A 3-Step Strategy to Cure Our Most Common Health Problems

Dr. Holick is the leader in who's who of vitamin D . He knows more on the subject than anyone. Everyone concerned with health should read it. Technical enough for the scientific mind ans simple enough for the rest of us.

This author/researcher/doctor gives an in depth look at vitamin D. Along with recommendations for daily supplementation. A good read for people interested in finding the facts about vitamin D and health.

I just finished reading this book, and it has some great information regarding Vitamin D. It's benefits, it's deficiency-related side effects, and how to get enough Vitamin D. I learned quite a bit from the book, and Dr. Holick is obviously an expert when it comes to Vitamin D.

One thing I didn't care for was the very repetitive nature of this book - I think most statements were repeated three times in various places in the book. I found myself skipping entire paragraphs sometimes, because I had read the exact same sequence of sentences previously in the book. The overall organization is a bit willy-nilly, too - sometimes jumping around between topics, stream-of-consciousness style. You could cut this book in half and still provide the same information, but in a much more compact and straightforward manner.

Overall worth the read, but not by a whole lot.

I knew I was vitamin D deficient, from blood work 18 months earlier, but I was still suffering horrible muscle pain. This book gave me info and the courage to try to "fix" myself, since my doctor"s advice wasn't doing it. I can now work in the yard, use my ladder, work on my chicken pens, etc. Without suffering in pain for three days afterward. I now wonder if my vitamin D deficiency was the reason for the horribly painful chemo treatments four years ago. I spent 8-10days in bed after each treatment with so much pain in my legs that pain meds and Advil every two hours could not touch it.

My criticism of Dr. Holick's first book on Vitamin D was that he neglected to provide dosage guidelines. His new book contains Vitamin D dosage guidelines--and lots of them!

Holick has dosage advice for pregnant mothers, children, and adults. He talks about how much he advises his patients to take when they are very low, and how much to take when they have got their levels up to healthy levels. He even says how much he personally takes.

Dr. Holick discusses the different ways Vitamin D can be absorbed -- sun, supplements, food, and Vitamin D lamps.

He also explains how common health problems (obesity); skin color (dark); location (north); season (winter); age (elderly); gut health (poor); drugs (prednisone); and rare diseases interfere with Vitamin D absorption. It is surprising to read he recommends obese people take 2-3 times the Vitamin D of non-obese people. Does the Government do that? No. Why? He does the research and it doesn't.

Holick believes the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of Vitamin D is far too low; it's based on poor outdated research from 50 years ago. Government employees and average doctors are extremely ignorant about Vitamin D, unfortunately. Fortunately, however, they do blood tests for their patients, and then they're converted.

You may not know that the effectiveness of the sun for Vitamin D depends on where it hits your body and how much of your skin is exposed to the sun. Your face is the least effective part at absorbing the sun for Vitamin D; so all those walks in the spring, fall, or winter you might take aren't as valuable as you might think. (I'm thinking of getting a new Vitamin D lamp that Holick has tested.)

The good news this book gives is it doesn't take a long time or cost a lot to fix the very common health problem; rather, it's fairly quick and inexpensive to get your Vit-D level up. In as little as two months through sun (free) or supplements ($25) you could get healthy Vit-D levels. Furthermore, high levels in the summer can take you through the entire winter.

If you already have Holick's first book like I do and are wondering about getting the new one, I suggest you get it. This one has new material because Holick is still on the cutting edge of Vitamin D research. You can never know too much.

I'm not sure Holick mentioned it (don't recall reading it in his book, and it's not listed in the Index), but there is some research that indicates Vitamin A taken with Vitamin D can lower Vitamin D absorption.

Despite being so knowledgeable about Vitamin D and ahead of just about everyone, Holick is behind on the research about bright light boxes for circadian rhythm and SAD therapy. New research has shown they can cause eye damage. It can takes years before the blindness comes. The elderly are at greater risk. Green light therapy has been shown to be safer than bright light and blue light but just as effective. (The military did its own tests and is now using green; Google green light therapy to learn more.)

It's no secret that despite all the modern technological advances in pharmaceutical medications and other disease treatments that are available out there on the market today, our society is still dealing with some of the most debilitating and devastating chronic health conditions we've ever seen in the history of the human race. This oxymoronic position has to leave people scratching their heads wondering what in the world is going on. How can we be so far ahead of the human race that existed just a half century ago and yet now we're falling so far behind that generation in terms of living a healthy lifestyle? There are a lot of theories about this floating around out there (including the notion that today's society is consuming far too much sugar and carbohydrates to be healthy), but Dr. Michael Holick thinks he's identified the common culprit that has made us fatter and sicker than ever before-Vitamin D! Yes, everybody and their momma is talking about Vitamin D these days and it's finally getting the recognition is deserves. But as the world's leading expert on Vitamin D studying it for over three decades, Dr. Holick has been on the cutting-edge of promoting the health improvements that people can experience by raising their Vitamin D3 levels for many years and now he's sharing all of his vast knowledge about it with us in his book The Vitamin D Solution: A 3-Step Strategy to Cure Our Most Common Health Problem.

