This article is an excerpt from a longer article written by Mary G Enig and Sally Fallon.

Mary G. Enig, PhDMary G. Enig, PhD is an expert of international renown in the field of lipid biochemistry. She has headed a number of studies on the content and effects of trans fatty acids in America and Israel, and has successfully challenged government assertions that dietary animal fat causes cancer and heart disease. Recent scientific and media attention on the possible adverse health effects of trans fatty acids has brought increased attention to her work. She is a licensed nutritionist, certified by the Certification Board for Nutrition Specialists, a qualified expert witness, nutrition consultant to individuals, industry and state and federal governments, contributing editor to a number of scientific publications, Fellow of the American College of Nutrition and President of the Maryland Nutritionists Association. She is the author of over 60 technical papers and presentations, as well as a popular lecturer. Dr. Enig is currently working on the exploratory development of an adjunct therapy for AIDS using complete medium chain saturated fatty acids from whole foods. She is Vice-President of the Weston A Price Foundation and Scientific Editor of Wise Traditions as well as the author of Know Your Fats: The Complete Primer for Understanding the Nutrition of Fats, Oils, and Cholesterol, Bethesda Press, May 2000. She is the mother of three healthy children brought up on whole foods including butter, cream, eggs and meat. See her website at http://www.enig.com/trans.html.

Sally Fallon is the author of Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats (with Mary G. Enig, PhD), a well-researched, thought-provoking guide to traditional foods with a startling message: Animal fats and cholesterol are not villains but vital factors in the diet, necessary for normal growth, proper function of the brain and nervous system, protection from disease and optimum energy levels. She joined forces with Enig again to write Eat Fat, Lose Fat, and has authored numerous articles on the subject of diet and health. The President of the Weston A. Price Foundation and founder of A Campaign for Real Milk, Sally is also a journalist, chef, nutrition researcher, homemaker, and community activist. Her four healthy children were raised on whole foods including butter, cream, eggs and meat.

While the ongoing process of research into vitamin A and its effects is a boon to children and adults throughout the world, modern agriculture and food processing conglomerates gain nothing from this knowledge. Confinement farming practices effectively prevent vitamin A from incorporation into animal foods and the processing industry would rather use vegetable oils than animal fats. Some vegetable oils contain carotenes but they do not contain true vitamin A. Only animal fats contain vitamin A and vitamin A is present in large amounts only when the animals have a source of carotenes or vitamin A in the diet, such as green pasture, insects and fish meal.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of popular books on nutrition insist that humans can obtain vitamin A from fruits and vegetables. Even worse, FDA regulations allow food processors to label carotenes as vitamin A. The label for a can of tomatoes says that tomatoes contain vitamin A, even though the only source of true vitamin A in the tomatoes is the microscopic insect parts. The food industry, and the lowfat school of nutrition that the industry has spawned, benefit greatly from the fact that the public has only vague notions about vitamin A. In fact, most of the foods that provide large amounts of vitamin A—butter, egg yolks, liver, organ meats and shellfish—have been subject to intense demonization.

Under optimal conditions, humans can indeed convert carotenes to vitamin A. This occurs in the upper intestinal tract by the action of bile salts and fat-splitting enzymes. Of the entire family of carotenes, beta-carotene is most easily converted to vitamin A. Early studies indicated an equivalency of 4:1 of beta-carotene to retinol. In other words, four units of beta-carotene were needed to produce one unit of vitamin A. This ratio was later revised to 6:1 and recent research suggests an even higher ratio.5 This means that you have to eat an awful lot of vegetables and fruits to obtain even the daily minimal requirements of vitamin A, assuming optimal conversion.

But the transformation of carotene to retinol is rarely optimal. Diabetics and those with poor thyroid function, a group that could well include at least half the adult US population, cannot make the conversion. Children make the conversion very poorly and infants not at all — they must obtain their precious stores of vitamin A from animal fats6— yet the low-fat diet is often recommended for children. Strenuous physical exercise, excessive consumption of alcohol, excessive consumption of iron (especially from "fortified" white flour and breakfast cereal), use of a number of popular drugs, excessive consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids, zinc deficiency and even cold weather can hinder the conversion of carotenes to vitamin A,7 as does the lowfat diet.

Carotenes are converted by the action of bile salts, and very little bile reaches the intestine when a meal is low in fat. The epicure who puts butter on his vegetables and adds cream to his vegetable soup is wiser than he knows. Butterfat stimulates the secretion of bile needed to convert carotenes from vegetables into vitamin A, and at the same time supplies very easily absorbed true vitamin A. Polyunsaturated oils also stimulate the secretion of bile salts but can cause rapid destruction of carotene unless antioxidants are present.

It is very unwise, therefore, to depend on plant sources for vitamin A. This vital nutrient is needed for the growth and repair of body tissues; it helps protect mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, throat and lungs; it prompts the secretion of gastric juices necessary for proper digestion of protein; it helps to build strong bones and teeth and rich blood; it is essential for good eyesight; it aids in the production of RNA; and contributes to the health of the immune system. Vitamin-A deficiency in pregnant mothers results in offspring with eye defects, displaced kidneys, harelip, cleft palate and abnormalities of the heart and larger blood vessels. Vitamin A stores are rapidly depleted during exercise, fever and periods of stress. Even people who can efficiently convert carotenes to vitamin A cannot quickly and adequately replenish vitamin A stores from plant foods.

Foods high in vitamin A are especially important for diabetics and those suffering from thyroid conditions. In fact, the thyroid gland requires more vitamin A than the other glands, and cannot function without it.8 And a diet rich in vitamin A will help protect the diabetic from the degenerative conditions associated with the disease, such as problems with the retina and with healing.

Weston Price considered the fat-soluble vitamins, especially vitamin A, to be the catalysts on which all other biological processes depend.9 Efficient mineral uptake and utilization of water-soluble vitamins require sufficient vitamin A in the diet. His research demonstrated that generous amounts of vitamin A insure healthy reproduction and offspring with attractive wide faces, straight teeth and strong sturdy bodies. He discovered that healthy primitives especially value vitamin-A-rich foods for growing children and pregnant mothers. The tenfold disparity that Price discovered between primitive diets and the American diet in the 1940s is almost certainly greater today as Americans have forsworn butter and cod liver oil for empty, processed polyunsaturates.

In Third World communities that have come into contact with the West, vitamin-A deficiencies are widespread and contribute to high infant mortality, blindness, stunting, bone deformities and susceptibility to infection.10 These occur even in communities that have access to plentiful carotenes in vegetables and fruits. Scarcity of good quality dairy products, a rejection of organ meats as old fashioned or unhealthful, and a substitution of vegetable oil for animal fat in cooking all contribute to the physical degeneration and suffering of Third World peoples.

Supplies of vitamin A are so vital to the human organism that mankind is able to store large quantities of it in the liver and other organs. Thus it is possible for an adult to subsist on a fat-free diet for a considerable period of time before overt symptoms of deficiency appear. But during times of stress, vitamin A stores are rapidly depleted. Strenuous physical exercise, periods of physical growth, pregnancy, lactation and infection are stresses that quickly deplete vitamin A stores. Children with measles rapidly use up vitamin A, which can result in irreversible blindness. An interval of three years between pregnancies allows mothers to rebuild vitamin A stores so that subsequent children will not suffer diminished vitality.

