Book Review: The Vitamin D Cure

Two days ago, one of you posted a link to this book on another discussion. I thought it sounded interesting, so I ordered it. It came in yesterday afternoon and I spent the rest of the day devouring it. Terrific book. And it answers many different questions various members of the osteoporis forums have been asking in many ways and in many different discussions.

The primary author of this book is James E. Dowd, M.D., F.A.C.R. He's an Associate Professor of Medicine at Michigan State University, founder and director of both the Arthritis Institute of Michigan and the Michigan Arthritis Research Center. He is board certified in general internal medicine, adult rheumatology, and pediatric rheumatology. He is wide published. Some of you may have seen him on TV or heard him on radio. For those of you who enjoy references, Dr. Dowd provides more than 34 pages in this book. I've even actually read some of the articles.

The book is full of charts and graphs and tables to help you determine your risk of Vitamin D deficiency, to determine the amount you should be supplementing, and the like. For those of you attempting to improve your help with diet and exercise, there is an entire section of recipes to help you balance the acid-alkaline section of your diet.

The important thing to remember is that this is not a book about osteoporosis. It is a book about the workings of vitamin D itself. But it's fun and easy to read and deals with many diseases that can be linked to vitamin D deficiency.

One of the most interesting comments he has to make concerning supplementation is that one size does NOT fit all. So he supplements based on many factors and prescribes the amount of IUs (international units) you should take each day based on your WEIGHT. And that's a big change from "take 800 to 1000 IUs a day." Dr. Dowd, backed by the research he cites, says that this is not nearly enough for MOST people.

To take his Vitamin D Risk Analysis Quiz, go to www.thevitamindcure.com.

One quote that might interest some of you: "Osteoporosis is a disease that begins before birth and in childhood with vitamin D deficiency, dietary imbalance, and lack of exercise."

As adults, vitamin D can't change time, but it can reverse and regulate the remodeling of bones.

I would be interested to learning whether any of the rest of you have read the book and whether or not you agree with his conclusions.

By SusanRae
Posted September 11, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Report post

Hi Millie,

Based on the same recommendation that you followed, I reserved the book at the library. It's in transit so it may be ready for pick-up tonight.

Susan

By SequoiaHealth
Posted September 12, 2009 at 6:09 am
Report post

Hi All:
I believe Dr. Cannell’s site is better and more up to date. His site and recommendations for vitamin D are top notch www.vitamindcouncil.org.

If you have further questions or if you want to join our support group please feel free to email me at bebonestrong@sequoiahealth.com.

Woody McMahon

By millie123
Posted September 12, 2009 at 8:39 am
Report post

Woody: I like the vitamin D Council site also. But the book is informative. Not many people are as informed as you are on the subject. Note: I like the fact that the home tests links on that site use a lab that uses the DiaSorin method.

By DeskJockey101
Posted September 13, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Report post

"One quote that might interest some of you: "Osteoporosis is a disease that begins before birth and in childhood with vitamin D deficiency, dietary imbalance, and lack of exercise.""

AS I THINK BACK ON MY CHILDHOOD I AM NOT SURPRISED I HAVE OSTEPOROSIS, WE WERE VERY POOR, HAD POOR EATING HABITS AND ABSOLUTELY NO EXERCISE OUTSIDE OF NORMAL PLAY - I ACTUALLY DID NOT GET INTO EXERCISE UNTILL THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WHERE I AM MORE REGULAR WITH WHAT I DO ... I HAVE TO SAY I BELIEVE THAT THIS BEGAN AS A CHILD - AT LESS THEN 6 WK OLD I WAS RUSHED TO HOSPITAL SUFFERING FROM MAL NUTRITION BECAUSE MY MOM'S MILK WAS BAD... NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT TO PICK UP HEALTHIER HABITS. I'LL LOOK INTO THE BOOK AND SHARE IT WITH MY DAUGHTER WHEN SHE IS HERE,MAYBE THEY CAN HELP AVOID THIS...
THANKS,
LINDIE, AKA DESKJOCKEY101

By SusanRae
Posted September 14, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Report post

Hi Woody,

Do you know if Dr. Cannel has a book? I don't have the internet at home and don't get that much time on the library computers. He doesn't have any books in my library system.