Although it's referred to as a "vitamin," the reality is Vitamin D isn't a vitamin at all. It's actually a hormone that directly impacts so many areas of the body that it just makes sense to get your D3 levels up. Upwards of 200 million Americans are walking around with a severe Vitamin D deficiency and don't even know it. They've been told by well-meaning doctors that they have fibromyalgia, depression, genetic tendencies, and more. But if you check the D3 blood work, I would venture to guess that nine times out of 10 their Vitamin D levels are probably on the low to extremely low end of the spectrum. My own wife Christine dealt with this a few years back when she was experiencing excruciating joint and muscle pain as well as fits of depression and panic attacks only to find out here D3 came in at a dismal 9 ng/mL! If you don't know what that means, let's just say it's not good at all. She began taking 10,000IU D3 gel caps for a year and was able to raise her levels to 52 ng/mL. Now she has no more joint and muscle pain and she came off of a 10-year reliance on Paxil to control panic attacks. That's the miracle of Vitamin D and the stuff is dirt cheap, too! Yes, knowing your Vitamin D levels is a big deal.

So how in the world did we suddenly become so Vitamin D deficient? Lack of sunlight exposure, poor nutrition, and inadequate or severely lacking sources of it in supplements and fortified foods (like milk) are most of the problem. But regardless of how we there, the good news is there is a solution just waiting for those people who are dealing with any number of health ailments that cannot be explained by modern medicine or the symptoms are simply being masked by risky drug therapies. What is it? GET MORE VITAMIN D! How do you do that? Well, it depends on where you live, but sun exposure may not be enough if you live north of Atlanta or San Diego and you can't get enough of it in the foods you consume either (it would take 50 egg yolks to get adequate amounts of Vitamin D-talk about an eggfest!).

Dr. Holick says he prefers you get your Vitamin D from the sun first and foremost and to only use supplementation as an added aide to get your levels increased to where it needs to be. What level do you want your 25-vitamin D level to be? Ideally between 30-100 ng/mL according to Dr. Holick with the sweet spot landing in the middle around 60-80 ng/mL. Below 20 ng/mL is considered deficient while below 30 ng/mL is insufficient. Again, upwards of two-thirds of the American population is Vitamin D deficient right now. This is directly impacting health to the extent that ailments like osteoporosis, heart disease, cancer, autoimmune diseases, insomnia, arthritis, diabetes, chronic pain, psoriasis, autism and so much are likely a direct result of these deficiencies in something you can buy a big bottle of for around $10 at Sam's Club along with adequate sunlight exposure.

In The Vitamin D Solution, Dr. Holick includes a "self-test" in Chapter 7 to see what level of deficiency you may be experiencing. Things like sun exposure, where you live, what vitamins you consume, what kind of foods you eat, what beverages you drink, your nationality and race, your age, whether you are overweight or obese, your pain tolerance, your energy and strength, medications you are taking, and specific diseases you are dealing with will help you know even before having a Vitamin D blood test conducted whether you have a susceptibility to being deficient. Of course, the best thing you can (and should) do is get tested. What you need to have run by your doctor is the 25-hydroxyvitamin D test, aka the 25(OH) D test. It will show you how much circulating Vitamin D you have in your body. Beware of doctors ordering the wrong test and thinking your Vitamin D levels are fine. And don't get fooled into filling that useless prescription for a once-a-week 50,000IU Vitamin D2 pill that costs an arm and a leg (although Dr. Holick believes it will help "fill an empty Vitamin D tank!"). What you want is D3 which is very affordable from virtually any drugstore, pharmacy, or Wal-mart in varying doses as low as 100IU capsules to 5000IU gel caps. Get tested and respond accordingly!

The good news Dr. Holick brings with this book is that there is a real "solution" to your Vitamin D deficiency that is as easy as setting aside time for deliberate sun exposure, making sure you are consuming adequate amounts of calcium in your diet so that the Vitamin D can be maximized for health, and making up the difference in your Vitamin D needs through supplementation. And lest anyone, medical professionals especially, warns you of Vitamin D toxicity, Dr. Holick is quick to note that your body cannot manufacture a toxic level of Vitamin D from simple sun exposure no matter how much sun you get. And supplementation isn't a problem unless you are taking super-high doses well above 10,000IU for longer than six months. The bottom line is to make sure you are taking every measure possible to increase your D3 levels to ward off any potential negative effects on your health.

