Groundbreaking new study reports benefits for sunshine and sunbed exposure in northern climates

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TORONTO, Ont (August 20, 2024) – A large, cohort study from the UK has reported that people who have higher exposure to UV through sunlight or sunbeds have a lower risk of all-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality. The study adds to the growing evidence that the health benefits of UV exposure may outweigh the risks in low-sunlight environments.

The Vitamin D Society has been educating people on the benefits of non-burning UV exposure – the body’s primary source of vitamin D - for 15 years. This is the first time that sunbed users have been included in a large study of health benefits and mortality.

Its Time for a New Look at Sun Benefits! World Vitamin D Day - November 2nd

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TORONTO, Ont (October 26, 2023) – Health authorities worldwide now acknowledge that sun-care advisories in the future should not be one-size-fits-all and that darker-skinned people in sun-deprived climates like Canada may not be getting enough sun and vitamin D.

That’s an encouraging sign as The Vitamin D Society and Vitamin D authorities worldwide recognize November 2^nd as the 15^th annual World Vitamin D Day. In Canada, as much as 93 percent of the population is vitamin D deficient mainly due to lack of sun exposure.

Vitamin D helps you live longer! World Vitamin D Day - November 2nd

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TORONTO, Ont (October 25, 2022) – Your personal health and that of your family are the most important things in life. Optimal vitamin D levels play a significant role in helping prevent a wide number of diseases and strengthening your immune system to assist with new threats. Vitamin D and sun exposure have been found to reduce mortality and help you live a longer life.

Since 2009, we have celebrated World Vitamin D Day on November 2^nd to highlight the health benefits of vitamin D and the importance of having optimal vitamin D levels of between 100-150 nmol/L (Canada) or 40-60 ng/ml (USA).  November is the month that Canadians vitamin D levels rapidly decline due to reduced sun exposure. Over 93% of Canadians do not meet this vitamin D level.

Vitamin D to the Rescue! World Vitamin D Day - November 2nd

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TORONTO, Ont (October 28, 2021) – In these challenging times, vitamin D can be your superhero by strengthening your immune system to help reduce the possibility of severe effects or death from COVID-19.

For our 12^th Annual World Vitamin D Day happening on November 2^nd our message for you is clear - STOP Vitamin D Deficiency! Make sure you and your loved ones are not vitamin D deficient.

For more information on World Vitamin D Day on November 2^nd, visit our website and help take action to STOP vitamin D deficiency. Please consider sharing one of our graphics from the Tools section on your social media on November 2^nd. Please remember to include the hashtag #WorldVitaminDDay.

Strengthen Your Immune System to fight COVID-19 - World Vitamin D Day - November 2nd

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TORONTO, Ont (October 28, 2020) – Maintaining natural optimal vitamin D levels may be right up there with social distancing and wearing a mask as the most important actions you can take this winter to reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19, as well as helping your immune system reduce the severity of a case. 

That’s the message from new research the vitamin D research community wants Canada to hear on Nov. 2 -- the 11^th Annual World Vitamin D Day. An estimated 93 percent of Canadians still have deficient vitamin D levels.

“Research is starting to show the importance of Vitamin D in strengthening your immune system and possibly reducing your risk/severity/death of COVID-19,” says Vitamin D Society Executive Director Perry Holman. “Increasing your daily intake of vitamin D is an action you can take immediately to safeguard your health until a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available. Many people have deficient or insufficient vitamin D levels. As we celebrate the 11^th anniversary of World Vitamin D Day on Nov. 2, please evaluate your vitamin D intake and increase it to COVID-19 fighting levels.”

Here’s how:

World Vitamin D Day - November 2nd - STOP Vitamin D Deficiency

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TORONTO, Ont (October 25, 2019) – People around the world are losing their battle against vitamin D deficiency and more and more are becoming vitamin D deficient. It’s estimated that more than 1 billion people have low vitamin D levels in the world. This occurs because we are living, working, and spending more time indoors than ever before. We are now told to apply sunscreens every day, year round, which if applied properly prevents vitamin D production. Up to 90% of your vitamin D comes from sunlight. Without unprotected sun exposure (when the UV Index is above 3 and your shadow shorter than you are) we cannot make vitamin D naturally in our skin. Vitamin D levels drop rapidly as the sun becomes weaker in the autumn. This is why we celebrate World Vitamin D Day every November 2^nd. We want to warn you that you are probably Vitamin D deficient or insufficient right now.  People need to take action to increase their vitamin D intake. It’s time to STOP vitamin D deficiency and take back your health!

This is the 10^th year of celebrating World Vitamin D Day on November 2^nd as part of Novembers Vitamin D Awareness month to highlight peoples plunging vitamin D levels. This is a day for you to evaluate your vitamin D intake and take action to prevent deficiency since outdoor sunlight is now too weak to make vitamin D naturally in your skin at latitudes above 37°. Optimal vitamin D is needed throughout the winter to protect your health. A new World Vitamin D Day website has been developed to help inform people on the importance of maintaining optimal vitamin D blood levels of between 100-150 nmol/L (40-60 ng/ml USA). Please consider sending out one of the new social media shareables to your friends, family and loved ones on your social network to help promote vitamin D health. Remember to include the special hashtag #WorldVitaminDDay.

New Study Urges Change for Public Health Sun Exposure Guidelines

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TORONTO, Ont (January 23, 2019) – A new research paper has shed light on the benefits of moderate non-burning sun exposure and calls for an immediate revision of current public health sun directives. It found the public has been misled and not fully informed of the health consequences if they avoid sun exposure. The authors concluded “that non-burning UV exposure is a health benefit and – in moderation – should be recommended as such.”

The commentary, prepared by internationally recognized experts, was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health in December. UV radiation is the primary source of vitamin D for people and has been associated with lower disease rates for serious diseases such as some specific cancers, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis and age related macular degeneration.

The paper pointed out that the public is confused regarding sun exposure. Messaging to avoid “over exposure” is not clearly defined. What is “over exposure?” In addition, the current sun guidelines are clearly aimed at the northern European Caucasians portion of the population and may not apply for darker skinned populations whose skin can naturally absorb greater sun exposure and who are usually more vitamin D deficient.

Higher Vitamin D Levels and Sun Exposure Prove Important for Disease Prevention

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TORONTO, Ont (November 7, 2018) – New research for a wide variety of serious diseases confirms that Canadians need much higher vitamin D levels and UV sun exposure than previously thought. As part of November Vitamin D Awareness Month, the Vitamin D Society wants to ensure Canadians are aware of this new research and the positive benefits that optimal vitamin D levels and sun exposure will have on their health.

Breast Cancer: Women with vitamin D blood levels above 150 nmol/L had an 82% lower incidence of breast cancer compared to women with levels <50 nmol/L. (McDonnell 2018)

Colorectal Cancer: Participants with vitamin D blood levels below 30 nmol/L had a 31% higher risk of colorectal cancer and people with vitamin D levels above 75 nmol/L had a 27% reduced risk of colorectal cancer. (McCullough 2018)

Vitamin D Day – November 2nd

Take action to prevent vitamin D deficiency this winter

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TORONTO, Ont (October 26, 2018) – Do you know your vitamin D blood level? Most Canadians don’t, and it could be shortening their lives by leading to a higher risk of serious disease.  A landmark Canadian study reports that having a vitamin D blood level below 100 nmol/L plays a role in 23,000 premature deaths in Canada every year. According to Statistics Canada, 93.3% of Canadians have levels below 100 nmol/L. So, there is a good chance that this includes you.