I can skim websites, but can't do a lot of in-depth reading.

Thanks.

By DeskJockey101
Posted September 15, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Report post

AFTER READING THROUGH THIS POST AND SEEING MUCH REFERENCE TO VITAMIN D I DID SOME SEARCHING ABOUT IT OFF THIS SITE. ACCORDING TO HEALTH CANADA, YOU CAN OVER DO VITAMIN D AND CREATE OTHER HEALTH PROBLEMS.

HEALTH CANADA RECOMMENDS A DAILY 400 UI FOR THOSE MY AGE, MID 50'S, BUT THE MAX THEY RECOMMEND IS 2000 UI AS THE "AI" AND THIS IS AS ESTABLISHED BY THE INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE OF THE NATIONAL ACADAMIES (IOM).

I JUST THOUGHT I WOULD MENTION THAT HERE, BUT I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO READING THE BOOK AND SEEING WHAT IS BEING SUGGESTED...

PS: I WRITE IN CAPS BECAUSE OF AN EYE CONDITION, NOT INTENDING TO BE YELLING. THANK YOU.

By SusanRae
Posted September 16, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Report post

Experts' recommendations for vitamin D are all over the place. How do we know whom to believe? It's very confusing! I've been taking 1800 IU consistently for several months, and just got vitamin D 25-hydroxy test results of 28, far below optimal range of 50 (50-70 some say). I've been out in the sun this summer, too.

I'm finding the "Vitamin D Cure" informative. According to the author you need sunlight UV ratings in a moderate range or above (3+) to make vitamin D naturally. So far today, in my locale--even though it's 72 degrees and sunny--we've been at 1-2 UV, so no vitamin-Sunshine for me today. You can check the weather channel for your zip code's UV rating.

I'm trying 5,000 IU for a while to see what happens. I will have another test to make sure I don't reach toxic levels.

I've skimmed Dr. Cannel's website and found that informative, too, but i can't sit at the computer and read for hours on end, nor can I print out pages and pages to read later. So it's books for me, for the most part.

Take care!

By millie123
Posted September 16, 2009 at 4:59 pm
Report post

Does sound as though you're severely deficient, SusanRae. You may be one of those who needs to go to an endo doc and get prescription strength D2 until your levels begin to get a little better. Remember, I got 50,000 per week in addition to the 5600 I was getting in my calcium supplement. And I started off at 37, not 27. Of course, that supplement I took was only for about 4 months. Since then, much less, as noted. Glad you're enjoying the book. Like you, I need something I can hold in my hand and read and re-read.

By SusanRae
Posted September 16, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Report post

Hi Millie123 ~

My endo doc was very disapproving when I told him the naturopath had given me 5,000 IU last year, with no plans for follow-up testing. I had taken that amount for only 1.5 months when he had me drop down to 1,000 IU. The naturopath had measured me at 31. I had begun feeling better in that month and a half between the naturopath visit and the endo visit and attributed it to going gluten free. After reading the book opening and some case studies, now I wonder if it was the increased vitamin D that made me feel better for that short time.

I'm almost like Marta on page 40, except my calcium is a little high (I don't have the #s) and I don't think my PTH has been checked. But I have had an elevated C-reactive protein for the last couple of years, and pain and stiffness, high BP, etc. I've had some bony enlargement of some joints. I can't remember the last time I actually slept for more than three hours in a row. Years.

I'll be showing this book (and Marta's case study in particular) to my rheumatologist Monday, 9/21. She's baffled why I'm having arthritis symptoms when all the tests and x-rays came back pretty normal. Could it be as simple as low vitamin D or am I looking for a miracle cure?