The Vitamin D Solution is arguably the most comprehensive book on the subject of Vitamin D today and Dr. Holick certainly knows from whence he speaks. He's been trumpeting the case for Vitamin D awareness for a very long time and is just now receiving the critical acclaim he rightly deserves. My favorite part of this book is in Chapter 13 which is the "Q&A" session that answers anything and everything you can possibly think of regarding the subject of Vitamin D. He also provides a resource guide for finding good sources of Vitamin D supplementation as well as a bibliography of other Vitamin D experts and researchers he cites in support of the conclusions he draws throughout his book. Needless to say, I'm a big fan of Vitamin D and the positive effects it can have on your health. My own Vitamin D levels increased from 42 ng/dL to 68 ng/dL taking 10,000IU D3 gel caps in just six months, so it is indeed possible to overcome many chronic health problems with a concerted effort to make it happen naturally. Isn't it time to stop suffering needlessly from Vitamin D deficiency?

I have my masters in toxicology and public health. I agree that the book does not site references, nor have an index of them (studies), but since the author was mostly speaking about his own studies, I gave him a pass. He does have a bibliography in the back, but I can't see where it's linked to his statements. Dr. Holick does state facts implying causation without robust data. I'm thinking because he's one of the foremost researchers on the subject, he didn't write this book for peer review, but just to get the info. to the masses. I like his theories and like to "try them out" for myself.
When you're in pain, you'll try anything. This time, wow!!! I've been struggling with fibromyalgia for 12 years and found myself feeling better after only a week of vit. D supplements. The doctor recalls an incident where one of his readers began D supplementation but the pharma company miscalculated the dose in the supplement. This poor man became toxic off vit. D. Anyone wanting to supplement with vit. D or read up about what it's used for and where it's used in our bodies, will love this book and his personal stories are educational.
Hey...if I held part of the cure to some forms of cancer and diabetes and didn't write about it...I'd be a pretty horrible person. I give this doctor two thumbs up for his book and I'd ask him to re-edit the next printing and add some citations for each study he references so we can look them up. I wish every high school health/science class taught this stuff.

If The Vitamin D Solution gets the attention it deserves, it could have a greater benefit for public health than all the drugs on the market today, except perhaps antibiotics. In this book, Dr. Holick presents overwhelming scientific evidence that vitamin D plays a crucial role in the body's immune system, mood, brain and heart health, and weight and strength. He also shows that vitamin D deficiency is epidemic in the northern hemisphere and is a central player in the prevalence of conditions like diabetes, cancer, stroke, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, depression and many more.
Dr. Holick's scientific credentials are impeccable, and even the mass media are beginning to climb on the bandwagon and talk about vitamin D supplements. Sunshine is free, but a combination of lifestyle and scare tactics about skin cancer has made us shun its life-giving benefits. One of the most sobering statistics in this very readable book is that for every one person who might die because of skin cancer due to over exposure to the sun, 55 people will die due to lack of vitamin D - the sunshine vitamin made by our skin.
He gives detailed recommendations about vitamin D supplementation as well as for how to strike an optimal balance for sun exposure with minimal risk. The book is full of fascinating case studies and research reports that delight a medical nerd like me. One of the most fascinating to my mind was the role of vitamin D in ensuring communication among cells. One of the characteristics of cancer is the breakdown of this communication, allowing cells to go rogue. Sounds like a metaphor for society...
I really think that everyone who works indoors all day needs to read this major wake-up call.

Okay, it's a little too early to tell yet, but it gave me a lot of answers as to what is wrong with me. I used to be a happy outdoorsy person until my spouse was transferred to the Pacific North West. Over the last seven years I have become more and more depressed, sicker and sicker, aches, pains, stomach problems, gained over 50 pounds. Basically, I'm a wreck. I've gone to all the doctors who just tell me I'm fat and depressed, well thanks, but I've always felt these were symptoms rather than diagnosis. After all, I didn't become fat and depressed until I got here.

While reading this book all I did was nod in agreement about the symptoms. Unfortunately sun exposure isn't going to happen in this part of the world, but I guess I can down the Vitamin D and hopefully get some of my old health back. I may also see if there's some tanning beds around.

