This time the posting is on middle eastern women and vitamin D2

This time the posting is on middle eastern women and vitamin D2

When reading the following article here are some
things to "remember."

First, the optimal 25-OH-vitamin D level
is at least 75 or 80 nmol/L. Indeed, some suggest 100 nmol/L
and others suggest 125 nmol/L as useful goal points
to reach.

Second, others workers
have shown that when a single large dose of vitamin
D2 is use with a size of 40000 IU (?) the serum level
actually will drop below it starting point after
a number of weeks... 2 or 3 weeks as I recall. In other words,
vitamin D2 can result in a bumpy ride that may
on balance do more harm than good if the
doses are too far apart.

Third that vitamin D2 is inferior to vitamin D3 even
though they are count in the same units.

Fourth, public health authorities are years behind the
times on this topic and need to be retired or fired.
If someone claims the 400 IU of vit D is a useful dose
they are in this class.

=======================================
High Vitamin D Supplementation May Be Needed
for Women in Middle East



By David Douglas

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jun 25 - In certain Middle
Eastern and other countries where conservative dress
curtails exposure to sunlight, high levels of vitamin
D supplementation may be needed to raise serum levels
sufficiently in women, investigators report.

"When sunlight exposure -- the main source for vitamin D
in humans -- is limited," Dr. Hussein F. Saadi told
Reuters Health, "much higher dietary intake of vitamin D
is needed than currently recommended, especially for
lactating women."

As reported in the June issue of the American Journal
of Clinical Nutrition, Dr. Saadi and colleagues at the
United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, studied vitamin
D levels in 90 lactating and 88 nulliparous women. Many
dressed to cover their whole bodies, including their
hands and faces, while outside of their homes.

Only two of the women, one in each group, were not vitamin
D deficient at entry. All the women were randomly assigned
to receive 2000 IU of vitamin D2 daily or 60,000 IU in
one dose each month. The investigators note that vitamin
D2 is the only high-dose calciferol available in the UAE.

Although both monthly and daily dosing significantly
increased levels and was safe, only 21 of the 71 women
(30%) who completed the 3-month study reached the
recommended serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of
50 nmol/L or more.

"Doses of ergocalciferol as high as 2000 IU per day
were marginally effective in ensuring adequate
vitamin D status," Dr. Saadi concluded. He and his
colleagues write, "If the more potent vitamin D3
preparation is not available, higher doses of vitamin D2
than currently studied may be needed."

Dr. Saadi added, "When compliance or adherence with a
daily regimen of vitamin D supplementation is an issue,
monthly dosing appears to be a safe and effective
alternative in ensuring adequate vitamin D status
in subjects at risk for vitamin D deficiency."

Am J Clin Nutr 2007;85:1565-1571.

* w w w .medscape . com /viewarticle/558793