One aspect of vitamin A that deserves more emphasis is its role in protein utilization. Kwashiorkor is as much a disease of vitamin-A deficiency, leading to impaired protein absorption, as it is a result of absence of protein in the diet. High-protein, lowfat diets are especially dangerous because protein consumption rapidly depletes vitamin-A stores. Children brought up on high-protein, lowfat diets often experience rapid growth. The results—tall, myopic, lanky individuals with crowded teeth, and poor bone structure, a kind of Ichabod Crane syndrome—are a fixture in America. High-protein, lowfat diets can even cause blindness as occurred once in Guatemala where huge amounts of instant nonfat dry milk were donated in a food relief program.11 The people who consumed the dried milk went blind. Primitive peoples understood this principle instinctively, which is why they never ate lean meat and always consumed the organ meats of the animals that served them for food.

Growing children actually benefit from a diet that contains considerably more calories as fat than as protein.12 A high-fat diet that is rich in vitamin A will result in steady, even growth, a sturdy physique and high immunity to illness.

The great discrepancy between what science has discovered about vitamin A and what nutrition writers promote in the popular press contributes to awkward moments. The New York Times has been a strong advocate for lowfat diets, even for children, yet a recent NYT article noted that vitamin-A-rich foods like liver, egg yolk, cream and shellfish confer resistance to infectious diseases in children and prevent cancer in adults.13 A Washington Post article hailed vitamin A as "cheap and effective, with wonders still being (re)discovered," noting that recent studies have found that vitamin-A supplements help prevent infant mortality in Third World countries, protect measles victims from severe complications and prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV virus.14 The article lists butter, egg yolk and liver as important sources of vitamin A, but claims, unfortunately, that carotenes from vegetables are "equally important."

Vitamin-A vagary confuses the public and contributes to continued acceptance of lowfat dogma, even among science writers.
VITAMIN-A KNAVERY

Even worse than vitamin-A vagary is vitamin-A knavery in the form of concerns that vitamin A may be toxic in more than the minuscule RDA-recommended amounts. In fact, so great is the propaganda against the vitamin that obstetricians and pediatricians are now warning patients to avoid foods containing vitamin A!

Recently an "expert" panel recommended lowering the RDA (recommended daily allowance) for vitamin A from 5000 IU daily to about 2500 IU and has set an upper limit of about 10,000 IUs for women. The panel was headed by Dr. Robert Russell of Tufts University, who warned that intake over the "upper limit" may cause irreversible liver damage and birth defects—a ridiculous statement in view of the fact that just a few decades ago pregnant women were routinely advised to take cod liver oil daily and eat liver several times per week. One tablespoon of cod liver oil contains at least 15,000 IU and one serving of liver can contain up to 40,000 IU vitamin A. Russell epitomizes the establishment view when he insists that vitamin-A requirements can be met with one-half cup of carrots daily.

The anti-vitamin-A campaign began in 1995 with the publication of a Boston University School of Medicine study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.15 "Teratogenicity of High Vitamin A Intake," by Kenneth J. Rothman and his colleagues, correlates vitamin-A consumption among more than 22,000 pregnant women with birth defects occurring in subsequent offspring. The study received extensive press coverage in the same publications that had earlier extolled the benefits of vitamin A. "Study Links Excess Vitamin A and Birth Defects" by Jane Brody appeared on the front page of the New York Times on October 7, 1995; on November 24, 1995, the Washington Times reported: "High doses of vitamin A linked to babies' brain defects."

When a single study receives front-page coverage, it's important to take a closer look, especially as earlier research discovered the importance of vitamin A in preventing birth defects. In fact, the defects listed as increasing with increased vitamin A dosage—cleft lip, cleft palate, hydrocephalus and major heart malformations—are also defects of vitamin A deficiency.

In the study, researchers asked over 22,000 women to respond to questionnaires about their eating habits and supplement intake before and during pregnancy. Their responses were used to determine vitamin-A status. As reported in the newspapers, researchers found that cranial-neural-crest defects increased with increased dosages of vitamin A; what the papers did not report was the fact that neural tube defects decreased with increased vitamin A consumption, and that no trend was apparent with musculoskeletal, urogenital or other defects. The trend was much less pronounced, and less statistically significant, when cranial-neural-crest defects were correlated with vitamin-A consumption from food alone.

The study is compromised by a number of flaws. Vitamin-A status was assessed by the inaccurate method of recall and questionnaires; and no blood tests were taken to determine the actual usable vitamin-A status of the mothers. Researchers did not weight birth defects according to severity; thus we do not know whether the defects of babies born to mothers taking high doses of vitamin A were serious or minor compared to those of mothers taking lower amounts.

The most serious flaw was that researchers failed to distinguish between manufactured vitamin A in the form of retinol, found in supplements and added to fabricated foods, from natural vitamin-A complex, present with numerous co-factors, from vitamin-A-containing foods. It is well known that synthetic vitamins are less biologically active, hence less effective, than naturally occurring vitamins. This is especially true of the fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin A, because these tend to be more complex molecules, with numerous double bonds and a multiplicity of forms. Natural vitamin A occurs as a mixture of various isomers, aldehydes, esters, acids and alcohols. Pure retinoic acid, a metabolite of vitamin A used to treat adult acne, is well known to cause birth defects. Apparently pure retinol has teratogenic properties in high amounts as well.

Researchers found that cranial-neural-crest defects increased in proportion to the amount of retinol from supplements consumed during the first trimester of pregnancy (although the total number of defects remained stable up to 15,000 IU daily). Research into vitamin A has indicated that many factors interfere with its absorption and utilization. Inadequate fat in the diet, poor production of bile salts, low enzyme status, and compromised liver function can all interfere with the uptake and usage of vitamin A, especially when given as a supplement in the form of retinol, rather than as a component of whole foods. It may be that the teratogenic effects of commercial vitamin-A preparations are exacerbated in women whose dietary practices and general health status are poor. Some researchers believe that synthetic vitamin A interferes with the proper utilization of natural vitamin A from foods.

Pure retinol is added to many fabricated foods like margarine, breakfast cereals and pizza. The study made no distinction between those women whose vitamin A was supplied by whole animal foods and those who ingested retinol added to margarine, white flour and extruded breakfast cereals—foods which contain many other factors that can cause birth defects. Natural vitamin A provided by liver, eggs, butter, cream and cod liver oil is well recognized as providing excellent protection against birth defects.

Distinctions between synthetic and natural vitamin A have been absent in the extensive media coverage of this study—on the contrary, the newspaper reports contain implied warnings against pregnant women eating liver, dairy products, meat and eggs, but none against eating fabricated foods like margarine and breakfast cereals to which synthetic vitamin A is added. And there has been no media coverage for subsequent studies, which found that high levels of vitamin A did not increase the risk of birth defects. A study carried out in Rome, Italy found no congenital malformations among 120 infants exposed to more than 50,000 IU of vitamin A per day.16 A study from Switzerland looked at blood levels of vitamin A in pregnant women and found that a dose of 30,000 IU per day resulted in blood levels that had no association with birth defects.17
VITAMIN-A SLAVERY

While scientists in America are creating confusion and fear about vitamin A, WHO and UNICEF vitamin-A-distribution programs in Africa and Asia have been extremely successful in reducing blindness and death among both children and adults. Vitamin A is more cost effective in saving lives and preventing suffering than immunizations and drugs and it can be administered with 2-cent capsules. The program does not undermine traditional cultures or foodways and is easily carried out on the village level.