It's no secret that despite all the modern technological advances in pharmaceutical medications and other disease treatments that are available out there on the market today, our society is still dealing with some of the most debilitating and devastating chronic health conditions we've ever seen in the history of the human race. This oxymoronic position has to leave people scratching their heads wondering what in the world is going on. How can we be so far ahead of the human race that existed just a half century ago and yet now we're falling so far behind that generation in terms of living a healthy lifestyle? There are a lot of theories about this floating around out there (including the notion that today's society is consuming far too much sugar and carbohydrates to be healthy), but Dr. Michael Holick thinks he's identified the common culprit that has made us fatter and sicker than ever before-Vitamin D! Yes, everybody and their momma is talking about Vitamin D these days and it's finally getting the recognition is deserves. But as the world's leading expert on Vitamin D studying it for over three decades, Dr. Holick has been on the cutting-edge of promoting the health improvements that people can experience by raising their Vitamin D3 levels for many years and now he's sharing all of his vast knowledge about it with us in his book The Vitamin D Solution: A 3-Step Strategy to Cure Our Most Common Health Problem.

Although it's referred to as a "vitamin," the reality is Vitamin D isn't a vitamin at all. It's actually a hormone that directly impacts so many areas of the body that it just makes sense to get your D3 levels up. Upwards of 200 million Americans are walking around with a severe Vitamin D deficiency and don't even know it. They've been told by well-meaning doctors that they have fibromyalgia, depression, genetic tendencies, and more. But if you check the D3 blood work, I would venture to guess that nine times out of 10 their Vitamin D levels are probably on the low to extremely low end of the spectrum. My own wife Christine dealt with this a few years back when she was experiencing excruciating joint and muscle pain as well as fits of depression and panic attacks only to find out here D3 came in at a dismal 9 ng/mL! If you don't know what that means, let's just say it's not good at all. She began taking 10,000IU D3 gel caps for a year and was able to raise her levels to 52 ng/mL. Now she has no more joint and muscle pain and she came off of a 10-year reliance on Paxil to control panic attacks. That's the miracle of Vitamin D and the stuff is dirt cheap, too! Yes, knowing your Vitamin D levels is a big deal.

So how in the world did we suddenly become so Vitamin D deficient? Lack of sunlight exposure, poor nutrition, and inadequate or severely lacking sources of it in supplements and fortified foods (like milk) are most of the problem. But regardless of how we there, the good news is there is a solution just waiting for those people who are dealing with any number of health ailments that cannot be explained by modern medicine or the symptoms are simply being masked by risky drug therapies. What is it? GET MORE VITAMIN D! How do you do that? Well, it depends on where you live, but sun exposure may not be enough if you live north of Atlanta or San Diego and you can't get enough of it in the foods you consume either (it would take 50 egg yolks to get adequate amounts of Vitamin D-talk about an eggfest!).

Dr. Holick says he prefers you get your Vitamin D from the sun first and foremost and to only use supplementation as an added aide to get your levels increased to where it needs to be. What level do you want your 25-vitamin D level to be? Ideally between 30-100 ng/mL according to Dr. Holick with the sweet spot landing in the middle around 60-80 ng/mL. Below 20 ng/mL is considered deficient while below 30 ng/mL is insufficient. Again, upwards of two-thirds of the American population is Vitamin D deficient right now. This is directly impacting health to the extent that ailments like osteoporosis, heart disease, cancer, autoimmune diseases, insomnia, arthritis, diabetes, chronic pain, psoriasis, autism and so much are likely a direct result of these deficiencies in something you can buy a big bottle of for around $10 at Sam's Club along with adequate sunlight exposure.

In The Vitamin D Solution, Dr. Holick includes a "self-test" in Chapter 7 to see what level of deficiency you may be experiencing. Things like sun exposure, where you live, what vitamins you consume, what kind of foods you eat, what beverages you drink, your nationality and race, your age, whether you are overweight or obese, your pain tolerance, your energy and strength, medications you are taking, and specific diseases you are dealing with will help you know even before having a Vitamin D blood test conducted whether you have a susceptibility to being deficient. Of course, the best thing you can (and should) do is get tested. What you need to have run by your doctor is the 25-hydroxyvitamin D test, aka the 25(OH) D test. It will show you how much circulating Vitamin D you have in your body. Beware of doctors ordering the wrong test and thinking your Vitamin D levels are fine. And don't get fooled into filling that useless prescription for a once-a-week 50,000IU Vitamin D2 pill that costs an arm and a leg (although Dr. Holick believes it will help "fill an empty Vitamin D tank!"). What you want is D3 which is very affordable from virtually any drugstore, pharmacy, or Wal-mart in varying doses as low as 100IU capsules to 5000IU gel caps. Get tested and respond accordingly!

