Sickle cell disease is a disease of black people. It causes a usually fatal anemia and is marked by sickle-shaped red blood cells. It is also characterized by joint pain, fever, leg ulcers, and jaundice. It has recently been reported that vitamin D deficiency is five times more common among blacks who have sickle cell disease.[1] [2] Whether the disease, thought to be totally genetic, could be prevented by maintaining vitamin D at optimal levels is unknown.
We do know that vitamin D treatment of sickle cell patients increases bone density,[3] and it is likely that raising vitamin D to optimal levels would reduce the high risk of degenerative diseases that are found in all African Americans with low levels (see my previous posts on the subject). In my opinion, it is imperative to act immediately to assure that African Americans and all Americans optimize their blood levels of vitamin D. The research is in; the conclusion that vitamin D deficiency is causing a health crisis is incontrovertible. The time to act is now!
[1] Rovner, A. et al. High risk of vitamin D deficiency in children with sickle cell disease. J Am Diet Assoc. 2008;108:1512-6.
[2] Buison, A. et al. Low vitamin D status in children with sickle cell disease. J Pediatr. 2004;145:622-7.
[3] Adewoye, A. Sickle cell bone disease: response to vitamin D and calcium. Am J Hematol. 2008;83:271-4.
Showing posts with label African American Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label African American Health. Show all posts
Monday, December 15, 2008
African Americans, Part 3: Vitamin D and Rickets
Rickets, a deforming, crippling bone disease of infants and young children, is a well-established vitamin D-deficiency disease. Children with adequate levels of vitamin D simply don’t get rickets. Nevertheless, rickets has made a comeback, and between 1990 and 2000 increased by 400% among black children.[1] The reasons:
1. The Powers of Darkness (the POD or sunscare industry) insist that all children be “protected” from sunlight, meaning that the most natural method of vitamin D production—sunlight exposure—is denied to infants, young children and expectant mothers—mothers who must produce sufficient vitamin D to meet their own needs and the needs of both their unborn babies. Sunscreen “protection” reduces vitamin D synthesis in the skin by 99.5%[2]. This is a disaster for black children and expectant mothers who are already vitamin D-deficient.
2. The food that is fortified with vitamin D for mass consumption is milk; however, much of the black population is intolerant to lactose (milk sugar) and cannot drink milk. This intolerance has been known of for decades, and yet the “authorities” continue to fortify a food not conducive to health in black Americans. Was this done purposely? I certainly hope not. It is probably incompetence rather than conspiracy, but it seems too stupid.
3. Black skin can take 6 times longer than white skin to make a given amount of vitamin D.[3] Therefore, to suggest that African Americans avoid the sunlight is criminal. Yet, despite protestations to the contrary by the POD, we have become a nation of indoor dwellers—perhaps the only true cave men that ever existed. This assures that blacks, who already have a very difficult time making vitamin D, are further denied this life-giving hormone.
When these factors combine, they produce the vitamin D deficiencies that lead to rickets—a 100% preventable disease. The POD are responsible for the resurgence of this disease.
Will the Powers of Darkness be overcome by light and truth or will they continue to spread the message that results in death and destruction?
[1] Schwartz, R. Science News Aug 17, 2000.
[2] Matsuoka, L. et al. Sunscreens suppress cutaneous vitamin D3 synthesis. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 1987; 64:1165-68.
[3] Harris, S. et al. Seasonal changes in plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations of young American black and white women. Am J Clin Nutr 1998;67:1232-36.
1. The Powers of Darkness (the POD or sunscare industry) insist that all children be “protected” from sunlight, meaning that the most natural method of vitamin D production—sunlight exposure—is denied to infants, young children and expectant mothers—mothers who must produce sufficient vitamin D to meet their own needs and the needs of both their unborn babies. Sunscreen “protection” reduces vitamin D synthesis in the skin by 99.5%[2]. This is a disaster for black children and expectant mothers who are already vitamin D-deficient.
2. The food that is fortified with vitamin D for mass consumption is milk; however, much of the black population is intolerant to lactose (milk sugar) and cannot drink milk. This intolerance has been known of for decades, and yet the “authorities” continue to fortify a food not conducive to health in black Americans. Was this done purposely? I certainly hope not. It is probably incompetence rather than conspiracy, but it seems too stupid.
3. Black skin can take 6 times longer than white skin to make a given amount of vitamin D.[3] Therefore, to suggest that African Americans avoid the sunlight is criminal. Yet, despite protestations to the contrary by the POD, we have become a nation of indoor dwellers—perhaps the only true cave men that ever existed. This assures that blacks, who already have a very difficult time making vitamin D, are further denied this life-giving hormone.
When these factors combine, they produce the vitamin D deficiencies that lead to rickets—a 100% preventable disease. The POD are responsible for the resurgence of this disease.