We celebrate Vitamin D Day on November 2^nd each year as part of November Vitamin D Awareness Month to inform Canadians that their vitamin D levels plummet at this time of year as the sun can no longer make vitamin D through their skin at our northern latitude. The event started in Canada 10 years ago and is now celebrated worldwide. Please visit our website to help you understand why this hormone (vitamin D) is so important to your health, similar to testosterone and estrogen.

Higher Levels of Vitamin D Reduce Breast Cancer Risk by 80%

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TORONTO, Ont (June 21, 2018) – A new study of 5,038 women (age 55+) in a pooled cohort of two randomized controlled trials and a prospective cohort has found that women with vitamin D blood levels of ≥150 nmol/L, which is over three times the level recommended by Health Canada for bone health (50 nmol/L), have an 80% lower risk of breast cancer.  The study was published June 15th in the peer reviewed open access scientific journal PLOS ONE from researchers at the University of California San Diego, Creighton University, Medical University of South Carolina and GrassrootsHealth a U.S based nonprofit. The study concluded “Higher 25(OH)D concentrations were associated with a dose-response decrease in breast cancer risk with concentrations  ≥150 nmol/L being most protective.”

The 2018 Canadian Cancer Statistics, estimates that approximately 26,500 new cases of breast cancer and 5,000 related deaths will occur in Canada this year. Breast cancer is the number 1 ranked cancer for women. Based on this new research study a large portion of these cases could be prevented through women achieving vitamin D, 25(OH)D blood levels of ≥150 nmol/L.

Canadian Study Finds Tanning Salon Sunbeds Effective for Raising Vitamin D Levels

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TORONTO, Ont (November 15, 2017) – Sunbeds with a UVB component similar to solar summer sunshine may provide an effective alternate vitamin D source during winter months, according to a new Canadian study just published in the journal Dermato Endocrinology.

People who use tanning salons, specifically sunbeds that have UVB during the winter reach physiological blood levels (>100 nmol/L) of vitamin D, the study reported. It found that participants who used typical sunbeds emitting UVB rays in the range equivalent to outdoor summer sunshine increased their vitamin D blood levels on average by 42 nmol/L. This was achieved using standard tanning exposure schedules on salon sunbeds.

“Sunbeds enable exposure to nearly 100% of skin in a controlled manner which amplifies their effectiveness for vitamin D production,” said Dr. Samantha Kimball, lead author and research director at Pure North S’Energy Foundation in Calgary, AB. “We found that you can effectively raise your vitamin D levels into the desired range without burning and following Health Canada’s recommendations. But there are risks to any type of UV exposure, whether from the sun or sunbed.”

How can I get enough vitamin D during a Canadian winter?

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TORONTO, Ont (November 8, 2017) – Canadians’ vitamin D levels drop substantially in winter due to the lack of UVB in the sun at our northern latitude at this time of year. For November Vitamin D Awareness month, the Vitamin D Society has released a new short video to help people develop a vitamin D winter action plan.

First, let’s understand why a great number of Canadians are vitamin D deficient. Until about 100 years ago, people spent a large amount of their time outdoors. Now most of us work indoors and increasingly spend our leisure time inside, drawn to the Internet, TV, video games and other passive forms of recreation. When we are outdoors, many of us follow health warnings to protect ourselves from UV exposure with sunscreen, clothing and shade.

The result is that Canadians’ vitamin D levels have fallen by 13% in just six years. Approximately 14 million Canadians — 38% of the population — do not meet Health Canada guidelines for vitamin D levels of 50 nmol/L. This puts them at a higher risk for serious diseases such as osteoporosis, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Vitamin D Day calls attention to World Health Crisis

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TORONTO, Ont (October 26, 2017) – Canadians’ vitamin D levels continue to plummet, according to the latest report from Statistics Canada. Vitamin D levels for Canadians, aged six to 79, have dropped by 13% in the last six years and show no signs of improvement. Fourteen million Canadians do not meet Health Canada’s vitamin D blood level requirements of 50 nmol/L. This figure rises to 15 million —40 per cent of us — during winter months.

The Vitamin D Society has proclaimed November as Vitamin D Awareness month since 2009 and is working with the Vitamin D Council from the US to celebrate Vitamin D Day on November 2^nd. Vitamin D Day is a day for Canadians to learn about the importance of vitamin D for good health and to take action to ensure that they have optimal vitamin D blood levels.

Dr. Gerry Schwalfenberg, an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Alberta who also has a clinical patient practice, has published numerous papers calling attention to this disturbing vitamin D deficiency problem.

“I see patients’ vitamin D levels start to drop at this time of the year when sunlight does not contain sufficient UVB to make vitamin D in your skin,” he says. “Without immediate corrective action through supplementation or artificial UVB exposure, these people will be vitamin D deficient until next summer or longer if they avoid the sun. This leads to a higher risk of many diseases such as cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and also infections such as colds and flu.”

Summer Smart Sunshine Tips to Boost Vitamin D Levels

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TORONTO, Ont (April 4, 2017) – The daylight hours are getting longer, the sun is getting stronger and summer is just around the corner. Make this the year that you optimize your vitamin D levels through effective sun exposure. Enjoy the health benefits and disease prevention from optimal vitamin D levels and learn to control your risks from sun exposure.

Vitamin D is made naturally in your body when UVB rays from the sun convert cholesterol in your skin to pre-vitamin D3. We make about 90% of our vitamin D from UVB sun exposure. UVB rays are short and only reach the earth when the sun is directly above us. We can’t make vitamin D in the winter in Canada because the sun is at too low of an angle and the UVB rays are absorbed in the atmosphere.

You make vitamin D in Canada between the months of May and October. The best time for exposure is around midday, between 10am and 2pm, when the UV index is above 3 and your shadow is shorter than your height. The further you get from noon, the lower the amount of vitamin D you’ll make. The sun’s visible light may penetrate through glass, but UVB light will not therefore you will not make vitamin D.

Study finds Vitamin D effective for reducing flu and colds

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TORONTO, Ont (March 1, 2017) – People who boost their vitamin D levels with supplements reduce their risk of respiratory tract infections, such as the flu, by up to 12%, according to a new systematic review and meta-analysis study of 25 randomised controlled trial (RCT) studies published recently in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).

The study reported that this equates to one person being spared a respiratory tract infection (RTI) for every 33 taking vitamin D supplements. The benefit is greater in those receiving daily or weekly vitamin D versus bolus or monthly dosing, with the number needed to treat dropping to 20. The impact in Canada, based on a population of 35 million people, shows vitamin D could spare 1.75 million people having one RTI per year.

New Canadian study provides strong evidence that low vitamin D levels cause Alzheimer’s Disease

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TORONTO, Ont (January 18, 2017) – A new scientific study published in Neurology from researchers at McGill University has provided evidence to support vitamin D as a causal risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The McGill study found that lower vitamin D levels increased the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 25% using a Mendelian randomization (MR) methodology which minimizes bias due to confounding or reverse causation.