The good news Dr. Holick brings with this book is that there is a real "solution" to your Vitamin D deficiency that is as easy as setting aside time for deliberate sun exposure, making sure you are consuming adequate amounts of calcium in your diet so that the Vitamin D can be maximized for health, and making up the difference in your Vitamin D needs through supplementation. And lest anyone, medical professionals especially, warns you of Vitamin D toxicity, Dr. Holick is quick to note that your body cannot manufacture a toxic level of Vitamin D from simple sun exposure no matter how much sun you get. And supplementation isn't a problem unless you are taking super-high doses well above 10,000IU for longer than six months. The bottom line is to make sure you are taking every measure possible to increase your D3 levels to ward off any potential negative effects on your health.

The Vitamin D Solution is arguably the most comprehensive book on the subject of Vitamin D today and Dr. Holick certainly knows from whence he speaks. He's been trumpeting the case for Vitamin D awareness for a very long time and is just now receiving the critical acclaim he rightly deserves. My favorite part of this book is in Chapter 13 which is the "Q&A" session that answers anything and everything you can possibly think of regarding the subject of Vitamin D. He also provides a resource guide for finding good sources of Vitamin D supplementation as well as a bibliography of other Vitamin D experts and researchers he cites in support of the conclusions he draws throughout his book. Needless to say, I'm a big fan of Vitamin D and the positive effects it can have on your health. My own Vitamin D levels increased from 42 ng/dL to 68 ng/dL taking 10,000IU D3 gel caps in just six months, so it is indeed possible to overcome many chronic health problems with a concerted effort to make it happen naturally. Isn't it time to stop suffering needlessly from Vitamin D deficiency?

I have my masters in toxicology and public health. I agree that the book does not site references, nor have an index of them (studies), but since the author was mostly speaking about his own studies, I gave him a pass. He does have a bibliography in the back, but I can't see where it's linked to his statements. Dr. Holick does state facts implying causation without robust data. I'm thinking because he's one of the foremost researchers on the subject, he didn't write this book for peer review, but just to get the info. to the masses. I like his theories and like to "try them out" for myself.
When you're in pain, you'll try anything. This time, wow!!! I've been struggling with fibromyalgia for 12 years and found myself feeling better after only a week of vit. D supplements. The doctor recalls an incident where one of his readers began D supplementation but the pharma company miscalculated the dose in the supplement. This poor man became toxic off vit. D. Anyone wanting to supplement with vit. D or read up about what it's used for and where it's used in our bodies, will love this book and his personal stories are educational.
Hey...if I held part of the cure to some forms of cancer and diabetes and didn't write about it...I'd be a pretty horrible person. I give this doctor two thumbs up for his book and I'd ask him to re-edit the next printing and add some citations for each study he references so we can look them up. I wish every high school health/science class taught this stuff.

If The Vitamin D Solution gets the attention it deserves, it could have a greater benefit for public health than all the drugs on the market today, except perhaps antibiotics. In this book, Dr. Holick presents overwhelming scientific evidence that vitamin D plays a crucial role in the body's immune system, mood, brain and heart health, and weight and strength. He also shows that vitamin D deficiency is epidemic in the northern hemisphere and is a central player in the prevalence of conditions like diabetes, cancer, stroke, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, depression and many more.
Dr. Holick's scientific credentials are impeccable, and even the mass media are beginning to climb on the bandwagon and talk about vitamin D supplements. Sunshine is free, but a combination of lifestyle and scare tactics about skin cancer has made us shun its life-giving benefits. One of the most sobering statistics in this very readable book is that for every one person who might die because of skin cancer due to over exposure to the sun, 55 people will die due to lack of vitamin D - the sunshine vitamin made by our skin.
He gives detailed recommendations about vitamin D supplementation as well as for how to strike an optimal balance for sun exposure with minimal risk. The book is full of fascinating case studies and research reports that delight a medical nerd like me. One of the most fascinating to my mind was the role of vitamin D in ensuring communication among cells. One of the characteristics of cancer is the breakdown of this communication, allowing cells to go rogue. Sounds like a metaphor for society...
I really think that everyone who works indoors all day needs to read this major wake-up call.

Okay, it's a little too early to tell yet, but it gave me a lot of answers as to what is wrong with me. I used to be a happy outdoorsy person until my spouse was transferred to the Pacific North West. Over the last seven years I have become more and more depressed, sicker and sicker, aches, pains, stomach problems, gained over 50 pounds. Basically, I'm a wreck. I've gone to all the doctors who just tell me I'm fat and depressed, well thanks, but I've always felt these were symptoms rather than diagnosis. After all, I didn't become fat and depressed until I got here.

