There is A LOT of discussion, name calling and general confusion when it comes down to sarcoidosis and vitamin D. I’d like to take a moment and simply clear this up once and for all.
What is vitamin D?
Despite the name, vitamin D is not actually a vitamin. It is a hormone known as calcitrol. When your skin is exposed to UVB light, it converts 7-dehydrocholesterol (present in your skin and bloodstream) into vitamin D, where the liver and kidneys activate it and it begins regulating and enhancing the absorption of the minerals calcium and phosphorus in the body. As we age our bodies' ability to produce vitamin D naturally diminishes due to the decrease in 7-dehydrocholesterol (a component in skin that begins the conversion process for vitamin D).
Do we need vitamin D?
Vitamin D deficiency can be a serious health problem, most notably by blocking the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, causing a chronic imbalance and bone deterioration (eg. osteoporosis).
Are all people with sarcoidosis allergic/oversensitive to vitamin D?
No.
Some people and protocols claim that all sarcoidosis patients suffer from this. As a result patients are frantic about staying away from vitamin D. And since the body needs vitamin D to function properly this is no good. It is true that some sarcoidosis patients suffer from oversensitivity to vitamin D. Scandinavian research in the field points that this happens to about 1 in 10 patients.
How do I know if I’m oversensitive to vitamin D?
A simple blood test and/or urine sample to measure the calcium levels will sort that out. (The following is a cut/paste from something Paradox wrote as a reply stating the names of the tests: “There are a whole panel of tests that need to be looked at including 2 types of vitamin D (calcidiol [25-OH D] and calcitriol [1,25-OH D]) and serum calcium, TSH, albumin, PTH, alk phos and a urine calcium”).
What are symptoms of vitamin D hypersensitivity?
Nausea, thirst, declining general health, kidney failure and kidney stone.
What should I do if I’m hypersensitive to vitamin D?
Stay away from all vitamin D sources until levels are normal. Plan this together with your doctor.
What are good sources for vitamin D?
The primary source is sunlight. Vitamin D is also found in cod oil, fatty fish and eggs. Some foods are also fortified with vitamin D.
What about sunscreen?
Despite news stories to the contrary, several large, controlled studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency does not result from ongoing regular sunscreen use. That means that if you do have vitamin D hypersensitivity a sunscreen will not be enough to protect you from hypercalcemia. And I'd just like to add that there is no such thing as a "sunblock".
These are all known, hard facts. No speculation. Just simple and clear. I hope this is helpful to those of you that are trying to understand what vitamin D is all about.