But this kind of success doesn't sit well with the food and pharmaceutical industries because it strengthens village life and lessens the market for drugs and processed foods. Fulsome with praise, the "big guns of the international food supply system" have joined in a "public-private partnership" to get in on the program.18 Kellogg, Cargill, Monsanto and Procter & Gamble have pioneered the addition of vitamin A to margarine, vegetable oil, wheat flour, sugar and breakfast cereals—even to MSG! At a formal luncheon hosted by Hillary Clinton, the corporate executives and leaders of various relief groups announced their goal of showing "indigenous food companies. . . how to add vitamin A to foods that low-income people eat." In other words, vitamin A will be used to promote processed foods to villagers in Africa and Asia in the guise of humanitarian relief. Low income people in America eat margarine and other processed foods, but low-income people in the Third World eat foods grown by farmers and processed locally by artisans.

And when people refuse to eat processed foods, the "big guns" have devised another stratagem—genetically engineering rice to produce carotenes. Those who promote the so-called "golden" rice as a solution to the vitamin-A problem are either woefully ignorant or unabashedly corrupt. Golden rice containing carotenes can't provide true vitamin A to the world's children but it will further the trend of pushing their parents off the farm and into ghastly slums.

In the process of showing "indigenous food companies. . . how to add vitamin A to foods. . ." and of inserting genes for producing carotenes into rice, the multinational corporations will strengthen their grip on the world's food supply, leading to a disruption of village life and what Indian writer Vandana Shiva calls "food dictatorship." If the conglomerates have their way, programs to promote golden rice and "enriched" processed foods will replace programs to distribute vitamin-A capsules, increasing the suffering of children and worldwide economic slavery.

What can we in the west do to foil the nefarious plans of the food-and-pharmaceutical-complex in nations less prosperous than our own? The answer is simple: cut off their funding at the source by refusing to spend money on their products. Boycott processed foods; avoid pharmaceutical drugs. The better way to physical and economic health is through foods containing vitamin A.

REFERENCES

   1. Price, Weston A. Nutrition and Physical Degeneration. Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation, San Diego, CA, p 280.
   2. The history outlined here has been expertly compiled by G Wolf. "A History of Vitamin A and Retinoids." The FASEB Journal, July 1996, 10:1102-1107.
   3. Gerson, M., MD. A Cancer Therapy: Results of Fifty Cases. Totality Books, Del Mar, CA, 1958.
   4. Griffin, G. E. World Without Cancer. American Media, Westlake Village, CA, 1974, pp 462-3.
   5. Solomons, N. W. and J. Bulus. "Plant sources of provitamin A and human nutriture." Nutrition Review, Springer Verlag New York, Inc, July 1993, 51:1992-4.
   6. Jennings, I. W. Vitamins in Endocrine Metabolism. Charles C. Thomas Publisher, Springfield, Illinois.
   7. Dunne, L. J. Nutrition Almanac, Third Edition, McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, 1990.
   8. Jennings, Op Cit.
   9. Price, Op Cit.
  10. Solomons, Op Cit.
  11. Personal Communication, Ruth Rosevear
  12. Protein calories should comprise about 15 percent of the diet. Fat calories in children's diets should be greater than 40 percent of total calories.
  13. Angler, Natalie. "Vitamins Win Support as Potent Agents of Health," New York Times, March 10, 1992.
  14. Brown, David. "It's Cheap and Effective, With Wonders Still Being (Re)discovered." The Washington Post, November 7,1994.
  15. Rothman, K. J. and others. "Teratogenicity of high vitamin A intake." New England Journal of Medicine. November 23, 1995 333(21):1414-5.
  16. Mastroiacovo, P. and others. "High vitamin A intake in early pregnancy and major malformations: a multicenter prospective controlled study." Teratology. January 1999 59(1):1-2.
  17. Wiegand, U. W. and others. "Safety of vitamin A: recent results." International Journal of Vitamin and Nutrition Research. 1998, 68(6):411-6.
  18. Mann, J. "Saving Young Lives With a 2-Cent Capsule." The Washington Post, March 17, 1999.


http://www.westonaprice.org/basicnutrition/vitaminasaga.html

Supplements are not all created equal. Many are cheaply produced and marketed with a lot of hype to compensate for their lack of quality. In addition, I have found that many supplements which are sold at very high prices often don't have better ingredients and you practically have to be an organic chemist to decipher which ones are any good and which ones are hiding something that might not be so good for you.

These are the things to watch out for when choosing supplements in order to know if they are of good quality.

• Minimum binders and fillers. The purpose of binders and fillers in supplements is not for you health but for the ease of production. (They keep the machines working well as they fill the little capsules or press the tablets together) Most supplements have magnesium stearate or stearates in them, which are not the best, but are hard to avoid. Whenever possible minimize how much you take in by choosing capsules over tablets, and avoid products that have a long list of fillers and coatings. These all slow down proper absorption of the nutrients within the tablet/capsule and can make proper absorption for people with compromised digestion quite difficult.
  
• Avoid Synthetic ingredients whenever possible. Lets face it, most supplements are in some way manufactured using "not natural" processes. It is the nature of the industry - otherwise we would not be able to get such concentrated forms of nutrients into such tiny tablets. However there is a big difference between simply extracting a natural substance and concentrating it somehow, and creating an almost identical one from scratch. The most harmful ones to watch out for are:

1. Vitamin A - Avoid any synthetic forms of Vitamin A. The only natural vitamin A available comes from fish oil or fish oil derived products and will say Retinol on the bottle. If it doesn't say retinol, but something else, then avoid it when possible. Synthetic Vitamin A is the culprit behind the hype over vitamin A being toxic at high doses, natural vitamin A in complex foods like fish oil etc. is not nearly as toxic and is safe in much higher doses.
   
2. Vitamin C - Ascorbic Acid is the synthetic form of Vitamin C. Natural forms come from Vitamin C that is found and isolated from oranges is identical to the vitamin C derived from other plant sources, largely because plants containing vitamin C biosynthesize the substance in the same manner. However, when Vitamin C was first isolated and produced in a supplement form, we did not know about bioflavonoids. They were discovered later. It was found that in nature, bioflavonoids always accompany Vitamin C. In fact, the bioflavonoids are essential for better absorption. They increase bioavailability by 30%. This suggests you should take the natural form of vitamin C. http://www.vitamins-nutrition.org/vitamins/natural-vitamins-synthetic.html
3. Vitamin D - Avoid any Vitamin D in the form of Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) as this is the synthetic form and is not well tolerated by the body, having only a half life of natural vitamin D and it can have toxic effects at higher doses. The synthetic form is also often called vegan or vegetarian vitamin D since it is produced by irradiating lanolin, and does not come from natural fish oil like Vitamin D in the natural form.
   
4. Vitamin E: With Vitamin E, for example, the d- form of vitamin E derived from vegetable oils and other natural sources is different from the dl- form (which is often called the synthetic form). The dl- tocopherols are actually a mixture: the d-form and the l-form (usually a 1:1 mixture).
   The human body uses only the d- form. The l- form, when present, does not confer any known health benefit and is normally excreted by the body. So, in essence, when consuming the dl- form of vitamin E, you obtain an effective dose of about half the vitamin E dosage reported on the label.  http://www.vitamins-nutrition.org/vitamins/natural-vitamins-synthetic.html
5. VITAMIN B6 - The best form to buy is Pyridoxal 5 Phosphate because this is the converted form which is much easier for the body to utilize.
   