While reading this book all I did was nod in agreement about the symptoms. Unfortunately sun exposure isn't going to happen in this part of the world, but I guess I can down the Vitamin D and hopefully get some of my old health back. I may also see if there's some tanning beds around.

As intrigued as I am by the premise of the book, I approached it with some skepticism - but my reservations were quickly put to rest. The book is easy to understand and the information presented in a logical manner. Rather than the material appearing to be on the fringes of traditional medicine, Dr. Holick details in the first seven chapters of his book, the research and reasoning behind his premise.

The subject matter may sound like dry reading, but it was written in a very readable way and I finished it in a couple of days. I am not well versed in medical terminology yet I had no problems reading or understanding anything in the book - all was adequately explained. There is a comprehensive index which makes finding areas of particular concern quick and easy. A resource guide aids in finding particular products mentioned in the book - like a Vitamin D producing light. A selected bibliography lists eighteen pages of research studies. The author notes that if he included all relevant Vitamin D research studies it would have filled thousands of pages. And, one of my favorite sections of the book is a Q & A section where common, and some uncommon questions regarding Vitamin D deficiency are addressed. An example of a question contained in the section is -- "If you fry fish in oil, does that remove Vitamin D? The answer is yes - more than half is lost and the fish should be baked, broiled or grilled instead.

Other reviews have detailed specific, sometimes surprising information regarding Vitamin D deficiency, why most of us have this deficiency, along with why the medical community has misidentified the optimal levels that should be maintained, so I won't reiterate that information here. But, this information provides the explanation as to why our basic multi-vitamin supplements and milk fortification simply isn't sufficient.

What I found of concern is that after reading the compelling arguments made by Dr. Holick as to why a host of ills may be caused by a Vitamin D deficiency, ills that may be easily resolved once the deficiency is identified, the ability to obtain this vital test may not be so easy to obtain.

Dr. Holick explains why simply requesting the test may not prompt your doctor to approach the insurance company for authorization. The test isn't one normally run during a routine physical. The problem, as is usually the case, is about money. The test isn't cheap and some insurance companies discourage doctors from requesting it. Dr. Holick feels this test is important enough for all of us to determine our Vitamin D levels, that he actually suggests changing doctors if your doctor won't recommend the test.

To be able to potentially correct a number of serious health issues, inexpensively, by simply correcting a Vitamin D deficiency is surely worth exploring. I would encourage everyone to read the book and decide for themselves.

As a retired research chemist with a strong interest in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients I completely agree with the authors about the importance of vitamin D. However, I also assert the importance of a companion nutrient -- vitamin C. While humans can make vitamin D when given appropriate exposure to sunlight we cannot make vitamin C which is equally essential. But most animals do make vitamin C and they make a lot of it -- generally about 20 mg daily per pound of body weight. Because they have so much vitamin C they can live outdoors in the winter without colds while we humans -- who don't make vitamin C -- routinely get a couple of colds each year while living in our nice warm houses. Although we humans can't make vitamin C, we can take it as a fairly inexpensive supplement. Based on the amount that animals make, a 125 pound woman needs about 2,500 mg of vitamin C daily and a 175 pound man needs about 3,500 mg daily. I am a large man -- 6' 5" tall and about 285 pounds -- so I routinely take at least 6,000 mg of vitamin C daily. I also take 5,000 I.U. of vitamin D daily and rarely catch a cold or the flu.

There are quite a few good vitamin D books out there and this is definitely one of them. The message in each of them is simple. Getting regular sun exposure on as much of your body as you can, without ever burning, is a great idea and if needed this should then also be boosted with D3 supplements to get your vitamin D levels optimised.

The book is a bit repetitive but overall is easy to read. It contains specific dosage advice for D3 raising and maintenance D3 levels. Doses of 400 IU are inadequate and some people do best on 5000 - 10 000 IU a day and this is a safe amount to take. How much you take should be guided always by vitamin D tests. The optimal range on vitamin D testing is 60-80 ng/ml.

Vitamin D tests can be posted to you and returned for analysis by post. It's so easy.

Low vitamin D levels are very common in the general population. It is estimated that there are more people deficient in vitamin D than there are people with normal vitamin D levels. Vitamin D strengthens bones and the immune system , supports the pancreas, promotes well-being, improves digestion, is responsible for the regulation of over 2,000 genes in your body and improves resistance to secondary diseases. It is a hormone as well as a vitamin.

I did have a few quibbles with this book. I have read so many solid explanations from orthomolecular experts on why vitamin D2 supplements should be avoided and why they are not as safe or effective as vitamin D3. It was surprising to see that this book supported the use of D2. I also don't support the continued highlighting of calcium supplements when actually many orthomolecular experts lately are saying that due to the constant hype about calcium supplements and the need for high doses of them, many people are actually taking far too much calcium and not enough magnesium.

