I was reminded again this week why sunshine is so important and why the "long winter" we've had this year may be hard on our health. In less than a week's time, I have encountered two babies with low vitamin D blood levels which presumably means that their mother was deficient in vitamin D during pregnancy. Sunshine is needed to convert the vitamin D you get in your diet to an active form that your body can use. Without sunshine, you can easily become deficient. Unfortunately, vitamin D isn't found naturally in very many foods. You can get vitamin D in cod liver oil (oh, yum! pick me!), salmon, tuna, liver (oh yeah, I'd like that too!) and eggs. Milk and cereal are fortified with vitamin D and that's where most of us probably get our food sources of the vitamin. Anyway, a doctor and I were speculating that we may be coming across quite a few newborns in the next couple months who are born deficient due to their mother's lack of sunshine exposure this past year--CRAZY, HUH?!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Get Your Rays
I was reminded again this week why sunshine is so important and why the "long winter" we've had this year may be hard on our health. In less than a week's time, I have encountered two babies with low vitamin D blood levels which presumably means that their mother was deficient in vitamin D during pregnancy. Sunshine is needed to convert the vitamin D you get in your diet to an active form that your body can use. Without sunshine, you can easily become deficient. Unfortunately, vitamin D isn't found naturally in very many foods. You can get vitamin D in cod liver oil (oh, yum! pick me!), salmon, tuna, liver (oh yeah, I'd like that too!) and eggs. Milk and cereal are fortified with vitamin D and that's where most of us probably get our food sources of the vitamin. Anyway, a doctor and I were speculating that we may be coming across quite a few newborns in the next couple months who are born deficient due to their mother's lack of sunshine exposure this past year--CRAZY, HUH?!
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I agree, that lack of sunshine is a big problem. But even in the south, our patients spend prime time indoors, and end up vitamin D deficient. For osteoporotic adults, the Docs at UNC want patients to take 100,000 IU of D3 per month. For adults over 50 around 1000IU. So far, everyone I suspect and measure have been very low. It is a bone problem, a brain problem and a cancer problem. What do you give those neonates - D2 IM or IV? What a job! Glad you like it, we need you.
ReplyDeleteWe're giving them Ergocalciferol (D2) 4000 IU/day orally x 21 days. Hopefully after that time their levels will have normalized and they can begin a generic infant multivitamin (that contains vit D).
ReplyDeleteThat is so funny you mentioned Vit D. Yesterday I saw something on TV about how most people don't get enough and how important it is. Then my dad went off on how we all need more and then he bought all of his kids a bunch of Vit D pills. The thing on TV recommened everyone take 1000 units a day.
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