I don't like what Dr. Dowd has to say about diet, though. I don't disagree--it's just painful to contemplate. I love whole grain breads and pastas. And cheese! I thought cheese was one of the four food groups. Doesn't it have its own special place on the food pyramid? I hate the thought of giving that up. I'm doing better at the veggies and fruits, though.

I'm taking the 5,000 IU capsules now and the endo's on board this time. I'm also getting 1400 and 800 IU in my calcium and multi-v supplements, respectively, for a total of 7200--for 18 days. When I run out of the 5,000 IU capsules--18 days--I'll just take 3x1,000 IU plus what I'm getting in my supplements. We'll take it from there.

I'm feeling a little better after only five days. Is that the placebo effect?

Gotta go. Thanks for the encouragement, Millie 123!

Susan

By SantaFe
Posted September 16, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Report post

Susan,
If your doctor is still concerned regarding 5,000IU and sadly doesn't have faith in naturopaths, tell him to go to heartscanblog. com by Dr. William Davis, a world-renowned and highly-respected cardiologist who writes The Heart Scan Blog, and invented the Track Your Plaque program and books. Type in vitamin D in the left corner search and all his articles on D will come up. Dr Davis has had great success in treating all his heart patients with natural methods instead of statins and stents.

He keeps excellent records and has been monitoring over 2,000 patients for Vitamin D levels and found consistently he has had to give most of them at least 5,000 IU a day to get up their D to optimum levels. he's been doing this for years and has great success stories with D---he was always skeptical about it until he saw the dramatic results in his patients.
Good luck with it! Santa Fe

By millie123
Posted September 17, 2009 at 9:06 am
Report post

Susan: I don't like the diet part of the book, either. I think I would starve! And the last thing I need to do is lose weight! Glad you're getting your doctors to listen to reason. I don't think most of them have been paying much attention to the higher D level people. However, handing over books and articles from prominent researchers sometimes helps. I always say "Here's what I've been reading, and I'm wondering if you can help me figure out whether this is valid or not." That is absolutely what I have to do with my endo. My GP accepts automatically that I read a lot and that I will ask questions and question until I feel comfortable with what is being prescribed. Both he and his PA have become accustomed to my calling back and asking them to prescribe something else because I've consulted WORST PILLS, BEST PILLS and seen a side effect that bothers me. Since I did go into anaphalactic shock back in 2001 because of a reaction to medication and my husband took me into their office instead of calling 911, they really don't want to see me in that condition again. So we laugh about it now, but we really watch it with me and medication. As a matter of fact, sometimes they will suggest that I take any new prescription down to the fire station and ask the paramedics to watch me for about 30 minutes to be sure nothing happens. And they're half serious about it. They know my husband is in sales and is often not there to rescue me.

By Tulsagal
Posted September 19, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Report post

VITAMIN D: Quoting from a site mentioned earlier,
http://www.vitamins-nutrition.org/vitamins/vitamin-d.html ,
a caution about too much Vitamin D: "Adequate calcium and magnesium, as well as other minerals, are important parts of vitamin D therapy. Without calcium and magnesium in sufficient quantities, vitamin-D
supplementation will withdraw calcium from the bone and will allow the uptake of toxic minerals. "

So one doc says take 5000 iu and another says not more than 4000 from ALL sources, INcluding food and sunlight. The more i read, the more frustrated i become.

That same site says LIQUID Vit D better absorbed, and then right below is an "ad" to purchase it. I don't trust websites that are SELLING something. argh!@$#!
..... Question #1: BUT....anyone know if one can buy liquid Vit D at a health food store or a walmart? I cant take pills because of a bone growth in roof of my mouth (caused, I think, by fosomax).

By Tulsagal
Posted September 19, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Report post

VITAMIN D FROM SUNLIGHT:
I once read that the Vitamin D comes from the sunlight rays absorbed, not through your skin, but through your eyes. Wearing sunglasses, thus, would prevent the benefits of sunshine. Of course you get cataracts early if you dont (catch 22 as usual). I dont believe everything i read--anyone else hear of such??