I also think this book would be better if it talked more about the need to balance vitamin A, vitamin D, and also vitamin K. Without vitamin D, vitamin A can become ineffective or toxic, and without vitamin A, vitamin D can become ineffective. It is also essential to take adequate magnesium when taking vitamin D. This is why so many good health books, such as those by Dr Sherry Rogers, recommend getting at least part of your vitamin D from cod liver oil as CLO also contains vitamin A and K. Fermented cod liver oil is a far less processed product than standard cod liver oil and is the best form of this supplement. It's such good stuff. Dosage is usually ½ to 1½ teaspoons daily of fermented cod liver oil, or 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of high vitamin cod liver oil - making sure that the level of vitamin D is appropriate for you and that your vitamin A intake from all sources doesn't exceed 30 000 IU daily.

Probably my biggestissue with this book, and all the vitamin D books I have read is their huge overstating of the impact of low vitamin D levels in causing just about everything. Just like all the magnesium books claim taking magnesium fixes just about everything, and all the books on liver health claim that good liver health fixes everything. It is such an arrogant view and just silly. There is no one magic vitamin or nutrient. They all work together! If you are very deficient in any one thing it'll cause ill health.

Vitamin D is wonderful and I really felt the difference in my severe neurological disease in taking my levels from around 10 ng/ml to 50 ng/ml or so. I wish I'd done it sooner. But no way this is the whole solution, it is only one part of it and of several dozen equally important things. Equally as important as vitamin D are the B vitamins, vitamin C (at a bowel tolerance dose), vitamin E, magnesium, vitamin A, healing the gut, and so much more.

Getting your vitamin D level up to an optimum level is a great idea and essential if you are seriously ill and trying to heal but it is not a magic bullet, and you'll get the best results when this is done as part of a comprehensive and balanced nutritional program.

If money is tight you can look up the vitamin D information from this author online for free and spend your money on a D test or some D3 instead, and soak up lots of free sun as well.

Jodi Bassett, The Hummingbirds' Foundation for M.E. (HFME) and Health, Healing & Hummingbirds (HHH)

The author describes how Vitamin D is
helpful in modulating mood swings, weight
loss, sleep, the immune system, the brain,
heart and physical strength. Sun and calcium
help to potentiate the overall effects of
Vitamin D.

Salmon, tuna, cod and shiitake mushrooms are
good sources of Vitamin D with salmon being
the highest. Vitamin D is helpful for
arthritis, diabetes, upper respiratory
infections and weight control. Sunlight
has a stimulative effect on management
of Vitamin D by the body. The Vit. D
is considered more hormonal than vitamin
content per se. The author explains how
Vitamin D has a hormonal influence on
metabolic pathways. The vitamin targets
6% of the entire human genome. Receptors
are everywhere in the body.

The acquisition would be perfect for any
library. The cost is reasonable for the
high value of the information contained.

Vitamin D, as you may already know, is not a vitamin at all. It's actually a hormone. It's not a vitamin because it can be produced naturally by the body via exposure to the sun. Health benefits of Vit. D are well known by now. It's good for bones! Well, that's not all! Dr Holick shows how studies prove the affects of Vitamin D against Obesity, diabetes, heart disease, psoriasis and even cancer. There are other books out there about the subject along with many articles, however, I believe Dr. Holick's book contains all the info you will need.

The book is divided into 2 parts: Part 1 is "The Light of Your Life and the Health Hormone." Part 2 is "Three Steps to Rebuilding Your Vitamin D levels."

Part 1 essentially talks about the history of Vitamin D. Dr Holick describes the evolution of fish, phytoplankton, dinosaurs and us. He then discusses your various geographical location and how it affects your Vit D intake, based on time of the year. He talks about everything that Vit D can affect, different health issues, moods, including depression, SAD and PMS. Your Vitamin D levels will be affected by where you live, your age and your ethnicity.

Part 2 Puts your plan into action. Step 1 is about getting your Vitamin D. Dr Holick is pretty adamant about preferring to get your D from the sun naturally. There are many factors, but essentially you figure out your skin type and based on your location, he gives you a proper amount of time to be in the sun so you can get enough. Those who don't have as much access to the sun on a daily basis for various reasons, can supplement , or go to a tanning salon ( he describes which types of bulbs to look for ).

Step 2 is about calcium and how important it is to take along with you Vitamin D to get the maximum benefits of D. In addition, calcium won't work in the body as well without D, so the 2 go hand in hand for proper bone health. If you get enough calcium from your diet, there's no need to add a supplement form. Those at higher risk of calcium deficiency may need to add a supplement. Step 3 is about using D supplements if need be.

