“Mega-dosing” Vitamin D!
Dr. Linus Pauling introduced us to “Othromolecular Nutrition,” which some would refer to as “Mega-dosing.” Dr. Pauling was advocating much higher than the RDA of Vitamin C. The RDA values are WAY out of date, there is no doubt. Now, it seems, there is MUCH evidence that we need to be consuming much more Vitamin D than we thought!
“Once seen as merely a defense against rickets, vitamin D has in recent years gained recognition as a major force that acts throughout the body. It improves absorption of calcium, controls the growth of cells (both healthy and cancerous), strengthens the immune system and seems to rein in overzealous immune system cells that cause diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Much of vitamin D’s potential is still just that: potential. But at this moment, to some scientists the potential looks huge. ‘Even if two-thirds of these things don’t pan out, it’s still a blockbuster,’ says Dr. Robert Heaney, a professor of medicine at Creighton University in Omaha, who specializes in osteoporosis. As excitement about vitamin D grows, so does the concern that many people may not be getting enough. In March, an article in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings called vitamin D deficiency ‘a largely unrecognized epidemic in many populations worldwide.’ ‘The daily allowances for vitamin D are outdated,’ says Anthony Norman, a professor of biochemistry at UC Riverside. ‘I would recommend 1,000 IU per day for all ages, with a maximum of 2,000 IU. I’m considering taking 2,000 IU myself.’ And, he adds, current evidence suggests that even 10,000 IU — overkill by anyone’s standards — would probably be safe.”