Will the Powers of Darkness be overcome by light and truth or will they continue to spread the message that results in death and destruction?
[1] Schwartz, R. Science News Aug 17, 2000.
[2] Matsuoka, L. et al. Sunscreens suppress cutaneous vitamin D3 synthesis. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 1987; 64:1165-68.
[3] Harris, S. et al. Seasonal changes in plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations of young American black and white women. Am J Clin Nutr 1998;67:1232-36.
Sunlight, vitamin D and African Americans, Part 2
In my previous post, I discussed reasons to believe that the generally poor health of African Americans is due in large part to vitamin deficiency. Here are more reasons to believe that the need for vitamin D is critical among this population.
1. Heart disease is twice as prevalent among black men as white men.[1] Although part of the discrepancy may be due to more smoking among black men, it is probable that a significant part is due to vitamin D deficiency. Low sun exposure and low vitamin D levels correlate to increased inflammation, higher cholesterol and hypertension, all risk factors for heart disease.
2. Heart failure is also much more common among blacks[2]—not surprising since we know the efficacy of vitamin D in preventing heart failure.
Now let’s discuss what is perhaps the most important study for African Americans. It is often argued that the excessive rates of cancer, diabetes, hypertension, etc. among African Americans are due to lack of access to health care. If that were the case, black physicians would have approximately the same lower rates of disease as their white counterparts, since black physicians obviously have high access to health care. However, research shows that even black physicians have a much higher incidence of cancer than their white counterparts.[3] But when black physicians have habits that provide higher vitamin D levels, they have approximately the same cancer rates as white physicians. Had the rates of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and other diseases also been studied, along with measurements of serum vitamin D levels, I believe the pattern would have been even more clearly established.
Since African Americans have only 50-75% of the serum levels of vitamin D as whites,5 part—perhaps a large part—of the discrepancy between the health of the races could be rectified by nothing more than vitamin D supplementation of about 5,000 IU daily. That is very good news indeed!
[1] USA Department of Health and Human Services 1998. Tobacco Use Among USA Racial/Ethnic Minority Groups — African Americans, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: USA Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[2] American Heart Association. Heart and stroke statistics – 2004 update.
[3] Giovannucci, E. et al. Cancer Incidence and Mortality and Vitamin D in Black and White Male Health Professionals: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006;15:2467–72.
1. Heart disease is twice as prevalent among black men as white men.[1] Although part of the discrepancy may be due to more smoking among black men, it is probable that a significant part is due to vitamin D deficiency. Low sun exposure and low vitamin D levels correlate to increased inflammation, higher cholesterol and hypertension, all risk factors for heart disease.
2. Heart failure is also much more common among blacks[2]—not surprising since we know the efficacy of vitamin D in preventing heart failure.
Now let’s discuss what is perhaps the most important study for African Americans. It is often argued that the excessive rates of cancer, diabetes, hypertension, etc. among African Americans are due to lack of access to health care. If that were the case, black physicians would have approximately the same lower rates of disease as their white counterparts, since black physicians obviously have high access to health care. However, research shows that even black physicians have a much higher incidence of cancer than their white counterparts.[3] But when black physicians have habits that provide higher vitamin D levels, they have approximately the same cancer rates as white physicians. Had the rates of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and other diseases also been studied, along with measurements of serum vitamin D levels, I believe the pattern would have been even more clearly established.
Since African Americans have only 50-75% of the serum levels of vitamin D as whites,5 part—perhaps a large part—of the discrepancy between the health of the races could be rectified by nothing more than vitamin D supplementation of about 5,000 IU daily. That is very good news indeed!
[1] USA Department of Health and Human Services 1998. Tobacco Use Among USA Racial/Ethnic Minority Groups — African Americans, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: USA Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[2] American Heart Association. Heart and stroke statistics – 2004 update.
[3] Giovannucci, E. et al. Cancer Incidence and Mortality and Vitamin D in Black and White Male Health Professionals: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006;15:2467–72.
Critical vitamin D deficiency and critically poor health among African Americans: Part 1
Why do African Americans suffer more from heart disease, cancer, hypertension, diabetes and other degenerative diseases than white Americans? One reason is that vitamin D deficiency is far more common in blacks.
In my book, I documented the relationship of vitamin D deficiency to dramatically increased risk of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and numerous other diseases and conditions--105 in all. If dark-skinned Americans are more likely to be deficient, it stands to reason that they would be more likely to succumb to those diseases.