Alzheimer’s disease is expected to double throughout the world in the next 20 years. The Alzheimer Society of Canada estimates that approximately 747,000 Canadians are living with some form of dementia.

There is no treatment that can effectively stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease despite considerable effort. Therefore, disease prevention through modifiable risk factors where possible is critical. Ensuring vitamin D sufficiency through increased non-burning sun exposure in summer or vitamin D supplementation may be a cost-effective approach to help reduce Alzheimer’s disease risk.

Pregnant women should increase vitamin D levels - new studies suggest

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TORONTO, Ont (December 13, 2016) – New studies have shown how important it is for pregnant women to have optimal blood levels of vitamin D to help lower the risk of their babies developing multiple sclerosis and autism.

A newly published study in Neurology from Danish researchers has found that babies born within the lowest quintile of vitamin D levels had twice the risk for future multiple sclerosis (MS) as infants born in the highest quintile. This led the researchers to conclude that low concentrations of neonatal vitamin D are associated with an increased risk of MS.

Earlier this year, a study published in JAMA Neurology on data from the Finnish Maternity Cohort also found that maternal vitamin D deficiency during early pregnancy was associated with a 2-fold increased risk of MS in the offspring compared with women who did not have deficient vitamin D levels.

Adding further support for increased vitamin D supplementation for pregnant women is a new study published in Molecular Psychiatry on autism. The large population-based cohort of mothers and their children found that gestational vitamin D deficiency was associated with an increase in autism-related traits in 6-year-old children linking gestational vitamin D deficiency and altered brain development. The authors concluded: “It is feasible that a safe, cheap and publicly accessible vitamin D supplement in at risk groups may reduce the prevalence of this risk factor. Just as prenatal folate supplementation has reduced the incidence of spina bifida, we speculate that prenatal vitamin D supplementation may reduce the incidence of autism.”

Study Urges Public Health to Embrace Sunlight Benefits

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TORONTO, Ont (November 29, 2016) – Just days after research warned Canadians that vitamin D deficiency was costing Canadian healthcare $12.5B annually by leading to a higher risk of developing life-threatening illnesses, a new study from the US is supporting the Canadian research and challenging conventional sun exposure advice. The study calls for public health organizations to re-evaluate their current message of sun avoidance and to promote non-burning sun exposure for vitamin D and other health benefits.

The recently published study, written by one of the most qualified and diverse groups of researchers in the fields of pigment cell research, photobiology, melanoma research, dermatology and vitamin D, “The Risks and Benefits of Sun Exposure 2016” by David G. Hoel, Marianne Berwick, Frank R. de Gruijl and Michael F. Holick, has found that insufficient sun exposure is an emerging public health risk. 

Study finds boosting vitamin D could save 23,000 Canadians lives, $12.5 billion in healthcare spending

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Researchers urge national health policy changes to battle Canadian vitamin D deficiency

TORONTO, Ont (November 21, 2016) –  Increasing vitamin D intake could spare 23,000 Canadians premature deaths annually and save Canada $12.5 billion in healthcare spending and associated costs, says a new study on vitamin D deficiency.

The study, published by Dermato-Endocrinology examines the devastating medical and financial toll Canadians suffer because they don’t get enough vitamin D.

“This research really should act as a wake-up call for policy-makers in Canada,” said study co-author Dr. William Grant, a researcher with the Sunlight, Nutrition and Health Research Center in San Francisco, CA. “Thousands of lives and billions of dollars could be saved by bringing in policy changes that promote messaging around safe sun exposure, vitamin D supplement use and eating foods fortified with vitamin D.”

Vitamin D Day kicks off Vitamin D Awareness Month

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TORONTO, Ont (October 27, 2016) –  With Canadian Vitamin D levels dropping year after year, the Vitamin D Society is kicking off its 8^th Annual Vitamin D Awareness Month with Vitamin D Day on Nov 2^nd to help spread the message across the country.

The Vitamin D Society is using the month to bring vitamin D deficiency to light for Canadians who may not understand the affects that a lack of vitamin D can have on the human body.

“Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a higher risk of serious diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis and others,” says Dr. Gerry Schwalfenberg, Scientific Advisor for the Vitamin D Society and an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Alberta. “The month of November is crucial for Canadians because it is the start of our vitamin D winter. The low angle of the sun means that sunlight no longer produces vitamin D in our skin, therefore it’s important to examine your vitamin D levels to ensure your body isn’t at risk.”

Canadians urged to boost vitamin D levels before the long, dark winter sets in

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TORONTO, Ont (October 12, 2016) –  With winter just around the corner, Canadians have very little time left to naturally generate vitamin D from sunshine until next spring.

Due to our northern latitude, Canadians cannot get sufficient levels of vitamin D through sunshine from November to May. Safe sun exposure is the main source for our bodies to absorb UVB rays and naturally generate vitamin D, which is instrumental at lowering the risk of developing serious diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and osteoporosis.

“Until the cut-off in November, it’s advisable to try and enjoy the midday sun as much as possible in October before switching over to vitamin D supplements,” says Dr. Gerry Schwalfenberg, a scientific advisor to the Vitamin D Society and an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Alberta. “Vitamin D is an important way for the body to stay healthy and with it coming for free from the sun, it couldn’t be easier to obtain.”

Now that Breast Cancer Awareness Month has kicked off in October, the Vitamin D Society is urging women to step out into the midday sun to grab the last rays of sunshine and naturally boost their vitamin D levels to help lower the risk of breast cancer.

Vitamin D helps cut risks of severe asthma attacks

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Research review suggests vitamin D supplements reduce asthma hospital visits by 50%

TORONTO, Ont (September 20, 2016) – The Vitamin D Society is encouraged by a new research review that suggests the use of oral vitamin D supplements can help curb severe asthma attacks.

The independent review, carried out by scientists with the Cochrane research body and published in the Cochrane Library, examined results from seven studies including 435 children and two trials involving 658 adults. The majority of participants had mild to moderate asthma and a minority had severe asthma.

Cochrane researchers found individuals who take oral vitamin D supplements in addition to their standard asthma medication experience a significant reduction — approximately 50 percent — in severe asthma attacks and hospital visits, without any added side effects.

“These results are really exciting and promising for thousands of asthma patients across Canada, where we have significant incidence of vitamin D deficiency,” said Dr. Gerry Schwalfenberg, a scientific advisor to the Vitamin D Society and an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Alberta. “Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to an increased risk of attacks for those who live with asthma.”

UK Advises Vitamin D Supplements for Everyone – Should Canada Follow?

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TORONTO, Ont (August 3, 2016) – A recently released report by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) in the United Kingdom is urging all Brits to take vitamin D supplements, which according to the Vitamin D Society of Canada, should give Canadians a reason to start looking at their own vitamin D intake levels.

Much like the UK, Canada shares the same sunshine limitations, which means because of the northern latitude of both countries, vitamin D producing sunlight can only be captured by our skin between the months of May and October. This leaves Canadians and Brits in the cold and with declining vitamin D levels in the fall and winter.

