By David Muir, PH.D
Once upon a time, in the damp, fog-choked alleyways of 17th-century Northern Europe, children were stumbling around on bendy, rubbery legs. Physicians of the day were baffled by this new phenomenon of crooked bones and bowlegs. Some blamed it on bad air, some on under-ripe potatoes, and others, less scientifically inclined, on witches’ spells.
Fast forward to the 19th century, where industrialization kept fewer peasants from frolicking in fields and more kids working long shifts in soot-filled factories. This result was an epidemic of “soft bones”—a condition we now know as rickets— and it became widespread.
Doctors were stumped. “What these children need,” one said, “is a good dose of cod liver oil.” And indeed, kids all over Europe were promptly traumatized by the taste of cod liver oil. But lo and behold, their bones improved. Nobody knew why—just that it worked.
Then in the early 20th century, researchers started analyzing fish liver oils and found a substance that helped bones grow properly. Scientists named it vitamin D, because D comes after A, B, and C.
But how did cod liver oil and healthy bones connect to sunshine?
Enter the ultraviolet light-bulb. In the 1920s, physicians discovered that UV light could readily cure rickets. Children were placed under UV lamps like a movie star in a tanning bed and, ta-da!, their bones straightened out. It then became obvious that the UV rays in natural sunlight could trigger a natural reaction in the skin that magically (okay, chemically) created vitamin D.
The “sunshine vitamin” was officially born, and rickets was mostly kicked to the curb. It was soon recognized that Vitamin D was not only vital for bone health, but also for calcium absorption, inflammation regulation, cell growth and support of the immune and cardiovascular systems.
Then in 1935, a German chemist was awarded the Nobel Prize for his breakthrough laboratory synthesis of vitamin D enabling large scale production and widespread use as a supplement. Milk producers soon got in on the act and began marketing milk fortified with vitamin D. This had the added benefit of giving parents yet another reason to insist, “Drink your milk!” However, according to the USDA, only 20% of adults in the U.S. drink milk regularly.
It is now widely accepted that 10-30 minutes of direct sunlight exposure daily (or a few hours per week) ensures sufficient vitamin D production in the skin. It is important to know that vitamin D production in your skin requires being exposed to DIRECT sunlight that is best at high noon. Easy enough, a walk in the park. So why does vitamin D deficiency remain a concern? Well, one reason is that many people don’t get enough exposure to direct sunlight, such as those in colder climates with long, dull winters. Also, these days people, especially the office-bound and elderly, spend less time outdoors to avoid the summer heat. And then there’s the overarching concern of the dreaded skin cancer attributed to direct sunlight exposure. Sunscreen, SPF-rated cloaks, and wide-brimmed hats block sunlight absorption and negate vitamin D production. Who knew? Otherwise, while the vitamin is found in certain foods like fatty fish, its intake is insufficient in many diets.
Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency can include bone and joint pain, muscle weakness, fatigue and even hair loss. If you’re over 50 these may be a common experience…right? However, like age-related issues, these foreshadowing symptoms of vitamin D deficiency occur gradually, and are initially subtle and undiagnosed. Vitamin D levels are easily determined but are not routinely tested as part of blood work with an annual examine. So, with any concerns you might have, it is easy to ask that your level of vitamin D is tested along with routine blood work. The sunny side is that there are simple and effective ways to correct this deficiency…without retching on cod liver oil.
