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Toggle Health Problems and D

Criteria to associate a health problem with low vitamin D

A large number of health probems are associated with low vitamin D - see left column or chart below

If a health problem has more than 7 of the following factors then I believe that vitamin D deficiency is the cause and addtional Vitamin D might prevent/treat it

  1. It has increased significantly recently ( 2X in a decade on average)
  2. Health problem increase has occured around the world, not just the US
  3. Occurs more often when Far from Equator - but this factor has been decreasing during the past 20-30 years
    people can now stay indoors, thanks to air conditioning
  4. Season- problem is worse in Spring when the vitamin D in the blood is the lowest
    Can now also happen in the Summer in the tropics if you can afford the air conditioning to stay away from the hot sun.
  5. Disease frequncy varies with Season of Birth
  6. Overweight - fat ties up a lot of vitamin D and the obese often do not feel comfortable out of doors
  7. Smoking - ties up vitamin D
  8. Medical problems which reduce vitamin D - MS, kidney, gut, liver, kidney, Bariatric Surgery, Cancer,..
  9. Dark skin - who get about 1/4 the amount of vitamin D per minute in the sun as those with light skin
  10. Seniors - who also get about 1/4 of the vitamin D per minute similar to those with dark skins - for a different reason
  11. Higher risk of the health problem if in another category for being at high-risk of being vitamin D deficient (besides overweight, senior, smoking, dark skin, shut-in)   such as: pregnancy, excessive clothing, red-hair,
  12. Atmospheric haze - which reduces the UVB getting to the people - typically in cities
  13. Problem gets worse when taking a drug which reduces vitamin D
  14. A Patent has been issued for Vitamin D to treat or prevent the health problem
    such as: Breast and many other cancers, Obesity, Bone loss, Prostate, Fall prevention, stroke and other Cardiovascular, Immune system, heal wounds and reduce scars, Kidney disease, Diabetes, improve fertility, decrease pregnancy problems, (SAD), multiple sclerosis, chemoprevention of cancer, accelerate fracture healing, metabolic syndrome, periodontitis, gingivitis, endometreosis, hair loss, asthma, allergy, etc.
  15. The health problem is strongly associated with a vitamin D related disease
  16. Worse around the age of weaning from formula which had been fortified with vitamin D
  17. Is more common in rich families – who are more likely to apply sun screen,stay indoors, and want lighter skin
  18. Health problem is REDUCED by Ultraviolet light - from sun or UVB bulbs
  19. More in urban areas – less UVB in urban environments
  20. Less at high altitude - where there is more UVB ( Hypothesis: Colorado has the best UV (and thus best health) in the US )
  21. Less if person works outdoors 8X more likely to die if work indoors (1915)
  22. Worse in areas with increased clouds and rain - keeping people indoors, also, there is less UVB when outdoors
  23. Worse if born less than 12 months after previous sibling or as a twin - both of which reduces infant vitamin D levels
  24. A meta-analysis of the disease has found an association with low vitamin D
  25. Intervention with vitamin D has been found the prevent or treat the disease

The following chart shows the current associations

Less Sun Less D Less Health

Possible interactions and vicious circles

Possible Vitamin D Interactions


 Hill's Criteria to associate a health problem with something like vitamin D

CriterionDefining Question
Strength of the associationIs there a large difference in the outcome between exposed and non-exposed persons?
Consistency of the observed associationHas the outcome been observed by multiple researchers,
in various circumstances, places and at different times?
Specificity of the associationAre there specific persons or geographic locations associated with specific outcomes?
Temporality
(temporal relationship of the association)
Does the cause always precede the effect?
Biological gradientIs there a dose-response curve?
Plausibility of the biologyIs the suspected causation consistent with current knowledge of biology?
CoherenceAre there any serious conflicts with the biology or natural history of the disease?
Experiment (experimental
or quasi-experimental evidence)
Has an observed association led to a preventive action that has prevented the outcome?
AnalogyIs there an analogous exposure and outcome?

See also Vitamin D Life

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