The downside of low vitamin D levels means that bones can become thin and brittle because vitamin D plays an important role in regulating the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body - making it essential for bone health and more.

Summer is the season for Canadians to naturally boost vitamin D levels

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TORONTO, Ont (July 14, 2016) – With school out and vacations in full swing, Canadians will be spending more time outdoors soaking up the sun.

According to the Vitamin D Society, summer is the best time for Canadians to naturally generate vitamin D, which has many positive effects, including reducing the risk of developing serious diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis and others.

Dr. Reinhold Vieth, Scientific Advisor for the Vitamin D Society and professor at the University of Toronto, says that in addition to generating vitamin D, sunlight is known to improve mood and wellbeing. However, because of Canada’s northern latitude, our timeframe for getting the most from the sun’s rays is short – from May to October.

“Right now, we are in vitamin D summer. When the UV index is above 3 and your shadow is shorter than your height is when you can make vitamin D.” says Dr. Vieth. “For years, many strands of research have shown that people who are active in sunshine are healthier than those who avoid sun. We often assume that the health benefits of sunshine are solely due to vitamin D, but that is not proven yet.  In other words, it is likely that sunshine does more for our bodies than just produce vitamin D.”

New study questions sun avoidance in northern latitude countries like Canada

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TORONTO. Ont. (May 25, 2016) – With summer just around the corner, a new study out of the Netherlands has questioned if sun-avoidance advice actually benefits a person’s general health.

In the study “Sunlight: For Better or For Worse? A Review of Positive and Negative Effects of Sun Exposure,” Dr. Han van der Rhee and his team reviewed 115 studies and found that there is no unequivocal scientific proof that eliminating time spent in the sun has a beneficial effect on the human body.

The researchers found that the present ‘epidemic’ of skin cancer is mainly caused by the increase of intermittent sun exposure, coinciding with the decrease of chronic exposure. Meaning that most people are just not outside in the sun on a regular daily basis. The researchers claim that it’s unlikely that continuous protection during daily life contributes to our health, particularly in countries with a temperate climate, and warns that both too much and too little sunlight may be harmful to our health.

MAY IS NATIONAL SUNSHINE MONTH

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Research shows increases in sun exposure correlates with positive health outcomes

TORONTO. Ont. (May 6, 2016) – In an effort to increase public awareness of the importance of sunshine to human health, the Vitamin D Society today announced its support of a new GrassrootsHealth-led public health initiative, declaring May as “National Sunshine Month.”

According to GrassrootsHealth, with the transition from an agrarian to a technology-driven society, and other shifts in cultural behavior over the past several decades, people spend more time indoors than at any time in human history. The resulting decrease in exposure to sunlight is inhibiting our ability to fight many life-threatening diseases, including diabetes, colon cancer, breast cancer and, ironically, even skin cancer.

“Missing sunlight puts us at serious risk of a multitude of dangerous health problems,” says Carole Baggerly, Director of GrassrootsHealth. “It is essential that we improve public understanding of the need for sunshine exposure and health outcomes.”

Over the next four weeks, GrassrootsHealth’s experts in the medical and scientific communities will educate the public and those in the medical and healthcare fields on why the sun is essential for public health. This will include the launch of GrassrootsHealth’s newest program, “Harness the Power of the Sun for Health,” which will provide software for individuals to assess their current situation, set sunshine goals and track vitamin D levels and health outcomes.

Sun is good for you – you may live longer, study finds

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Vitamin D Society urges re-examination of sun safety guidelines

TORONTO, Ont. (April 27, 2016) – Swedish women who avoid sunshine shorten their lifespans by the same amount as smoking.  This latest research was just published in the Journal of Internal Medicine. Like the Swedes, Canadians need to balance the benefits of sun exposure with the risks. It is not healthy to avoid sunshine, which provides the ultraviolet light that makes vitamin D, says the Vitamin D Society.

Between 1990 and 1992, 30,000 Swedish women were surveyed about risk factors for malignant melanoma the worst form of skin cancer.  For the next 20 years, the women’s death records were followed.  Those women with active sun exposure habits were at a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease and causes of death other than cancer or heart disease, causes such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis and pulmonary disease.

Compared to those with the highest sun exposure, life expectancy for women who avoided sun was shorter by .6 to 2.1 years.

The lead author of the report, Dr. Pelle Lindqvist, put it another way: “We found smokers in the highest sun exposure group were at a similar risk as non-smokers avoiding sun exposure, indicating avoidance of sun exposure to be a risk factor of the same magnitude as smoking.” He went on to conclude that, “Guidelines being too restrictive regarding sun exposure may do more harm than good for health.”

New study shows higher levels of vitamin D can drastically lower risk of cancer by 67%

TORONTO, Ont. (April 11, 2016) – Women with high concentrations of vitamin D have been found to have a much lower chance of developing cancer, according to a recently published study.

Published in the journal PLOS ONE and authored by a team from Creighton University, University of California, San Diego and GrassrootsHealth, the research found a 67% reduction in risk for all cancers in women with vitamin D levels > 100 nmol/L (40 ng/ml) compared to women with vitamin D levels < 50 nmol/L (20 ng/ml). 

Drawing on results from one of Creighton’s past studies, Dr. Heaney and researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine worked with Dr. Lappe’s team and GrassrootsHealth to provide data from its members to aid in the study. Combining both pools of data, the researchers were able to create a larger overall cohort of 2,304 women with a broader range of serum levels for the analysis.

The resulting conclusion was that women with higher than 100 nmol/L (40 ng/ml) vitamin D levels were associated with substantial reduction in risk of all invasive cancers combined.

Battling the winter blues and seasonal affective disorder with vitamin D

TORONTO, Ont (December 14, 2015) – Canada’s long, dark winter brings with it the blahs and symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) for many, however a Canadian doctor is looking to the sunshine vitamin to aid those suffering.

Seasonal depression and SAD is a mental condition that develops in some individuals who do not receive enough natural light.  Shorter winter days makes Canadians more at risk of the disorder, which can lead to symptoms of decreased energy to difficulty concentrating to feelings of anxiety and despair, among others.

According to Dr. Samantha Kimball, Scientific Advisor for the Vitamin D Society, vitamin D levels change when the seasons do and low times of vitamin D match periods of depression in SAD patients. In her research she has found that increasing vitamin D intake can help reduce the symptoms of patients suffering from SAD.

November is Vitamin D Awareness Month

TORONTO, Ont. (November 5, 2015) – In order to raise awareness about the dangers of low vitamin D levels for Canadians, the Vitamin D Society has declared November Vitamin D Awareness Month.

The Canadian-based non-profit organization has been proclaiming November as Vitamin D Awareness Month since 2007. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a higher risk of serious diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis and others. The month of November is crucial for Canadians because it is the start of our vitamin D winter. The low angle of the sun means that sunlight no longer produces vitamin D in our skin.

Vitamin D Day on Nov. 2 highlights world health problem

Organizations raising awareness to curb vitamin D deficiency

TORONTO, Ont. (October 28, 2015) – As Canadians prepare to batten down the hatches for another cold, dark winter, The Vitamin D Society is shining a light on the dangerous health implications of getting too little vitamin D.