6. VITAMIN B12 - The best form to buy is Methylcobalamin or Adenosylcobalamin. Avoid when possible cyanocobalamin which the body has to convert before using, making it much less potent and less easy for the body to utilize.
   
7. FOLIC ACID - Folic acid is usually sold in the synthetic form - folic acid. In fact the only natural forms of folic acid are folate, in food state form, or other variations of folic acid that are biologically like what the body would use or make naturally. Folinic acid is a better choice when buying folic acid supplements when possible.
8. MINERALS IN GENERAL -  Try and purchase minerals in the compound form of citrates, malates, ascorbates, aspartates. Avoid when possible oxides, gluconates and carbonates which are much less absorbed and utilized by the body and therefore even though they tend to be cheaper products you would have to take a much higher dose to get the same amount absorbed into the system.
   

The discovery of the first vitamins, in the early 1900s, began the era of modern interest in diet and nutrition. Pioneering chemists found that certain "unknown substances" in food were essential to life. They discovered that fat-soluble vitamin D and water-soluble B vitamins were necessary to prevent diseases like rickets, beriberi and pellagra; and that vitamin C, a factor present in many fresh foods, prevented scurvy. By the 1930s, scientists had discovered many more vitamins and had catalogued their effects. Public interest in the subject was intense, and articles on vitamins often appeared in magazines and newspapers.

The study of vitamins has not waned since the early days of research, and the subject of food science has proved to be far more complex than scientists at first imagined. The early discoveries led some researchers to conclude that all vitamins necessary to life could be supplied in their isolated factory-produced form as vitamin pills. We now know that vitamins do not exist as single components but as parts of a complex of compounds, each part contributing to the whole. For example, vitamin C used to treat scurvy and other deficiency conditions is more effective when given as a natural food concentrate, which includes minerals, rutin and other analogs.1

As many as seventeen water-soluble vitamins labeled B have been discovered, present in different proportions in different foods, but all working together synergistically; vitamin D may have as many as twelve components of which several are active;2 vitamin P has at least five components. Most vitamins produce optimum results in the presence of certain naturally occurring "cofactors," such as trace minerals, enzymes and coenzymes, as well as other vitamins.

The bewildering array of factors in foods now known to be essential has led well-informed nutritionists to recognize the futility of providing all factors necessary to life in pill form. While supplementing the diet with certain isolated vitamins has proven temporarily beneficial for many disease conditions, the best source of vitamins for most of us in the long term is properly prepared whole foods. For this reason, the importance of eating nutrient-dense meals, rich in vitamins and their cofactors, cannot be underestimated.

Vitamin and mineral content of food varies enormously with farming methods.3 Nitrogen fertilizers produce initial high yields, in part by pulling minerals from the soil. In time, commercially fertilized soils become depleted, and the foods grown on them suffer accordingly. Overall, vitamin and mineral content of American fruits and vegetables has declined significantly during the last fifty years.4 The revival of interest in compost and natural fertilizers, rich in minerals including trace minerals, is due in part to the realization that healthy soil is the basis of health for all life forms. Scientific assays have shown large differences in vitamin and mineral content between foods grown with nitrogen fertilizers and food grown organically. For example, cabbage can vary in its iron content from 94 parts per million to 0 parts per million; tomatoes can vary in iron content from 1,938 parts per million to 1 part per million. Vitamin A content of butterfat varies with the season as well as the soil; even the protein portion of grains and legumes will vary with soil fertility. Some commercially raised oranges have been found to contain no vitamin C!

Food processing affects vitamin content to varying extents. Some vitamins are heat-sensitive while others survive heating fairly well. Steaming and waterless methods of cooking preserve vitamins better than rapid boiling, and vegetables cooked in an acidic liquid preserve vitamins better than those cooked in an alkaline medium. Oxidation is a prime cause of vitamin loss. Long periods of high heat used in canning are destructive to some vitamins but not all. On the other hand, cold temperatures and freezing have little effect on vitamin content, and air or sun drying preserves or even enhances nutrient content. Some methods of food preservation and processing actually make nutrients more available--these include simmering bones in acidic liquid to make broth, culturing of dairy products, sprouting and traditional methods of pickling, fermenting and leavening.

The Diet Dictocrats have set minimum daily requirements for a few key vitamins and minerals, but many investigators feel that these standards are far too low. These critics contend that minimum daily requirements are sufficient to prevent acute deficiencies but not enough to support optimum health, especially as individual requirements for specific vitamins and minerals vary widely. In fact, a typical profile of nutrient requirements is one in which the individual has average needs with respect to most vitamins and minerals but requirements far in excess of average for a few specific nutrients.5 Consumption of sugar, refined flour and hydrogenated fats, and of alcohol, tobacco and many drugs, depletes the body of nutrients, resulting in higher vitamin and mineral requirements for users. Stress of any sort causes the body to use up available nutrients at a faster-than-normal rate.

Space permits only a most cursory summary of the major nutrients in our food.

Vitamin A : This all-important vitamin is a catalyst on which innumerable biochemical processes depend. According to Dr. Price, neither protein, minerals nor water-soluble vitamins can be utilized by the body without vitamin A from animal sources.6 Vitamin A also acts as an antioxidant, protecting the body against pollutants and free radicals, hence against cancer. Vitamin A stimulates the secretion of gastric juices needed for protein digestion, plays a vital role in building strong bones and rich blood, contributes to the production of RNA and is needed for the formation of visual purple. Sources of preformed vitamin A (called retinol) include butterfat, egg yolks, liver and other organ meats, seafood and fish liver oils. Provitamin A or carotene is also a powerful antioxidant. It is found in all yellow, red, orange or dark green fruits and vegetables. Carotenes are converted to vitamin A in the upper intestine. Vegetarians claim that the body's requirements for vitamin A can be met with carotenes from vegetable sources, but many people--particularly infants, children, diabetics and individuals with poor thyroid function--cannot make this conversion.7 Furthermore, studies have shown that our bodies cannot convert carotenes into vitamin A without the presence of fat in the diet.8 Dr. Price discovered that the diets of healthy isolated peoples contained at least ten times more vitamin A from animal sources than found in the American diet of his day. The high vitamin A content of their diets insured them excellent bone structure, wide handsome faces with plenty of room for the teeth and ample protection against stress of all types. It is best to obtain vitamin A from natural sources like yellow butter, egg yolks, organ meats, fish, shellfish and cod liver oil as high amounts of synthetic vitamin A from supplements can be toxic, especially to those with impaired liver function and to those whose diets are otherwise poor. High levels of natural vitamin A have no toxic effects, in spite of the medical establishment's dire warnings to the contrary. Antibiotics, laxatives, fat substitutes and cholesterol-lowering drugs interfere with vitamin-A absorption.

