Vitamin D as a way to mediate the production of what are called “cathelicidin antimicrobial peptides” these function in the human body in a number of ways. One of these is to work at destroying pathogens, including bacteria and viruses. Given this extreme importance vitamin D plays in our bodies the fact that some studies have show that 50% or more adults and children are deficient in Vitamin D it is no wonder we see increase in flu epidemics and other negative effects.

Vitamin D works in the body by allowing the proper function of what is called our ‘innate’ immune system. This is different to our ‘adaptive’ immune system which is what we think of when we go get immunized against an illness or we develop immunities through sickness. Our innate immune system works as a more front line and immediate response to pathogens. It also has a crucial roll in regulating our adaptive immune system so it does not over react. When our adaptive system over reacts we see things such as; inflammation of the skin (ie. allergic reaction) and illnesses of an autoimmune or degenerative nature. Both systems have to work in a delicate balance for our total immune system to be healthy and function properly.

One thing I found extremely interesting is the connection between the ‘flu’ season and the obvious dive in vitamin D during the winter months for most people. Previously it has been said that the winter month become the flu season because people are more crowded and spend more time indoors around each other. In support of the argument for vitamin D deficiency and the connection to the increase in colds and flu’s we also see a great decline in the time people spend in the sun. If 50% of people are deficient they are lacking the essential levels to utilize the body’s innate and first line of defense against colds and flu’s so they become infected and have to rely on the body’s adaptive response. This process instead of antimicrobials relies on the building of specific antibodies which take time to build and produce. So we have a greater period of time for the flu or spread to the next immune depressed person, and the next, etc until we have an epidemic. Some research has even suggested that increasing intake of vitamin D in the general public would be more efficient and effective then mass immunization programs which involve a slight amount of guess work and bank on the fact the flu virus’ from the southern hemisphere do not mutate before they infect those in the northern one.

One other very interesting connection is that studies show pregnant women in the later stages, primarily trimester 2 and 3, are much more susceptible to colds and flu’s. This is especially reported in winter pregnancies. During these last months of development the fetus is consuming great amounts of the mother’s vitamin D for the growth of bones and healthy development. It makes sense that an already likely depleted system would be further strained during these important months resulting in a lowered immune system, even further affected by a winter pregnancy.

Now how much vitamin D do we need? This is up for debate but from what I have read most supplements are coming no where near what is show as necessary or strongly effective in rebuilding the deficient stores. Most people know that vitamin D comes from the sun and that yes with adequate exposure we can provide our bodies with enough vitamin D as to not be deficient. However, what people do not realize is that by wearing sunscreen, hats, clothing, sunglasses we are blocking our body’s ability to absorb what it needs from the sun. Danger to exposure of the suns harmful rays has increased our need to protect our skin which as in turn lowered the ability for our bodies to get adequate levels of vitamin D. On top of that it seems there is also a connection between how much vitamin D a person needs and their BMI (body max index) in the ever increasing levels of obesity and higher average BMI then in past years we could very well be requiring even more supplemented vitamin D then suspected.

So we take prenatal and multi vitamins and get enough, right? Wrong. Studies on the amount of vitamin D that the body needs are conflicting and understudied. Most recent studies seem to suggest that the amount we believed in the past was required does nothing to rebuild stores and maintain a healthy level, especially in pregnant mothers during winter months in northern climates. Support for this is an ever increased amount of cases of rickets in infants born to these mothers, despite the use of prenatal vitamins. Take for example a woman pregnant in the winter months in Edmonton Canada. From October until March vitamin D production through the skin is basically non-existent. We know that full bodied brief sun exposure in the summer can produce up to 20 000 IU of Vitamin D. Many believe this to be the necessary amount to maintain our body’s functions properly. Prenatal vitamins have on average 200–400 IU per dose per day. Obviously this number is grossly insufficient to the needs of a normal healthy person, let alone a body that is supporting the growth and development of another.

Now the effects of deficiently as I have already discovered includes lowered immediate immune response, contributing to the ever increasing commonality of flu epidemic but there are many other possible effects being studied. Some of these include: , osteoporosis (9); asthma (10); autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis (11) and inflammatory bowel diseases (12); diabetes (13); disturbed muscle function (14); resistance to tuberculosis (15); and the pathogenesis of specific types of cancer (including colorectal cancer) [http://cps.ca/english/statements/ii/fnim07-01.htm]

I am honestly convinced there is a huge connection between vitamin D deficiency and over all health. I believe this definitely needs more study and will keep an eye out and continue to do more reading myself on the effects of vitamin D. Of course this article is my opinion and interpretation of what I have read, I am not a scientist or doctor, just a concerned pregnant woman with children. Please do your own studying and make your own choices.

More sources:
Vitamin D supplementation: Recommendations for Canadian mothers and infants

Getting Vitamin D During Pregnancy

Nutritional vitamin D status during pregnancy: reasons for concern

Experts prescribe massive increase of vitamin D

Epidemic Influenza And Vitamin D

1 Comments on Vitamin D and immunity

newmomeve - Saturday, 12 Sep
Hi Pooka :)Thanks for addressing this! I've also been reading a lot about Vitamin D. Canada is giving 600,000 IU shots once a year (in place of flu shots). In addition, Canada is recommending 2,000 IUs /day for pregnant women. Another article I read said minimum 5,000 IU for pregnant women, so a little confusing for me what's what. My midwife said 800 IUs max, which I obviously think is ill informed. I'm really uncertain though how much I should be taking per day?? Then of course, there's my husband. Seems like he should definitely be taking 5000 IUs per day going into flu season (we are both teachers). BUT, one article I read says a high level of Vitamin D could interupt the efficacy of the flu shot, which we both plan to get this year (the regular one, and me without the mercury). I have not decided what to do yet about the H1N1 shot, sort of waiting for more studies to come out. Thinking maybe my husband should get it, so he doesn't bring it home to me or the baby. And maybe I will get it if I can find it without mercury or adjuvents. The vitamin D thing is still confusing for me. There is a therapeutic dose to take during an acute epidsode of flu, for 3 days you would take 1000 IUs for every pound of body weight. It's supposed to prevent that awful thing that happens when the bodie's own immune system attacks the lungs :( Would this level of Vitamin D interfere with Tamiflu? It's just so hard to know what the is the right thing to do :-\ So I guess my questions are:1) can you still get the flu shot if you are taking an increased dose of Vitamin D?2) what dose should I be taking (2,000 or 5,000)? What does should my husband be taking (5,000?) 3) What is the dose to take if one has an acute episode of flu? Can this dose be taken in conjunction with Tamiflu?4) Who can answer these questions!?!?thanks, Eve

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