The Canadian-based non-profit organization’s warning comes as it encourages health groups across the globe to mark World Vitamin D Day on November 2^nd by joining their Thunderclap. The initiative is part of a broader education campaign during Vitamin D Awareness month in November to highlight the growing problem of vitamin D deficiency to the public.

“We need to do more to raise awareness and increase knowledge about proper vitamin D levels to help Canadians enjoy better health,” said Dr. Reinhold Vieth, Scientific Advisor for the Vitamin D Society and professor at the University of Toronto. “Vitamin D deficiency can easily and inexpensively be eradicated through supplements and safe sun exposure, thereby improving the quality of life for many people.”

You are a Human Vitamin D Factory

Ramp up your production with sun exposure

TORONTO, September 21, 2015 — The importance of natural sunlight to human life cannot be understated.

It sustains everything we eat, plant or animal. It helps boost our mood. And it is vital for human health, building strong, healthy bones and helping stave off a roster of debilitating and fatal diseases.

“There really is no substitute for natural sunlight in human health,” says Dr. Reinhold Vieth, Scientific Advisor for the Vitamin D Society and professor at the University of Toronto. “Your skin is like a solar receptor, and has the amazing capability to manufacture all of the vitamin D your body needs. Everyone has the capability to generate vitamin D.”

But not enough people are getting necessary sun exposure. According to Statistics Canada, more than a third of Canadians — about 12 million people — do not meet the minimum Health Canada guidelines for vitamin D levels. This is due directly to sunlight deficiency.

Overly restrictive sun exposure warnings pose health risk, says new study

TORONTO, July 14, 2015 /CNW/ - Following restrictive sun exposure advice in countries with low solar intensity like Canada might in fact be harmful to your health, says the co-author of a new study on sunlight and vitamin D.

The recently published study Sunlight and Vitamin D: Necessary for Public Health by Carole Baggerly and several academic researchers, examines how organizations such as World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer and the U.S. Surgeon General call for sun avoidance, but ignore the fact that cutting out sunshine will reduce vitamin D, an essential vitamin for bone health, and create probable harm for the general population.

"Humans have adapted to sun exposure over many thousands of years and derive numerous physiological benefits from UV exposure, in addition to vitamin D," said Baggerly, executive director of GrassrootsHealth and breast cancer survivor. "These benefits are in addition to those derived from vitamin D alone and cannot be replaced by vitamin D supplements and therefore sun avoidance being recommended by the US Surgeon General, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian Dermatology Association and others, is unnecessarily putting Canadians at risk."

Spring Sunshine Welcomed as Canadians Vitamin D Levels Plummet

Risk increased for a number of serious diseases

WOODSTOCK, Ont. (March 19, 2015) – A new Statistics Canada report has confirmed that 12 million Canadians have vitamin D blood levels that are below what Health Canada recommends and vitamin D levels continue to drop from previous years.

Results from the 2012 to 2013 Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS), released December 2014, report that 35% or 12 million Canadians have vitamin D blood levels below the Health Canada guideline of 50 nmol/L. This has increased by 3% from the previous Statistics Canada report (2009-2011) of 32%. The mean average vitamin D level for Canadians age 6-79 years has also dropped by 9.9% over the last 4 years from 68 nmol/L to 61 nmol/L. “This downward trend in vitamin D blood levels is putting more Canadians at a higher risk for many cancers including colon, breast and prostate, as well as for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis and other serious diseases” stated Perry Holman, Executive Director of the Vitamin D Society.

Building consensus on optimal vitamin D levels in Canada

Key disease organizations support effort to curb vitamin D deficiency

TORONTO, Ont. (November 21, 2014) - A push to develop a Canadian Vitamin D Consesus that can be used to educate Canadians on the importance of optimal vitamin D levels for health is gaining support.

Vitamin D experts from around the world attended a workshop in Toronto earlier this month with the goal of reducing vitamin D deficiency in Canada.

A number of prominent Canadian disease organizations, including the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, Osteoporosis Canada, the Canadan Breast Cancer Foundation and Prostate Cancer Canada attended the November 4 workshop on vitamin D.

"It's extemely encouraging to see momentum building behind efforts to improve education among Canadians on how to ensure they are getting enough vitamin D. Together, we can help people improve their health and reduce risk to several serious diseases," said workshop chairperson Dr. Reinhold Vieth, retired director of the Bone and Mineral Laboratory at Mount Sinai Hospital and a professor at the University of Toronto in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiolgy.

Shining a light on need to boost vitamin D levels in Canada

Vitamin D Society workshop on Nov. 4 to build consensus on curbing vitamin D deficiency

TORONTO, Ont. (October 31, 2014) – As winter draws closer and our daylight hours grow shorter, Canadians are being urged to take steps to protect their health by maintaining sufficient levels of vitamin D.

To mark Vitamin D Awareness Month in November, The Vitamin D Society is spreading the word about the importance of proper vitamin D levels and the affect it has on our everyday health.

On Tuesday, November 4 in Toronto the non-profit organization is hosting the Vitamin D Consensus Workshop, featuring several international medical experts. Representatives from key disease organizations have been invited to attend to help develop a Canadian Vitamin D Consensus that can be used to educate Canadians on the importance of optimal vitamin D levels for health. The workshop comes shortly after World Vitamin D Day on November 2.

“Due to Canada’s northern latitude, Canadians cannot get sufficient levels of vitamin D through sunshine from November to May,” said workshop presenter Dr. Reinhold Vieth, retired director of the Bone and Mineral Laboratory at Mount Sinai Hospital and a professor at the University of Toronto in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology. “Low levels of vitamin D can create a higher risk of serious diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis and others.”

Higher Vitamin D Does Not Raise the Risk for Kidney Stones

The Vitamin D Society wants to make the public aware of a recent study which reported that high levels of vitamin D had a lower risk of kidney stones.

Woodstock, ON (PRWEB) November 29, 2013

The Vitamin D Society wants to make the public aware of a recent study published in the American Journal of Public Health, which reported that study participants with the highest vitamin D blood serum levels actually had a lower incidence of kidney stones(1). These results show that higher vitamin D intake cannot be a substantial cause of kidney stones because as participants vitamin D levels increased, kidney stone cases actually decreased. The study was sponsored by GrassrootsHealth (GRH), a nonprofit public health research organization, and was led by Dr. Cedric Garland, professor of family and preventive medicine at the University of California San Diego. The research team used data collected from 2,012 participants enrolled in GrassrootsHealth’s D*action study. This study is the first of its kind to include participants with a wide range of 25(OH)D blood serum levels, especially on the higher end of the spectrum between 100 nmol/L and 250 nmol/L, and is therefore a more rigorous test of the suggested association with kidney stones than previous studies.

Vitamin D Levels Start Plunging in November

November is Vitamin D Awareness Month and the Vitamin D Society is urging all Canadians to check their vitamin D blood levels to ensure that they are not deficient. Canadians will no longer be able to make vitamin D from sunlight (UVB Light).