Vitamin B Complex : All the water-soluble B vitamins work as a team to promote healthy nerves, skin, eyes, hair, liver, muscle tone and cardiovascular function; they protect us from mental disorders, depression and anxiety. Deficiency of the B vitamin complex can result in the enlargement and malfunction of almost every organ and gland in the body. The best source of B vitamins is whole grains--refinement thus wastes this essential source. They are also found in fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, seafood and organ meats; they can also be produced by intestinal bacteria. B1 (thiamine) was the first water-soluble vitamin to be discovered. Deficiency leads to the disease beriberi. Recent evidence indicates that B1 deficiency is the root cause of anorexia and other eating disorders.9 It is essential for the manufacture of hydrochloric acid and has been used to treat constipation, fatigue, herpes and multiple sclerosis. Sugar consumption rapidly depletes vitamin B1. B2 or riboflavin is found in a variety of whole foods. Frequent cracks in the lips and corners of the mouth is a sign of deficiency. Deficiency of B3 or niacin results in the disease pellagra, characterized by dermatitis, dementia, tremors and diarrhea. The amino acid tryptophan can be converted to niacin and has been used to treat a variety of symptoms indicative of niacin deficiency. Pantothenic acid, vitamin B5, found in organ meats, egg yolks and whole grains, is essential for the proper function of the adrenal glands. It plays a vital role in cell metabolism and cholesterol production. Pantothenic acid can improve the body's ability to withstand stress. Recent studies have revealed that vitamin B6 or pyridoxine, found mostly in animal products, contributes to the proper functioning of over one hundred enzymes. Deficiencies in B6 have been linked to diabetes, nervous disorders and coronary heart disease. They are widespread in the US because excess B1 and B2, added to white flour, interferes with B6 function and because Americans no longer have access to one of the best sources of this heat-sensitive nutrient--raw milk. The B vitamin folic acid counteracts cancer by strengthening the chromosomes; folic acid deficiency can result in babies born with neural tube deformities like spinal bifida. B12 is needed to prevent anemia and nervous disorders as well as to maintain fertility and promote normal growth and development. Usable B12 is found only in animal foods. An early symptom of B12 deficiency is a tendency to irrational anger. B15 (pangamic acid) and B17 (nitrilosides) protect against cancer; the former is found in grains and seeds; the latter in grasses, sprouts, buckwheat, legumes and many fruit seeds. Traditional diets were much richer in nitrilosides than our own.

Vitamin C : A water-soluble vitamin best known for its use in treatment of the common cold, it is also needed for a host of processes including tissue growth and repair, strength of capillary walls, lactation and adrenal gland function. It is vital for the formation of collagen, the body's structural substance. It promotes healing of wounds and is a powerful antioxidant. Dr. Linus Pauling and others have promoted megadoses of Vitamin C for cancer while others have used large doses to treat schizophrenia and drug addiction. But megadoses of isolated ascorbic acid may lead to imbalances and deficiencies in vitamin P. New evidence suggests that vitamin C works synergistically with vitamin E. Hypoglycemics and individuals on a high-protein diet require more vitamin C as these conditions interfere with the metabolism of ascorbic acid. It is found in many fruits and vegetables and in certain animal organs. Vitamin C is destroyed by heat. Alcohol and many common drugs including aspirin and oral contraceptives may reduce vitamin C levels in the body.

Vitamin D : Like vitamin A, vitamin D is needed for calcium and phosphorus absorption and thus is essential for strong bones, healthy teeth and normal growth. It seems to protect against cancer and multiple sclerosis. Deficiency can cause rickets and myopia. The body manufactures vitamin D3 out of cholesterol in the presence of sunlight. Although some claim that we can obtain all the vitamin D we need by spending a short amount of time each day in the sun, Price found that healthy primitive diets were rich in vitamin D-containing foods like butterfat, eggs, liver, organ meats, marine oils and seafood, particularly shrimp and crab. Synthetic D2 has been linked to hyperactivity, coronary heart disease and other allergic reactions. New research indicates that optimal intake should be ten times higher than the US Recommended Daily Allowance, thus confirming the findings of Dr. Price.

Vitamin E : This fat-soluble vitamin is needed for circulation, tissue repair and healing. It seems to help in the treatment of fibrocystic conditions, sterility, PMS and muscular dystrophy. It seems to retard the aging process. A vital role of vitamin E is the deactivation of free radicals. This powerful antioxidant works in concert with certain trace elements, notably selenium and zinc, to prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease. Increased ingestion of polyunsaturated oils requires greater amounts of vitamin E in the diet. It is found in unrefined vegetable oils, butter, organ meats, grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and dark green leafy vegetables.

Vitamin K: This fat-soluble compound is needed for blood clotting and plays an important role in bone formation. Vitamin K given to postmenopausal women helps prevent bone loss. It is found in liver, egg yolks, butter, grains, dark leafy vegetables, vegetables of the cabbage family and fermented soy foods like miso. (Update: Price's "Activator X"--see below--is now believed to be vitamin K2.)

Vitamin P : Also called the bioflavonoids, these water-soluble compounds enhance the absorption of vitamin C to promote healing and protect the structure of blood capillaries. Bioflavonoids stimulate bile production, regulate menstrual flow, help prevent cataracts and have antibacterial effects. One of the bioflavonoids, rutin, has been shown to have a sedative-stimulant effect on the brain. Sources include peppers, grapes, buckwheat and the white peel of citrus fruits.

Coenzyme Q10 : Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), or Vitamin Q, is a substance present in every cell of the body which is essential for the production of energy and which also functions as powerful anti-oxidant. While it is naturally present in a wide variety of foods, almost all of the needs of healthy individuals are met by the body's synthesis of CoQ10. To put dietary intake in perspective, one pound of beef heart, three pounds of beef, or four pounds of peanuts provide 50 mg of CoQ10, or about 10% of daily needs. The heart utilizes a lot of CoQ10 because of its high energy requirements. Deficiency of CoQ10 causes stiffening of the walls of the heart which results in incomplete filling of the heart, or diastolic dysfunction, and causes increased heart rate and blood pressure, and can lead to heart failure if not corrected. Synthesis of CoQ10 decreases with age and its deficiency causes some degree of diastolic dysfunction in a large percentage of those over 65. CoQ10 deficiency can result from deficiency of any of the seven vitamins required for its synthesis, or by interference with its synthesis by cholesterol-lowering drugs or hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Deficiency can also result from increased utilization of CoQ10 due to excessive stress on the heart or immune system. CoQ10 deficiency is common in the elderly and vegetarians, and among those with heart disease, high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes, cancer, or HIV. In clinical studies, improvement in patients with heart failure supplemented with CoQ10 has been nothing short of dramatic. In addition to protecting the heart, CoQ10 supplementation has proven beneficial in treatment of diabetes, asthma, and high blood pressure. Bio-identical CoQ10 supplements, which are widely available over the counter, are fat soluble and are better absorbed when taken with a high fat meal.



REFERENCES

1. Baker, H, and O Frank, Journal of the International Associates of Preventive Medicine, Jul 1982, 19-24.
2. Price, Weston, DDS, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, 1945, Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation, San Diego, CA, 278.
3. Smith, B, Journal of Applied Nutrition, 1993, 45:1.
4. Bergner, Paul, The Healing Power of Minerals, Special Nutrients and Trace Elements, 1997, Prima Publishing, Rocklin, CA.
5. Burton, B T, ed, The Heinz Handbook of Nutrition, 1959, McGraw Hill, New York, NY.
6. Price, Weston, DDS, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, 1945, Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation, San Diego, CA. Dr. Price referred to vitamins A and D as "fat-soluble activators," and his "Activator X" is now believed to be the fat-soluble vitamin K2.
7. Dunne, Lavon J, Nutrition Almanac, 3rd ed, 1990, McGraw Hill, New York, NY; Jennings, I W, Vitamins in Endocrine Metabolism, 1970, Heineman, London, UK.
8. Solomans, N W, and J Bulox, Nutrition Reviews, Jul 1993, 51:199-204.
9. Douglas, W C, MD, Second Opinion, Atlanta, GA, May 1995, Vol V, No 5.