By millie123
Posted September 19, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Report post

Tulsagal: Sarah Meeks takes D drops, and on one of the many vitamin D threads here, I think she says where she gets them. Your sources are correct in that you need to balance with magnesium and calcium. However, this doctor cautions that if you get your D levels high enough and your diet balanced instead of acid, your need for calcium will be greatly reduced. So there are huge cautions everywhere on treating yourself without a doctor's supervision. I'll try to find the thread that has a reference on the drops and get back to you.

By bettyrenshaw
Posted September 25, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Report post

HI MILLIE
I HAVE THREE REASONS FOR THIS LETTER DAY. FIRST TO TELL TULSAGAL, THAT I THINK SHE IS GETTING CONFUSED WITH SUN LIGHT TO THE EYES CONVERSION
AND SUNLIGHT TO THE SKIN CONVERSION.THE FIRST CAUSING DEPRESSION BY TOO LITTLE SUN LIGHT FOR THE EYES, AND, IS NOT FOR MAKING VITAMIN D--WHICH IS THE JOB OF OUR SKIN.

TO EXPLAIN THAT---WINTERS ARE DEPRESSING, EVEN THE HOLIDAYS FOR SOME, WHO ARE NOT IN ENOUGH SUN LIGHT; EVEN STAY WITH DRAPES CLOSED? THEY GET DEPRESSED IN DEGREES, USUALLY JUST ENOUGH TO SPOIL CHRISTMAS FOR THEM. THAT IS LACK OF SUN LIGHT GAINED THROUGH THE EYES.. THERE ARE LIGHT BULBS FOR CORRECTION!

INTERESTING ISN'T IT--THAT WE CAN STORE VIT D, BUT NEED CALCIUM DAILY--THUS CAUSING IT TO BE CONSIDERED THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH DAILY CALCIUM INTAKE, AND TOO MUCH VIT D [TAKING 'D' ONCE A WEEK]?

MILLIE YOU RESPONDED TO A PUBLIC OR MEMBER POST THAT I MADE WHICH WAS WITHDRAWN==? I SUPPOSE DUE TO MY GIVING NAME OF THE AUTHOR OF A BOOK THAT I REFERENCED.

AUTHOR WAS TELLING HOW FOSOMAX, BONIVA, etc., [made of detergent] are HARMFUL AND LONG TERM [after getting off them] HARM.

IT WAS ALL SO GOOD AND CERTAINLY I WAS NOT --AS THEY PUT IT ''PROMOTING''THE BOOK.SO, I AM BUMFUZZLED.

I WAS EXPOUNDING TO MEMBERS---ON STILL ANOTHER SITE WHERE i WAS LEARNING MUCH ABOUT BALANCING THE BONE BUILDERS: CAL, MAG, VIT D AND K......

..BOTH MY POSTS WERE GOOD. I WAS VERY SERIOUSLY SENDING/SCREAMING OUT WHAT I WAS FINDING. ALSO, I COULD NOT RESPOND TO You, SINCE I DID NOT HAVE YOU IN MY-FRIENDS. I HAVE NOT YET LEARNED HOW TO INVITE==

SO I CAME OUT INTO THE FIELD==AND FOUND YOU HERE.
I HAVE BEEN MEMBER ONLY FEW DAYS ==LEARNING AND SEARCHING TIL I AM 'SWELLED' --AND WRITING EVERYONE ABOUT EVERYTHING. WHAT HAVE YOU GOT FOR ME?

By millie123
Posted September 25, 2009 at 6:33 pm
Report post

Betty: Click on my member name. My profile will come up. Then click on "Add as a friend." I will get an email. I click on that to accept. Then you can write me messages directly instead of just posting on discussion threads. That's true of any of us you see. Now the trick here is that some people don't want a lot of friends, so someone may or may not accept. Also, remember that some of us go away from the computer occasionally. But that's how you do it :).

Welcome to Inspire!

Explore topics in this discussion:

37 replies

Add to the discussion

NOF on Twitter

Group leaders

You