Woodstock, ON (PRWEB) November 22, 2013

November is Vitamin D Awareness month. A time of the year when your body’s vitamin D level starts to decrease dramatically as the reserves of vitamin D built up through summer sunshine rapidly deplete. November is the start of vitamin D winter in the northern hemisphere. In Canada the sun is low in the sky and the UVB rays that produce vitamin D in your skin do not reach the earth. People retreat indoors to bear the long, cold, low light Canadian winter. The Vitamin D Society is urging all Canadians to check their vitamin D levels through a 25(OH)D blood serum test, get their test score and ensure that they are at the optimal levels of 100-150 nmol/L as recommended by over 40 of the top vitamin D scientific researchers at GrassrootsHealth(1). If you are unable to test your vitamin D levels, Dr. Robert Heaney MD, Creighton University, recommends that you ensure your vitamin D intake is approximately 35IU per pound of body weight per day (75 IU per Kg/day). 

Vitamin D Day November 2nd – Help Stop Vitamin D Deficiency

November is the start of the season when most Canadians become vitamin D deficient due to lack of sunlight. The Vitamin D Society is asking all Canadians to assess their vitamin D levels on Vitamin D Day November 2nd and to take action to prevent vitamin D deficiency.

Woodstock, ON (PRWEB) October 31, 2013

The Vitamin D Society is asking all Canadians to join us to celebrate Vitamin D Day on November 2nd and to assess their personal vitamin D blood levels and to take action to prevent a possible vitamin D deficiency. “Canadians should check their vitamin D level through a 25(OH)D blood serum test (ask for your test score) and ensure they are between the optimal levels of 100 – 150 nmol/L as recommended by over 40 of the top Vitamin D researchers at GrassrootsHealth(1)” stated Perry Holman, executive director of the Vitamin D Society

Ontario Symposiums Kick Off Vitamin D Awareness Month

The Vitamin D Society is proud to announce that it will host two Vitamin D Disease Prevention Symposiums in Ontario during November as part of Vitamin D Awareness Month. Medical professionals and the public are invited to attend these free information sessions and learn what optimal vitamin D can do for health.

Woodstock, ON (PRWEB) October 29, 2013

The Vitamin D Society would like to invite medical professionals and the public to attend one of two free information session on Vitamin D and Disease Prevention to be held in Ontario during November, Vitamin D Awareness Month. The symposiums will be held in Hamilton on November 5th and in Toronto on November 6th. The vitamin D symposium will feature presentations by Dr. Robert Heaney, M.D. Professor of Medicine at Creighton University, a leading vitamin D researcher and author of over 400 original research papers on nutrition and vitamin D. Dr. Heaney will present an overview of the latest research papers showing the relationship between optimal vitamin D blood levels and disease prevention. Joining Dr. Heaney will be prominent Canadian researcher Dr. Reinhold Vieth, Ph.D. a professor in Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto. Dr. Vieth will address vitamin D deficiency and review the latest vitamin D guidelines.

People with Higher Vitamin D Levels Live Longer

The Vitamin D Society wants to make the public aware of a recent study reporting that men and women with higher vitamin D levels have a lower risk of dying. This is especially important at this time of the year, since you will no longer be able to make vitamin D from sunlight at higher latitudes.

Woodstock, ON (PRWEB) September 18, 2013

The Vitamin D Society wants to make the public aware of a recent meta-analysis study published in BioMed Central Public Health, reporting that men and women with higher vitamin D levels have a much lower risk of dying prematurely from all causes(1). Researchers analyzed the results from 9 prospective cohort studies which compared data on vitamin D status and mortality for 24,297 adults of varying ages. During the study period 5,324 deaths occurred. After adjusting for all the main confounders, the risk for all-cause mortality was 19% greater for those participants with the lowest vitamin D level compared to the highest. When the data was stratified by age, the study reported that the all-cause mortality risk for people with lower vitamin D levels was 12% greater for those under age 65 and 25% greater for those above 65 years of age. All results were statistically significant.

Doctors Discovering Benefits of Vitamin D

A new research paper written by two primary care practitioners is encouraging family doctors to take responsibility to help eliminate vitamin D deficiency in their patients. The Vitamin D Society supports the recommendations which were based on a thorough review of the scientific evidence of vitamin D health benefits and its role in disease prevention.

Woodstock, ON (PRWEB) August 29, 2013

The Vitamin D Society supports the recommendations from a new study written by primary care practitioners which encourages fellow family doctors to take responsibility and help eliminate vitamin D deficiency in their patients. The study was published in the Journal of Optometry and confirmed the current scientific evidence showing vitamin D’s positive health effect on cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, bone health, multiple sclerosis, obstetrics, infectious diseases and eye health. Vitamin D is an effective regulator of cell growth and interacts directly with 2.5% of the human genome or some 1,000 genes working like a master on-off switch.

Vitamin D for Health: A Global Perspective

The Vitamin D Society wants to make the public aware of a new research paper published by the Mayo Clinic which highlights the global health benefits and disease prevention from optimum vitamin D levels. This Global Perspective was written by Dr. Michael F. Holick, one of the foremost vitamin D researchers in the world.

Woodstock, ON (PRWEB) July 29, 2013

The Vitamin D Society wants to make the public aware of a new review published by the Mayo Clinic, which highlights the global health benefits and disease prevention opportunities available through the achievement of optimal levels of vitamin D. The study found that vitamin D deficiency is a common underdiagnosed condition throughout the world. Recent evidence from hundreds of studies suggests that vitamin D is important for reducing the risk of type 1 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, cognitive decline, depression, pregnancy complications, autoimmunity, allergy and even frailty. The best method to determine if you are deficient in vitamin D is through a 25(OH)D blood test. Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy may influence fetal “imprinting” that may affect chronic disease susceptibility soon after birth as well as later in life. An effective strategy to prevent vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency is to obtain some sensible sun exposure (dminder.info is a free app that provides guidance for sensible sun exposure), ingest foods that contain vitamin D, and take a vitamin D supplement(1).

6X Breast Cancer Risk for Saudi Arabian Women with Low Vitamin D

The Vitamin D Society wants to make the public aware of a recent study reporting that women in Saudi Arabia who have low vitamin D levels have six times the risk of having breast cancer than women with higher levels.

Woodstock, ON (PRWEB) June 26, 2013 – The Vitamin D Society wants to make the public aware of a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, reporting that women in Saudi Arabia who have low vitamin D levels have six times the risk of having breast cancer than women with higher levels(1). The case-control study analyzed data from 120 breast cancer cases and an equal amount of controls. The study found that Saudi Arabian women in the lowest vitamin D category, less than 25 nmol/L (10 ng/ml),  had six times the risk for evasive breast cancer as people in the highest category of vitamin D status, greater than 50 nmol/L (20 ng/ml). Women in Saudi Arabia, even though they reside in a high UV sunlight exposure area, have very low levels of vitamin D.  This is due to a modern indoor lifestyle, darker skin types, cultural practices of dress and the fact that the food supply is not fortified with vitamin D like it is in Canada and the USA.

Study Shows Immigrant Children at High Risk of Vitamin D Deficiency

The Vitamin D Society wants to make parents aware of a recent Canadian study reporting that new immigrant and refugee children in Canada are at a high risk of vitamin D deficiency which may have serious negative consequences for their future health.