The main takeaways from the book are

1: Vitmamin D is Damn good for you. Many people not out in the warm sun most days are likely deficient. It's not easy to get enough D through your food every day , unless u eat wild caught salmon and drink 10 glasses of milk every day.

2. For those worried about toxicity, you can never overdose from Vitamin D your body produces from the sun. You CAN however take too many supplements, although toxicity is rare. He recommends around 1-3000 IU daily depending on your age, location and skin type. For those severly deficient, he bumps that up to 50000 a WEEK or roughly 7000 a day for 6-8 weeks. Do NOT believe claims in other books (found here on the store by Jeff Bowles) that taking 50,000 IU a DAY is in any way safe.

I recommend you read this book. It's a very easy read, I have read a good amount about vitamin D and even Vitamin K2 and magnesium, both which also have benefits. It's about 240 pages with a few pages of Q&A and bibliography at the end. Good Luck!

Reasonable book abut the history of Vitamin D and the need for sensible sun exposure. But could have used more real data about modern cases where restoring optimal Vitamin D actually resolved maladies (e.g. he treated X people with muscle and bone pain and Y of them got better within 6 months). Too many anecdotes.

At least I'll be getting out in the sun more....

I find this book difficult to read. After digesting a lot of complicated medical knowledge, I was excited when finally I got to the "3-step strategy" to take care of my vitamin D needs. But honestly I was quite disappointed. First I had to run through a lot of tables to figure out how much sun exposure I needed. According to Holick's tables, I have type 1 skin, live in subtropics of Los Angeles. Therefore, a sun exposure of 5-10 minutes three times a week should provide me with enough vitamin D. Guess what? I spent more time outdoors than 5-10 minutes three times a week. When my doctor checked my vitamin D level it was quite low. He put me on Vitamin D3 10,000 I.U. a day and now my vitamin D level is optimal.

In my honest opinion, this book,full of hypothetical knowledge, did not give me any useful practical information. I am grateful to my doctor who checked my vitamin D level or I might mistakenly continue to assume that I am getting enough vitamin D from the sun exposure.

I thought that taking vit d would help my skin condition, considering all my life I heard that the sun would help ease the condition, but it always made mine worse. So I took the vitamin in hopes of some improvement. What happened in a month was, I was almost covered head to toe with THE WORSE FLARE UP EVER. No one has been able to address this and my Dr. pulled me off it. I wonder if this is a common occurrence?

This book was highly recommended by a friend, but by the time I read 100 pages, I became sceptical of the author's claims, stopped reading and started to research some of the author's sources.
Dr Holick describes study after study supporting his argument that Vitamin D (particularly when obtained through sun exposure) proves protective against a vast array of illnesses, ranging from Multiple Sclerosis to colon cancer.

Unfortunately, Dr Holick seems not to differentiate between correlation and causality. An example of correlation is that lots of wealthy people are seen to drive Mercedes cars. Driving a Mercedes may not, however, cause their wealth.

So, study after study shows that there is a correlation between sun exposure and reduced risk of heart attack, cancer etc. Maybe people exposed to the sun exercise more. Maybe outdoorsy people eat more fresh food? The author really did not explain properly how these other factors might have been controlled.

So, I checked out some of his sources.

One of the studies he quoted that did control for other (non vitamin D) factors doesn't even seem to be published anywhere. It certainly wasn't in his bibliography and I was unable to find it on an internet search.
Another study he quoted as evidence that UVB exposure caused reduced cancer mortality merely showed a correlation between geography and cancer rates and the authors themselves presented their article as an hypothesis, not proof of causality.

Dr Holick really lost me when he stated that organic food helps lower colon cancer risk. As far as I am aware, there is no published scientific study to support this claim.

The Author's premise (that Vitamin D is protective against a vast array of diseases) may be true, but his selective presentation of the evidence makes me question his objectivity in writing this book.

THE CLASSIC VITAMIN SALES BOOK.

This book's beginning is very informative from a knowlegable author. However, just like other vitamin sales books, it starts with some scientific facts to gain the reader's confidence, and then, the vitamin sales pitch begins. IT plays down all other alternatives, but to buy and take high dose vitamin D pills. It neglects the scientific fact that you may flood your blood with any vitamin but without complex transporter proteins it would not be absorbed by cells. And then at the end of the book addresses for vitamin orders and tanning lights, etc. Very disappointing from a qualified scientist.

A good test for any good book of this type is to look at the end of the book and NOT SEE the vitamin sales addresses. This book fails this test.