An interesting study was done a few years back trying to determine why Eskimos have a very high incidence of osteoporosis and Africans have a relative low incidence.  They discovered two answers.  First, Africans eat lots of fruits and vegetables and Eskimos do not.  Fruits and vegetables are high in phytonutrients and low in protein, both factors being conducive for healthy bones.  Second, Africans get a lot more sunlight, which is nature’s osteoporosis treatment.  Vitamin D deficiency, or technically, vitamin D3, is synthesized in the skin in the presence of sunlight.  So if you care about your bones and have a concern about osteoporosis, take your vitamin D3, about 5000 IU per day. Or, get at least 30 minutes direct sun exposure daily.  If there is any doubt, do both, it will not hurt you. Next week we will discuss osteoporosis in more detail.

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The Kansas City Star recently quoted cardiologist James O’Keefe stating that the general population is predominantly deficient in vitamin D.  African-Americans are especially susceptible because the skin pigment blocks the sun’s vitamin D producing rays.  Some of the lowest lab readings of vitamin D occur in black people. 

The good news is that a simple vitamin D supplement will solve the problem nicely.  I discussed the remedies including  sun exposuree and vitamin D supplements in my last blog.  In the next blog we will be discussing the health implications of vitamin D deficiency.  There are a couple forms of vitamin D available on the market.  The one most active in the body is vitamin D3. 

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You should know your cholesterol and your blood pressure numbers.  Now, from current research regarding vitamin D, (technically, it is vitamin D3,)  vitamin D deficiency is becoming a consideration to doctors everywhere.  To have your vitamin D3 level correctly tested by your doctor, ask him/her to do the blood test called (25OH) D3.  Then, when the results come back from the lab, you should be looking at a blood level of 50.  The current lab “normal” levels are around 30 but are soon to be upgraded to more accurately reflect the vitamin D deficiency epidemic we are experiencing. To get your blood levels up to 50 either spend 30 minutes a day with your skin exposed to the sun, or, take 5000 IU of vitamin D3 per day and have the blood level checked again in 2 months.

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My patients are more frequently coming in with a prescription in hand for vitamin D or more correctly, vitamin D3.  Vitamin D deficiency is being recognized by doctors as a contributing factor in many illness from autism to cancer.  According to a recent study in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics,70 percent of U.S. kids have low vitamin D levels.  Of those, 9 percent were actually deficient., having less than half of what their body needs. The problem is kids nowadays spend more time indoors than they should.  Adults, too, for that matter.  To remedy the problem, I recommend 5,000 I.U. of vitamin D3  daily for everyone except children for whom I recommend 2,000 graduating up to 5,000 as they grow to adult size.

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The Autism Reserch Institute has funded a study investigating the potential connection between vitamin D deficiency and autism.  The investigators need participants for the study.  To participate is very simple. There is no expense and no risk whatsoever.  The purpose is to see if vitamin D can prevent autism development in a newborn child who has an older sibling with autism.  There is significant scientific data which suggests that this theory may be plausible.

Approximtely 7% of families with an autistic child have a second autistic child.  Therefore, to qualify for the study, participating families must have an autistic child currently and are either pregnant or planning a pregnancy.  The vitamin D will be given to the mother during pregnancy and to the newborn for the first 3 years of life. 

The investigators are urgently seeking people to participate in this study.  Again, there is no risk and no expense to participants.  If you would like more information, please get in touch with me at the Contact Us link on this web page.

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How do I know if my child with autism has a vitamin D deficiency?  It is really very simple.  The Vitamin D Council offers a test kit whereby you can use a drop of blood from a home test kit to get an accurate vitamin D reading.  If you have the wherewithal to prick your child’s finger or your own finger, you can do this test without a trip to the doctor.

Based upon current research, the normal acceptable blood level is now considered to be above 50 ng/ml in both children and adults.  The cool thing about doing the test at home is you can take your vitamin D for a month or so and then retest without repeated visits to the doctor.  If you prefer to go to the doctor for the test, be sure he orders the test called 25(OH) vitamin D.  The doctor’s lab “normal” range will be significantly below the optimal 50 ng/ml so you will want to remember that when you begin your vitamin D supplementation.

Vitamin D is inexpensive and is available on line.  In my practice for people who have vitamin D deficiency, I recommend 5000 IU per day for adults, 1000 IU per day for children under age 2 and from 2000 up to 5000 for older children with dosage graduated based upon body weight.  Remember to retest during summer months. If you and/or your child are  out in the sun a lot the total dose may not be necessary.

You can get your home vitamin D test kits through the Vitamin D Council.

There are a few known risk factors for autism, not the least of which is a vitamin D deficiency.  I listed a few risk factors for autism in my last blog and here are some known to be associated with onset of autism symptoms:

• Hepatitis B vaccine given at birth triples autism risk.
• Frequent ear infections.
• Frequent use or overuse of antibiotics. Parents report that their healthy babies get ear infections, treatment with anti-biotics, multiple vaccinations, and then develop autism.  Most of the time we only look at the last trigger to this disease, vaccination.
• History of reacting to vaccines.
• Mother has asthma or allergies.
• Mother has history of Rheumatoid Arthritis or Celiac Disease.
• Either parent has history of Type 1 Diabetes.