Woodstock, ON (PRWEB) June 20, 2013 – The Vitamin D Society wants to make parents aware of a recent Canadian study which reports that new immigrant and refugee children to Canada are at a high risk of vitamin D deficiency which may have serious negative consequences for their future health(1). The study compared vitamin D levels for non-immigrant children, aged 6-11 years with 72 immigrant and refugee children aged 7-11 years who had been living in Saskatoon, SK, Canada for no more than five years. Dr. Vatanparast’s team found that 73% of the immigrant/refugee children from Saskatoon had vitamin D levels below 50 nmol/L which would make them deficient. The mean vitamin D level for the new immigrant/refugee children was 41 nmol/L, just barely over half the level reported nationally for all Canadian children aged 6-11 which was 75 nmol/L.  Data from a nationally representative sample showed alarmingly low 25(OH)D levels in immigrant children, particularly girls.

Lower Vitamin D Levels Associated with Twice the Risk of Respiratory Disease

The Vitamin D Society wants to make the public aware of a new study showing an association between lower vitamin D levels and twice the risk of respiratory disease for older people.

Woodstock, ON (PRWEB) May 31, 2013 – The Vitamin D Society wants to make the public aware of a new study published online in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, which reported that older adults deficient in vitamin D were twice as likely to report a respiratory disease as those with the highest levels(1). The study examined 2,070 adults age 65 or older who participated in the 2005 Health Survey in England. The study author, Dr. Hirani, found that people with severely deficient vitamin D levels, less than 35 nmol/L, had more than twice the risk of respiratory disease when compared to those in the highest vitamin D quartile, greater than 64 nmol/L, after adjustments for covariates. The study concluded: low serum 25(OH)D concentrations are associated with respiratory disease. Ensuring adequate 25(OH)D levels is of public health importance for older populations living in northern latitudes and may be an effective way to prevent concurrent respiratory infections and related complications in older people.

Vitamin D Disease Prevention Symposium in Victoria, BC

The Vitamin D Society would like to invite the public to attend the Victoria Vitamin D Disease Prevention Symposium on May 22, 2013. Come learn what vitamin D can do for your health.

Woodstock, ON (PRWEB) May 21, 2013

The Vitamin D Society would like to invite medical professionals and the public to attend a free information session on vitamin D and disease prevention on May 22, 2013. The vitamin D symposium features a presentation by Dr. Robert Heaney, M.D. Professor of Medicine at Creighton University, a leading vitamin D researcher and author of over 400 original research papers on nutrition and vitamin D. Dr. Heaney will present an overview of the latest research papers showing the relationship between optimal vitamin D blood levels and disease prevention.

New Study Reveals How Vitamin D Prevents Disease

The Vitamin D Society wants to make the public aware of a new study that reports for the first time on how vitamin D status is linked to the reduction of chronic diseases through gene expression.

Toronto, ON (PRWEB) March 28, 2013

The Vitamin D Society wants the public to know about a new research study published online in PLOS ONE which reports that improving vitamin D status could have a number of non-skeletal health benefits for the public. The study reveals for the first time that as your vitamin D blood level goes up the genes involved with a number of biologic pathways associated with cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD), infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases are expressed 1.5 times greater than base levels(1).

“This research confirms the positive disease prevention associations that vitamin D has on various serious chronic diseases and which has been reported in thousands of previously published research studies” exclaimed Perry Holman, Executive Director of the Vitamin D Society. “It provides insight into ‘how’ vitamin D works to help prevent disease.”

Are Adult Vitamin D Recommendations Too Low?

The Vitamin D Society wants to make the public aware that current vitamin D intake recommendations for adults are low in comparison to levels prescribed for infants. After a recent review of the IOM vitamin D recommendations the Vitamin D Society discovered that the vitamin D dose per pound was substantially lower for adults.

Toronto, ON (PRWEB) February 28, 2013 -- The Vitamin D Society wants to make the public aware that current vitamin D intake recommendations for adults are low in comparison to doses suggested for infants. The Vitamin D Society analyzed daily vitamin D intake recommendations and found that the dosage, when expressed as IU per pound, were substantially lower for adults than those recommended for infants. The Institute of Medicine(IOM) set the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin D through an extensive review and report in 2010(1). Health organizations across North America have now standardized on the IOM recommendations for vitamin D intake. The IOM recommends that infants under 1 year of age receive 400 IU, ages 1 to 70 take 600 IU and people age 71 and older receive 800 IU of vitamin D daily. The response to vitamin D is dependent on body weight(2). People that weigh more will need more vitamin D dosage than people who weigh less(3).

“Dividing the IOM vitamin D recommendations by weight shows that a small 10 pound newborn infant gets 40 IU of vitamin D per pound (400 IU/10 lbs=40). In comparison, a large adult weighing 200 pounds would only get 3 IU of vitamin D per pound (600 IU/200 lbs=3). The IOM recommended vitamin D dietary allowance for adults is clearly lower by a factor of 10 than the dose for a newborn infant” reported Perry Holman, Executive Director of the Vitamin D Society.

Could Vitamin D Eradicate Diabetes

The Vitamin D Society wants to make the public aware that new research studies report that up to 50% of diabetes could be prevented through the achievement of optimal vitamin D levels.

Toronto, ON (PRWEB) February 25, 2013

Three new studies on vitamin D and diabetes report that people with higher levels of vitamin D have just half the risk of developing type 1 and type 2 diabetes as people with lower levels. Diabetes is a group of diseases marked by high levels of blood glucose resulting from defects in insulin production, insulin action, or both(1). Overall, the risk for death among people with diabetes is about twice that of people of similar age but without diabetes(2). Vitamin D lowers diabetes risk through improvement in insulin secretion and glucose tolerance(3). The Vitamin D Society believes public health action programs are urgently needed to encourage increased vitamin D from all sources to improve overall health and to help prevent diabetes.

Stats Canada Data: Canadians' Vitamin D Levels Declining

Toronto, ON (PRWEB) February 01, 2013

The Vitamin D Society wants to make Canadians aware of the recently published Statistics Canada study, Vitamin D blood levels of Canadians, 2009-2011. The study reports that Canadians between the ages of 6 and 79 years old had overall mean vitamin D blood levels of 63.5 nmol/L; this represents a 6.2% decline from the previous report issued in 2010.

According to a new report by Statistics Canada, vitamin D levels for Canadians is declining dramatically(1). The mean average vitamin D blood levels for Canadians between the ages of 6 and 79 years of age fell sharply by 6.2% from 67.7 nmol/L in 2009(2) to just 63.5 nmol/L in 2011. This decrease is very disturbing as research studies continue to show that people with lower vitamin D levels are at a much higher risk of developing serious diseases. Just over two-thirds of Canadians (68%) had vitamin D blood levels sufficient for healthy bones (50 nmol/L). But based on the latest Stats Canada report less than 10% of Canadians reached natural optimal levels of over 100 nmol/L. Public health action programs encouraging vitamin D production from all sources are urgently needed to help reverse this steep decline.

UK Cancer Group Supports Increased Vitamin D Through Sensible Sun Exposure

The Vitamin D Society wishes to make Canadians aware of a new innovative Vitamin D and Skin Cancer Prevention program developed by Cancer Research UK. On its website, Cancer Research UK reports that “by enjoying the sun safely and avoiding sunburn, people can reduce their risk of skin cancer and enjoy the beneficial effects of the sun.” More than 90% of the vitamin D requirement for most people comes from casual exposure to sunlight(1).