Copyright: Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Policitally Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD., Revised Second Edition, ©2001, pp36-39, NewTrends Publishing (877) 707-1776, www.newtrendspublishing.com.

About the Authors

Sally Fallon Morell is the author of Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats (with Mary G. Enig, PhD), a well-researched, thought-provoking guide to traditional foods with a startling message: Animal fats and cholesterol are not villains but vital factors in the diet, necessary for normal growth, proper function of the brain and nervous system, protection from disease and optimum energy levels. She joined forces with Enig again to write Eat Fat, Lose Fat, and has authored numerous articles on the subject of diet and health. The President of the Weston A. Price Foundation and founder of A Campaign for Real Milk, Sally is also a journalist, chef, nutrition researcher, homemaker, and community activist. Her four healthy children were raised on whole foods including butter, cream, eggs and meat.



Mary G. Enig, PhD is an expert of international renown in the field of lipid biochemistry. She has headed a number of studies on the content and effects of trans fatty acids in America and Israel, and has successfully challenged government assertions that dietary animal fat causes cancer and heart disease. Recent scientific and media attention on the possible adverse health effects of trans fatty acids has brought increased attention to her work. She is a licensed nutritionist, certified by the Certification Board for Nutrition Specialists, a qualified expert witness, nutrition consultant to individuals, industry and state and federal governments, contributing editor to a number of scientific publications, Fellow of the American College of Nutrition and President of the Maryland Nutritionists Association. She is the author of over 60 technical papers and presentations, as well as a popular lecturer. Dr. Enig is currently working on the exploratory development of an adjunct therapy for AIDS using complete medium chain saturated fatty acids from whole foods. She is Vice-President of the Weston A Price Foundation and Scientific Editor of Wise Traditions as well as the author of Know Your Fats: The Complete Primer for Understanding the Nutrition of Fats, Oils, and Cholesterol, Bethesda Press, May 2000. She is the mother of three healthy children brought up on whole foods including butter, cream, eggs and meat.

http://www.westonaprice.org/abcs-of-nutrition/165-vitamin-primer.html

As the remarkable properties of vitamins have revealed themselves to investigators, so too have those of the various minerals in our food and water. The seven macrominerals-- calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and sulphur--now share the research spotlight with a longer list of essential trace minerals. These are needed only in minute amounts, but their absence results in many disease conditions. The number of trace minerals known to be essential to life now exceeds thirty, and some researchers believe that for optimum health we need to take in every substance found in the earth's crust. Along with familiar trace minerals, such as iron and iodine, the body also needs others less well known, like cobalt, germanium and boron.

Mankind ingests minerals in a number of different forms. He can take them in as salts; that is, as molecules in which a negatively charged atom is bonded ionically to a positively charged atom as in common table salt (sodium chloride) or less well-known salts such as magnesium chloride, calcium phosphate or zinc sulfate. In water and other liquids, these form a solution as the salts dissolve into positively and negatively charged mineral ions.

Minerals are also ingested as integral parts of the foods we eat, in which case the minerals are held ionically in a claw-like way or "chelated" by a large molecule. Examples include chlorophyll (which chelates a magnesium atom), hemoglobin (which chelates an iron atom) and enzymes that chelate copper, iron, zinc and manganese.

Minerals are usually absorbed in ionic form. If they are not in ionic form when consumed, they are ionized in the gut, with salts dissolving into their two components or chelates releasing their key elements. The system by which mineral ions are then absorbed is truly remarkable. If, for example, the body needs calcium, the parathyroid gland will send a signal to the intestinal wall to form a calcium-binding protein. That calcium-binding protein will then pick up a free calcium ion, transport it through the intestinal mucosa and release it into the blood.1 Manganese and magnesium have similar carriers and their absorption, retention and excretion is likewise governed by complex feedback mechanisms involving other nutrients and hormonal signals. Absorption and excretion of phosphorus is regulated in part by activity of the adrenal glands and vitamin D status.

There are a number of factors that can prevent the uptake of minerals, even when they are available in our food. The glandular system that regulates the messages sent to the intestinal mucosa require plentiful fat-soluble vitamins in the diet to work properly. Likewise, the intestinal mucosa requires fat-soluble vitamins and adequate dietary cholesterol to maintain proper integrity so that it passes only those nutrients the body needs, while at the same time keeping out toxins and large, undigested proteins that can cause allergic reactions. Minerals may "compete" for receptor sites. Excess calcium may impede the absorption of manganese, for example. Lack of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, an over-alkaline environment in the upper intestine or deficiencies in certain enzymes, vitamin C and other nutrients may prevent chelates from releasing their minerals. Finally, strong chelating substances, such as phytic acid in grains, oxalic acid in green leafy vegetables and tannins in tea may bind with ionized minerals in the digestive tract and prevent them from being absorbed.

Several types of mineral supplements are available commercially including chelated minerals, mineral salts, minerals dissolved in water and "colloidal" mineral preparations. A colloid is a dispersion of small particles in another substance. Soap, for example, forms a colloidal dispersion in water; milk is a dispersion of colloidal fats and proteins in water, along with dissolved lactose and minerals. Colloidal mineral preparations presumably differ from true solutions in that the size of the dispersed particles is ten to one thousand times larger than ions dissolved in a liquid. Colloidal dispersions tend to be cloudy; or they will scatter light that passes through them. Shine a flashlight through water containing soap or a few drops of milk and its path can be clearly seen, even if the water seems clear.

There is no evidence that the body absorbs colloidal mineral preparations any better than true solutions of mineral salts or minerals in chelated form. Many so-called "colloidal" formulas often contain undesirable additives, including citric acid, that prevent the mineral particles from settling to the bottom of the container. Furthermore, these products may contain an abundance of minerals that can be toxic in large amounts, such as silver and aluminum. Even mineral preparations in which the minerals are in true solution may contain minerals in amounts that may be toxic. If a product tastes very bitter, it probably should be avoided.

Some commercial interests sell minerals chelated to amino acids which they claim do not break down in the gut, but which pass in their entirety through the mucosa and into the blood, thus bypassing certain blocks to mineral absorption. However, such products, if they work, bypass the body's exquisitely designed system for taking in just what it needs and may cause serious imbalances. Obviously, such formulations should be taken only under the supervision of an experienced health care practitioner.

The proper way to take in minerals is through mineral-rich water; through nutrient-dense foods and beverages; through mineral-rich bone broths in which all of the macrominerals--sodium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur--are available in ready-to-use ionized form as a true electrolyte solution; through the use of unrefined sea salt; and by adding small amounts of fine clay or mud as a supplement to water or food, a practice found in many traditional societies throughout the world. Analysis of clays from Africa, Sardinia and California reveals that clay can provide a variety of macro- and trace minerals including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and zinc.2 Clay also contains aluminum, but silicon, present in large amounts in all clays, prevents absorption of this toxic metal and actually helps the body eliminate aluminum that is bound in the tissues.3

When mixed with water, clay forms a temporary colloidal system in which fine particles are dispersed throughout the water. Eventually the particles settle to the bottom of the container, but a variety of mineral ions will remain in the water. These mineral ions are available for absorption, while other minerals that form an integral part of the clay particles may, in some circumstances, be available for absorption through ionic exchange at the point of contact with the intestinal villi.