Don’t neglect to give your children vitamin D.  Normally children can have about 1000 IU total from supplements up to about age three and then they can have the dosage increased according to their weight up to 5000 IU in adulthood.  If you have children requiring the 1000 IU you can give them ½ a 2000 IU capsule or pearl per day.

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I have said it before and will continue to urge all our readers to not only give your children with autism symptoms vitamin D but take it yourself.  In last week's newsletter, Mercola made a great case for the importance of avoiding vitamin D deficiency.  Experts are now saying that vitamin D deficiency may be common in our culture. Vitamin D is inexpensive and easy to take.  I personally take 4000 IU per day.

Most children with autism symptoms suffer from what is termed “regressive autism”.  This means that the child was not born with the condition but was developing as a healthy,  normal kid until somewhere between the age of one and three.  Then, with no apparent warning, the child regressed into autism symptoms.  A high percentage of parents of such children swear that the regression started after a routine childhood immunization.  Whether the vaccines are connected with development of autism is hotly debated with the parents on one side and the pharmaceutical industry on the other.  In future blog posts I will discuss preventive measures parents can take, including taking of vitamin D, also previously discussed.  Here are some of the known risk factors for development of autism.

• Boys 3 to 4 times greater risk than girls.
• Family History.. 7% of families with one autistic child will have a second autistic child.
• Children with certain neurological disorders.
• Children born to men 40 years or older were almost six times more likely to have autism spectrum disorder than were children born to men younger than 30 years.

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Researchers have noted that the increase in incidence of autism has paralleled an increase in prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency.  Vitamin D is synthesized in the skin by exposure to sunlight.  Thirty minutes of exposure will provide the body’s Vitamin D requirements for a full day.  Due to urging by medical authorities over the last decade we have been limiting our exposure to sunlight resulting in an across the board deficiency in Vitamin D.  We stay out of the sun and when we are out in it, we use all kinds of sun blockers on our skin to filter out the natural benefits of sunlight.  During winter months the problem is compounded. Informed doctors are now routinely testing patients for Vitamin D and recommending it when indicated.   It has been theorized that a vitamin D deficiency plays a role in autism starting with the pregnancy.  It has also been implicated in a number of other conditions including colon cancer.

A call for Vitamin D and autism study participants

A study is under way which will test the theory of a Vitamin D and autism connection. Funded by the Autism Research Institute,   the purpose of this study is to determine if autism can be prevented in the newborn sibling of a child with autism through the use of Vitamin D3.  If the theory is proven to be correct it will constitute  a tremendous leap forward in the battle against autism. 

The investigators are seeking families who currently have an autistic child and are either pregnant or planning a pregnancy.  The mother will be required to take Vitamin D through the pregnancy and the child will be given the vitamin up until age three at which time an evaluation of the child for autism will be conducted.  There is no risk and no cost to participants.  Anyone desiring all the details on the study can contact me. 

I personally take 4000 IU of Vitamin D per day and urge all my readers to do so as well.
If you want to have your blood levels of Vitamin D tested, ask your doctor to do the 25(OH)D test.  The experts tell us the optimal blood level should be around 50 even though the lab report normal range will be down around 30.

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Autism is an overwhelming, heartbreaking epidemic. One theory of possible cause is vitamin d deficiency.  Vitamin D deficiency has statistically been on the rise approximately parallel to the rise in autism symptoms.  Some Vitamin D experts have theorized that Vitamin D deficiency may be a contributing factor in the autism symptoms epidemic. A study is under way to test the theory and I will talk about it in a later post.  

The latest statistics tell us that one of every 110 children, both boys and girls, born will have autism.  The prevalence is worse in some states and here in Missouri we have the unbelievable prospect of one boy of every 52 developing autism symptoms.  This is horrifying and is unacceptable.  In the very near future, autism will be effecting most families in the country.  It dwarfs the other epidemics of our time including the polio epidemic of the 1950’s.  In my blog posts during the next few months I will address the questions that everyone, especially the media, should be asking: 

• Is there a simple vitamin that can help prevent and/or treat autism?
• What can be done to prevent autism during pregnancy? 
• What can be done to prevent autism in childhood?
• What are the risk factors for autism during pregnancy?
• What are the risk factors for autism during childhood?
• What can be done to prevent autism Google
• What causes autism?
• Do vaccines play a role or not?
• Does overuse of antibiotics contribute to autism?
• What are biomedical protocols for autism treatment? 
• The success had by Jenny McCarthy and many others.
• What are the political ramifications?
• The incestuous relationship between pharmaceutical companies and the National Institutes of Health.
• The autism cover-up.

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