Toronto, ON (PRWEB) January 28, 2013 - The Vitamin D Society wants to congratulate Cancer Research UK on its innovative Vitamin D and Skin Cancer Prevention Program(2). The new program promotes the beneficial effects of sun exposure through vitamin D production. The Vitamin D Society is hopeful that North American health organizations review the Cancer Research UK Vitamin D program and consider promoting a more balanced sun message which includes both the benefits and risks of moderate sun exposure.

Canadian’s Vitamin D Levels 72% Below 'Natural' Levels, Study Says

The Vitamin D Society wants to inform Canadians that vitamin D deficiency during "Vitamin D Winter" will put Canadians at increased risk for many serious diseases and conditions including bone disease, various cancers, infections, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

World Vitamin D Day – November 2

Canadian Initiative Spreads Worldwide to Prevent Vitamin D Deficiency

TORONTO --- October 29, 2012 --- Organizations across the world are establishing World Vitamin D Day on November 2nd, asking health organizations to join the Canadian founders of this event in promoting new vitamin D awareness and action.(www.vitamindday.ca)

November is the beginning of "Vitamin D Winter" in the Northern Hemisphere -- a four-to-five-month period where people’s vitamin D levels begin to plummet because there is little UVB in winter sunlight to initiate natural vitamin D production in the skin. Humans make and store abundant vitamin D with sun exposure to the skin in the summer, but overzealous sun protection blocks vitamin D production and puts people in a vitamin D deficit at the beginning of winter that only gets worse by the time spring sunshine returns.

Vitamin D Society Launches Updated Website

Kelowna, BC (March 15, 2012) – The Vitamin D Society is happy to announce the launch of its upgraded and updated website, www.vitamindsociety.org

 With vitamin D research progressing faster than any field in medicine today, the new website provides users with up-to-date news, press releases, events, videos, books and reference material. It also retains the key critical general information about vitamin D, such as health benefits, natural levels and sources.

Leading Canadian medical organizations endorse Scientists Call to D*action for Vitamin D awareness month

TORONTO --- November 18, 2011 --- The clocks have turned back an hour and Canadians are receiving less exposure to daylight. November is Vitamin D Awareness month in Canada and serves as a timely reminder for people of all ages to test their vitamin D levels to ensure they aren’t dropping. With a decrease in UVB exposure, now is the time to check and make certain that optimal vitamin D levels are maintained through the long, cold, low light Canadian winters.

Leading Canadian medical and health organizations like The Ontario Society of Physicians for Complementary Medicine are encouraging support of optimal vitamin D levels through the endorsement of the Scientists Call to D*action.

Canadian women invited to join global Vitamin D study to help prevent breast cancer

TORONTO --- October 31, 2011 --- At a time when more and more evidence is pointing to a direct link between increased vitamin D levels and a reduction in breast cancer, a new study announced today by GrassrootsHealth is seeking to find some answers for Canadian women.

The GrassrootsHealth Breast Cancer Prevention Study in Canada will seek to prospectively examine the occurrence of breast cancer among Canadian women 60 and over who achieve and maintain a targeted vitamin D serum level in the bloodstream.

'D' Levels More Important than IUs: Scientists

TORONTO, Nov. 29, 2010 /CNW/ - Vitamin D blood levels - and not vitamin D intake itself - should be the focus of media coverage of this Tuesday's anticipated Institutes of Medicine (IOM) revised North American vitamin D recommendations, according to a worldwide coalition of 41 vitamin D researchers.

"We hope everyone sees the big picture that new daily vitamin D recommendations are only the means to the more-important end: a person's actual vitamin D blood serum level," says Dr. Robert Heaney, a Creighton University vitamin D researcher with 50 years in the field and more than 400 published papers. Heaney is one of eight experts on the D-Action coalition who will be available for interviews this week.

 

Who Has Canada's Best Killer 'D'-Fense?

WOODSTOCK, Ont., Nov. 16, 2010 /CNW/ - Canada's sun-deprived northerly latitudes mean 90 percent of Canadians will be Vitamin D deficient in the winter, according to 2010 data from Statistics Canada and new recommendations from 41 Vitamin D researchers from GrassrootsHealth. That's why it's not surprising that regular sunbed users have the highest Vitamin D levels of any group in Canada.

November is Canadian Vitamin D Awareness Month

WOODSTOCK, ON, Nov. 1, 2010 /CNW/ - More than 90 percent of Canadians are at risk for negative health outcomes because they will become vitamin D deficient this winter. That's why Canada's Vitamin D Society is recognizing November as its 4th Annual Vitamin D Awareness Month.

The solution starts with one simple step: Get your vitamin D levels tested this winter. The Vitamin D Society is promoting that message in a new public service advertising campaign distributed to Canadian radio stations Oct. 26.

 

Canadian Vitamin D study: Higher Vitamin D levels could save 37,000 lives a year

TORONTO, April 6, 2010 /CNW/ - Canada's death rate could fall by as many as 37,000 deaths each year or 16 per cent if Canadians simply increased their daily vitamin D intake to intended levels, says a study conducted by four of the world's leading vitamin D researchers entitled: An Estimate of the Economic Burden and Premature Deaths Due to Vitamin D Deficiency in Canada. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20352622?dopt=Abstract

In dollars saved, increased vitamin D blood levels would reduce the economic burden on Canada's health care system by about $14.4 billion, or 7.3 per cent, according to the study

Need a source? November is Vitamin D Awareness Month in Canada - kicked off by a major North American conference on Vitamin D in Toronto November 3

TORONTO, Oct. 29, 2009 /CNW/ - Vitamin D Deficiency - linked to significantly higher rates of most cancers, heart disease, autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, and even flu - affects 97 per cent of Canadians. Yet fewer than 3 per cent of Canadians say they know their vitamin D blood levels.

The world's most renowned vitamin D researchers will be joined by public health officials from across Canada on November 3 for "Diagnosis and Treatment of Vitamin D Deficiency" - a symposium hosted by Grassroots Health and the University of Toronto School of Medicine. The event will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the University of Toronto's Faculty Club.

Vitamin D Deficiency Continues To Affect Millions of Canadians

KELOWNA, BC, Nov. 4, 2008 /CNW/ - With the advent of November as 'Vitamin D Awareness Month,' The Vitamin D Society of Canada is reminding all Canadians to get their levels checked by their doctors.

"Vitamin D has become a topic of interest but it is more than a trend, there is still a need to bolster awareness for Canadians to get their levels checked," said Joseph Levy, executive director, The Vitamin D Society. "Just
like people get a flu shot for the winter, you should also ask for your vitamin D levels to be checked."

 

Vitamin D Society Declares November ‘Vitamin D Awareness Month’ in Canada

KELOWNA, BC - October 31, 2007 - Research this year has left no doubt that vitamin D deficiency – which affects an estimated 97 per cent of Canadians in the winter – is nothing less than a Canadian crisis and a worldwide problem.

This is why Canada’s Vitamin D Society is recognizing the month of November as the world’s first Vitamin D Awareness Month.