Clay particles, defined as having a size less than 1-2 microns, have a very large surface area relative to their size. They carry a negative electric charge and can attract positively charged pathogenic organisms along with their toxins and carry them out of the body,4 Thus, clay compounds not only provide minerals but also can be used as detoxifying agents. As such, they facilitate assimilation and can help prevent intestinal complaints, such as food poisoning and diarrhea. They also will bind with antinutrients found in plant foods, such as bitter tannins, and prevent their absorption.

The seven macrominerals, needed in relatively large amounts, are as follows:

Calcium : Not only vital for strong bones and teeth, calcium is also needed for the heart and nervous system and for muscle growth and contraction. Good calcium status prevents acid-alkaline imbalances in the blood. The best sources of usable calcium are dairy products and bone broth. In cultures where dairy products are not used, bone broth is essential. Calcium in meats, vegetables and grains is difficult to absorb. Both iron and zinc can inhibit calcium absorption as can excess phosphorus and magnesium. Phytic acid in the bran of grains that have not been soaked, fermented, sprouted or naturally leavened will bind with calcium and other minerals in the intestinal tract, making these minerals less available. Sufficient vitamin D is needed for calcium absorption as is a proper potassium/calcium ratio in the blood. Sugar consumption and stress both pull calcium from the bones.

Chloride : Chloride is widely distributed in the body in ionic form, in balance with sodium or potassium. It helps regulate the correct acid-alkaline balance in the blood and the passage of fluids across cell membranes. It is needed for the production of hydrochloric acid and hence for protein digestion. It also activates the production of amylase enzymes needed for carbohydrate digestion. Chloride is also essential to proper growth and functioning of the brain. The most important source of chloride is salt, as only traces are found in most other foods. Lacto-fermented beverages and bone broths both provide easily assimilated chloride. Other sources include celery and coconut.

Magnesium : This mineral is essential for enzyme activity, calcium and potassium uptake, nerve transmission, bone formation and metabolism of carbohydrates and minerals. It is magnesium, not calcium, that helps form hard tooth enamel, resistant to decay. Like calcium and chloride, magnesium also plays a role in regulating the acid-alkaline balance in the body. High magnesium levels in drinking water have been linked to resistance to heart disease. Although it is found in many foods, including dairy products, nuts, vegetables, fish, meat and seafood, deficiencies are common in America due to soil depletion, poor absorption and lack of minerals in drinking water. A diet high in carbohydrates, oxalic acid in foods like raw spinach and phytic acid found in whole grains can cause deficiencies. An excellent source of usable magnesium is beef, chicken or fish broth. High amounts of zinc and vitamin D increase magnesium requirements. Magnesium deficiency can result in coronary heart disease, chronic weight loss, obesity, fatigue, epilepsy and impaired brain function. Chocolate cravings are a sign of magnesium deficiency.

Phosphorus : The second most abundant mineral in the body, phosphorus is needed for bone growth, kidney function and cell growth. It also plays a role in maintaining the body's acid-alkaline balance. Phosphorus is found in many foods, but in order to be properly utilized, it must be in proper balance with magnesium and calcium in the blood. Excessive levels of phosphorus in the blood, often due to the consumption of soft drinks containing phosphoric acid, can lead to calcium loss and to cravings for sugar and alcohol; too little phosphorus inhibits calcium absorption and can lead to osteoporosis. Best sources are animal products, whole grains, legumes and nuts.

Potassium : Potassium and sodium work together--inner cell fluids are high in potassium while fluids outside the cell are high in sodium. Thus, potassium is important for many chemical reactions within the cells. Potassium is helpful in treating high blood pressure. It is found in a wide variety of nuts, grains and vegetables. Excessive use of salt along with inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables can result in a potassium deficiency.

Sodium : As all body fluids contain sodium, it can be said that sodium is essential to life. It is needed for many biochemical processes including water balance regulation, fluid distribution on either side of the cell walls, muscle contraction and expansion, nerve stimulation and acid-alkaline balance. Sodium is very important to the proper function of the adrenal glands. However, excessive sodium may result in high blood pressure, potassium deficiency, and liver, kidney and heart disease; symptoms of deficiency include confusion, low blood sugar, weakness, lethargy and heart palpitations. Meat broths and zucchini are excellent sources.

Sulphur : Part of the chemical structure of several amino acids, sulphur aids in many biochemical processes. It helps protect the body from infection, blocks the harmful effects of radiation and pollution and slows down the aging process. Sulphur-containing proteins are the building blocks of cell membranes, and sulphur is a major component of the gel-like connective tissue in cartilage and skin. Sulphur is found in cruciferous vegetables, eggs, milk and animal products.

Although needed in only minute amounts, trace minerals are essential for many biochemical processes. Often it is a single atom of a trace mineral, incorporated into a complex protein, that gives the compound its specific characteristic--iron as a part of the hemoglobin molecule, for example, or a trace mineral as the distinguishing component of a specific enzyme. The following list is not meant to be exhaustive but merely indicative of the complexity of bodily processes and their dependence on well-mineralized soil and food.

Boron : Needed for healthy bones, boron is found in fruits, especially apples, leafy green vegetables, nuts and grains.

Chromium : Essential for glucose metabolism, chromium is needed for blood sugar regulation as well as for the synthesis of cholesterol, fats and protein. Most Americans are deficient in chromium because they eat so many refined carbohydrates. Best sources are animal products, molasses, nuts, whole wheat, eggs and vegetables.

Cobalt : This mineral works with copper to promote assimilation of iron. A cobalt atom resides in the center of the vitamin B12 molecule. As the best sources are animal products, cobalt deficiency occurs most frequently in vegetarians.

Copper : Needed for the formation of bone, hemoglobin and red blood cells, copper also promotes healthy nerves, a healthy immune system and collagen formation. Copper works in balance with zinc and vitamin C. Along with manganese, magnesium and iodine, copper plays an important role in memory and brain function. Nuts, molasses and oats contain copper but liver is the best and most easily assimilated source. Copper deficiency is widespread in America. Animal experiments indicate that copper deficiency combined with high fructose consumption has particularly deleterious effects on infants and growing children.

Germanium : A newcomer to the list of trace minerals, germanium is now considered to be essential to optimum health. Germanium-rich foods help combat rheumatoid arthritis, food allergies, fungal overgrowth, viral infections and cancer. Certain foods will concentrate germanium if it is found in the soil--garlic, ginseng, mushrooms, onions and the herbs aloe vera, comfrey and suma.

