Vitamin Information Center

The benefits of vitamin D have long been known. It’s central for healthy bones and preventing some cancers.

A recent study boosted D’s profile, saying people with a moderate vitamin D deficiency had a 60-percent increased risk of cardiovascular problems, and those with a severe deficiency a almost 100-percent risk.

Since we get vitamin D from the sun along with food, it seemed great news for those who like to catch some rays. But not so fast, says Judy Dowd, a physician’s assistant with Cotton-O’Neil Dermatology. She says one source says all you need is five to 10 minutes of sun exposure on the hands, arm and face, two to three times a week, to get enough sun exposure to get the vitamin D you need and metabolize it usefully.

That’s about a half hour total. Other health officials said up to two hours total a week is what’s needed. But you also get vitamin D from food. Dowd says it is milk, cereals, breads and other foods are fortified with it and it’s also in eggs and liver.

Dowd advocates minimal sun exposure, so that you get enough vitamin D without adding to the risk sun exposure poses. She says it can cause early signs of aging, like wrinkles. It can also impact the immune system and cause skin cancers.

Dowd says it’s projected there’ll be 1.3 million new cases of skin cancer in the next couple years. She says many health experts attribute this to the increased use of tanning beds. As for tanning beds and vitamin D, she says we get vitamin D from UVB rays, not UVA rays, and most tanning beds use only UVA rays.

The number of skin cancers continues to climb and successful treatment means catching it early. The Cotton-O’Neil Cancer Center will have free skin cancer screenings Saturday, April 26th. It’s free, but you do have to register for an appointment by calling HealthConnections at 785-354-5225.

What’s your favorite drink? Mine is a body shot off of Miranda Kerr’s navel (and by “navel,” I mean breasts), but I digress. Unfortunately for you, I’m not asking for your favorite beer or liquor. Instead, I’m more interested in what non-alcoholic beverage you sip during class (that is, if you go to class). Is it a legendary Vitamin Water, an acidic Vault, a misleading diet Coke or a new 30 percent-less-plastic-but-still-not-biodegradable Poland Spring bottle of water?

Scientists have taken a new look at vitamin C and its health benefits. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that most people like orange juice. What’s not to like? It’s made from a fruit that is named after a fashionable color, contains vitamin C and is downright delicious. It can also be healthy for you in a number of ways.

If I asked you what vitamin C was, you’d probably give the following eloquent response: “Dude, it’s a vitamin.” But it’s so much more. It’s an antioxidant and it can help protect your heart, though it may not stop your heart from being broken on Valentine’s Day (Don’t worry Jimmy, I’m sure your girlfriend has a perfectly good explanation for sleeping with the entire starting five of Duke’s basketball team … at the same time).

Finnish researchers reviewed the studies of 300,000 people over the course of 10 years and found that taking 700 milligrams of vitamin C daily can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by 25 percent. Experts say that vitamin C helps slow the clogging of arteries, lower blood pressure and enhance the functionality of blood vessels. It’s great news because you know you need all the blood vessel help you can get with all the McDonald’s you eat.

Vitamin C may also be able to shun cancer like Britney Spears at a feminist convention. It may lower your risks of getting bladder, esophagus, stomach and lung cancer. Some scientists are even optimistic that taking vitamin C intravenously may also treat existing cancer; research has shown that when cancer cells are injected with vitamin C, it triggers the formation of hydrogen peroxide, which in turn kills the cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed.

Vitamin C helps fight off age-related macular degeneration [AMD] (aka blindness). AMD affects more women than men and if you’re overweight (those pants don’t make you look fat …) or have a family history, you are at an even higher risk of developing AMD. So our lovely Binghamton female students should consider consuming more orange juice.

Another incentive, vitamin C prevents wrinkles. That’s right; it forms collagen, which smooths those fine lines. (Note: Pouring orange juice over your face and body will not prevent wrinkles. Must be consumed in order to have desired effects.)