In days of yore (1000's of years ago), when we were out and about most of
the day, exposed to the sun, we probably all had robust vitamin D levels
(thru its production in the skin).  Who knows, maybe, back then, if
nursing moms had healthy vitamin D levles, even breastmilk might have had
much higher levels of vitamin D.  Via dietary sources (non-breastmilk), it
was very difficult to get sufficient amounts of vitamin D.

Now fast forward 1000's of years to today ... the vast majority of us are
inside much of the day.  Via the diet, it is STILL very difficult to get
sufficient amounts of vitamin D.  All over the world, even near the
equator- where the sun is stronget and most plentiful vitamin D deficiency
is not uncommon among newborns, infants, children and adults (including
among breastfeeding moms).

So what is the big deal about vitamin D????

We know now that vitamin D is important to the functioning of MANY
different types of cells and organs.  For instance, it has been found that
it naturally suppresses various types of cancer cells and enhances the
functioning of our white cells- which happen to be one line of defense
against cancer cells.

It is unusual for an individual to become symptomatic from vitamin D
deficiency.  Many of us are walking around and are going through life
vitamin D deficient.  Based on a large body of scientific literature
(which is not widely known), it is theorized that early and prolonged
vitamin D deficiency increases one's risk for cancers (ovarian, female
breast, prostate and colon), autoimmune disorders (type I diabetes,
multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease and lupus) and increases
the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.  In other words, vitamin D
deficient rickets is a lesser concern!  Rather, scientists are concerned
that years of silent vitamin D deficiency manifest later on (a lot later
on) in adulthood, as cancers and autoimmune disorders.

To summarize, this is about gettting the healthiest start on life- just as
by starting out breastfeeding, by establishing and maintaining vitamin D
sufficiency from the start, we are also helping to give our loved ones and
patients the best start!  However, in 'light' of the current lifestyle of
being indoors and even avoiding the sun, we are not making enough D in our
skins (it is believed that breastmilk wasn't meant to maintain vitamin D
sufficiency for our infants) and need to replace the sunlight with
artificial sources of vitamin D.

Danny Hirsch, MD, FAAP, CLC
College of Physicians & Surgeons,
Columbia University
New York, NY USA

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