Here are some interesting facts that relate vitamin D deficiency to poor health in black Americans:
1. When USA white and black women are compared for vitamin D levels, black women are ten times more likely to be vitamin D deficient.[1]
2. In patients in Minneapolis, Minnesota who were being treated for chronic pain, 100% of African Americans, along with Native Americans, East Africans and Hispanics were vitamin D deficient.[2]
3. Vitamin D is known to be a potent inhibitor of tuberculosis. African Americans have lower resistance to tuberculosis, lower levels of D and lower ability to produce cathelicidin, a natural internal bactericide.[3]
4. A 37-year-old disabled Black woman with myopathy (a muscle disease) and severe vitamin D deficiency was able to leave her wheelchair and function normally after six weeks of vitamin D therapy.[4]
5. Vitamin D deficiency leads to increased death from the major internal cancers, and a disproportionate number of those cancer deaths occur in African Americans.[5] Dr. William Grant, in summarizing the findings of his study on African Americans and cancer, wrote that “Solar UVB was found significantly inversely correlated with mortality rates for breast, colon, esophageal, gastric and rectal cancers for black Americans.” Other research in 2008 corroborated his findings, showing that in the Southeast USA, vitamin D deficiency is about four times more common in African Americans as whites, suggesting that the greater cancer risks among African Americans is due to that deficiency.[6]
Shortly I will post another blog citing research that further establishes vitamin D deficiency as a likely culprit in the poor health of dark-skinned Americans.
[1] Nesby-O’Dell, S. et al. Hypovitaminosis D prevalence and determinants among African American and white women of reproductive age: third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1994. Am J Clin Nutr 2002;76:187-92.
[2] Plotnikoff G. et al. Prevalence of severe hypovitaminosis D in patients with persistent, nonspecific musculoskeletal pain. Mayo Clin Proc. 2003;78:1463-70.
[3] Liu, P. et al. Toll-like receptor triggering of a vitamin D-mediated human antimicrobial response. Science. 2006;311:1770-73.
[4] Prabhala, A. et al. Severe myopathy associated with vitamin D deficiency in western New York. Arch Intern Med 2000;160:1199-1203.
[5] Grant, W. Lower vitamin-D production from solar ultraviolet-B irradiance may explain some differences in cancer survival rates. JNMA 2006;98:364
[6] Egan, K. et al. Vitamin D insufficiency among African Americans in the southeastern United States: implications for cancer disparities (United States). Cancer Causes Control 2008;19:527-35.
In my book, I documented the relationship of vitamin D deficiency to dramatically increased risk of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and numerous other diseases and conditions--105 in all. If dark-skinned Americans are more likely to be deficient, it stands to reason that they would be more likely to succumb to those diseases.
Here are some interesting facts that relate vitamin D deficiency to poor health in black Americans:
1. When USA white and black women are compared for vitamin D levels, black women are ten times more likely to be vitamin D deficient.[1]
2. In patients in Minneapolis, Minnesota who were being treated for chronic pain, 100% of African Americans, along with Native Americans, East Africans and Hispanics were vitamin D deficient.[2]
3. Vitamin D is known to be a potent inhibitor of tuberculosis. African Americans have lower resistance to tuberculosis, lower levels of D and lower ability to produce cathelicidin, a natural internal bactericide.[3]
4. A 37-year-old disabled Black woman with myopathy (a muscle disease) and severe vitamin D deficiency was able to leave her wheelchair and function normally after six weeks of vitamin D therapy.[4]
5. Vitamin D deficiency leads to increased death from the major internal cancers, and a disproportionate number of those cancer deaths occur in African Americans.[5] Dr. William Grant, in summarizing the findings of his study on African Americans and cancer, wrote that “Solar UVB was found significantly inversely correlated with mortality rates for breast, colon, esophageal, gastric and rectal cancers for black Americans.” Other research in 2008 corroborated his findings, showing that in the Southeast USA, vitamin D deficiency is about four times more common in African Americans as whites, suggesting that the greater cancer risks among African Americans is due to that deficiency.[6]
Shortly I will post another blog citing research that further establishes vitamin D deficiency as a likely culprit in the poor health of dark-skinned Americans.
[1] Nesby-O’Dell, S. et al. Hypovitaminosis D prevalence and determinants among African American and white women of reproductive age: third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1994. Am J Clin Nutr 2002;76:187-92.
[2] Plotnikoff G. et al. Prevalence of severe hypovitaminosis D in patients with persistent, nonspecific musculoskeletal pain. Mayo Clin Proc. 2003;78:1463-70.
[3] Liu, P. et al. Toll-like receptor triggering of a vitamin D-mediated human antimicrobial response. Science. 2006;311:1770-73.
[4] Prabhala, A. et al. Severe myopathy associated with vitamin D deficiency in western New York. Arch Intern Med 2000;160:1199-1203.
[5] Grant, W. Lower vitamin-D production from solar ultraviolet-B irradiance may explain some differences in cancer survival rates. JNMA 2006;98:364
[6] Egan, K. et al. Vitamin D insufficiency among African Americans in the southeastern United States: implications for cancer disparities (United States). Cancer Causes Control 2008;19:527-35.
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