Iodine : Although needed in only minute amounts, iodine is essential for numerous biochemical processes, such as fat metabolism, thyroid function and the production of sex hormones. Muscle cramps are a sign of deficiency as are cold hands and feet, proneness to weight gain, poor memory, constipation, depression and headaches. It seems to be essential for mental development. Iodine deficiency has been linked to mental retardation, coronary heart disease, susceptibility to polio and breast cancer. Sources include most sea foods, unrefined sea salt, kelp and other sea weeds, fish broth, butter, pineapple, artichokes, asparagus and dark green vegetables. Certain vegetables, such as cabbage and spinach, can block iodine absorption when eaten raw or unfermented. Requirements for iodine vary widely. In general, those whose ancestors come from seacoast areas require more iodine than those whose ancestors come from inland regions. Proper iodine utilization requires sufficient levels of vitamin A, supplied by animal fats. In excess, iodine can be toxic. Consumption of high amounts of inorganic iodine (as in iodized salt or iodine-fortified bread) as well as of organic iodine (as in kelp) can cause thyroid problems similar to those of iodine deficiency, including goiter.5

Iron : As part of the hemoglobin molecule, iron is vital for healthy blood; iron also forms an essential part of many enzymes. Iron deficiency is associated with poor mental development and problems with the immune system. It is found in eggs, fish, liver, meat and green leafy vegetables. Iron from animal protein is more readily absorbed than iron from vegetable foods. The addition of fat-soluble vitamins found in butter and cod liver oil to the diet often results in an improvement in iron status. Recently, researchers have warned against inorganic iron used to supplement white flour. In this form, iron cannot be utilized by the body and its buildup in the blood and tissues is essentially a buildup of toxins. Elevated amounts of inorganic iron have been linked to heart disease and cancer.

Manganese : Needed for healthy nerves, a healthy immune system and blood sugar regulation, manganese also plays a part in the formation of mother's milk and in the growth of healthy bones. Deficiency may lead to trembling hands, seizures and lack of coordination. Excessive milk consumption may cause manganese deficiency as calcium can interfere with manganese absorption. Phosphorus antagonizes manganese as well. Best sources are nuts (especially pecans), seeds, whole grains and butterfat.

Molybdenum : This mineral is needed in small amounts for nitrogen metabolism, iron absorption, fat oxidation and normal cell function. Best sources are lentils, liver, grains, legumes and dark green leafy vegetables.

Selenium : A vital antioxidant, selenium acts with vitamin E to protect the immune system and maintain healthy heart function. It is needed for pancreatic function and tissue elasticity and has been shown to protect against radiation and toxic minerals. High levels of heart disease are associated with selenium-deficient soil in Finland and a tendency to fibrotic heart lesions is associated with selenium deficiency in parts of China. Best sources are butter, Brazil nuts, seafood and grains grown in selenium-rich soil.

Silicon : This much neglected element is needed for strong yet flexible bones and healthy cartilage, connective tissue, skin, hair and nails. In the blood vessels, the presence of adequate silicon helps prevent atherosclerosis. Silicon also protects against toxic aluminum. Good sources are grains with shiny surfaces, such as millet, corn and flax, the stems of green vegetables and homemade bone broths in which chicken feet or calves' feet have been included.

Vanadium : Needed for cellular metabolism and the formation of bones and teeth, vanadium also plays a role in growth and reproduction and helps control cholesterol levels in the blood. Deficiency has been linked to cardiovascular and kidney disease. Buckwheat, unrefined vegetable oils, grains and olives are the best sources. Vanadium is difficult to absorb.

Zinc : Called the intelligence mineral, zinc is required for mental development, for healthy reproductive organs (particularly the prostate gland), for protein synthesis and collagen formation. Zinc is also involved in the blood sugar control mechanism and thus protects against diabetes. Zinc is needed to maintain proper levels of vitamin E in the blood. Inability to taste or smell and loss of appetite are signs of zinc deficiency. High levels of phytic acid in cereal grains and legumes block zinc absorption. Zinc deficiency during pregnancy can cause birth defects. As oral contraceptives diminish zinc levels, it is important for women to wait at least six months after discontinuing the pill before becoming pregnant. Best sources include red meat, oysters, fish, nuts, seeds and ginger.

Not all minerals are beneficial. Lead, cadmium, mercury, aluminum and arsenic, while possibly needed in minute amounts, are poisons to the body in large quantities. These come from polluted air, water, soil and food; lead finds its way into the water supply through lead pipes. Sources of aluminum include processed soy products, aluminum cookware, refined table salt, deodorants and antacids. Baking powder can be another source of aluminum and should be avoided. Amalgam fillings are the principle source of toxic mercury in the system--linked to Alzheimer's and a number of other disease conditions. Minerals like calcium and magnesium, and the antioxidants--vitamin A, carotenes, vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium--all protect against these toxins and help the body to eliminate them. Adequate silicon protects against aluminum.

REFERENCES

1. Linder, Maria C, ed, Nutritional Biochemistry and Metabolism with Clinical Applications, 2nd ed, 1991, Appleton & Lange, Norwalk, CT, 191-212.
2. Johns, T, and M Duquette, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1991, 53:448-56.
3. Jacqmin-Gada, H, et al, Epidemiology, 1996, 7(3):281-85; Bellia, J P, et al, Annals of Clinical Laboratory Science, 1996, 26(3):227-33.
4. Damrau, F, Medical Annals of the District of Columbia, Jun 1961, 30:(6):326-328.
5. Ensminger, A H, et al, The Concise Encyclopedia of Foods & Nutrition, 1995, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 586.

Copyright: Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Policitally Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD., Revised Second Edition, ©2001, pp-40-45, NewTrends Publishing (877) 707-1776, www.newtrendspublishing.com.

About the Authors

Sally Fallon Morell is the author of Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats (with Mary G. Enig, PhD), a well-researched, thought-provoking guide to traditional foods with a startling message: Animal fats and cholesterol are not villains but vital factors in the diet, necessary for normal growth, proper function of the brain and nervous system, protection from disease and optimum energy levels. She joined forces with Enig again to write Eat Fat, Lose Fat, and has authored numerous articles on the subject of diet and health. The President of the Weston A. Price Foundation and founder of A Campaign for Real Milk, Sally is also a journalist, chef, nutrition researcher, homemaker, and community activist. Her four healthy children were raised on whole foods including butter, cream, eggs and meat.

Mary G. Enig, PhD is an expert of international renown in the field of lipid biochemistry. She has headed a number of studies on the content and effects of trans fatty acids in America and Israel, and has successfully challenged government assertions that dietary animal fat causes cancer and heart disease. Recent scientific and media attention on the possible adverse health effects of trans fatty acids has brought increased attention to her work. She is a licensed nutritionist, certified by the Certification Board for Nutrition Specialists, a qualified expert witness, nutrition consultant to individuals, industry and state and federal governments, contributing editor to a number of scientific publications, Fellow of the American College of Nutrition and President of the Maryland Nutritionists Association. She is the author of over 60 technical papers and presentations, as well as a popular lecturer. Dr. Enig is currently working on the exploratory development of an adjunct therapy for AIDS using complete medium chain saturated fatty acids from whole foods. She is Vice-President of the Weston A Price Foundation and Scientific Editor of Wise Traditions as well as the author of Know Your Fats: The Complete Primer for Understanding the Nutrition of Fats, Oils, and Cholesterol, Bethesda Press, May 2000. She is the mother of three healthy children brought up on whole foods including butter, cream, eggs and meat.

http://www.westonaprice.org/abcs-of-nutrition/166-mineral-primer.html

I Love reading the articles on the Vitamin D Council website!

They have recently updated their website and added some good and concise information regarding vitamin D production in the body as a result of Sunlight Exposure.

They clarify a few misconceptions about  how easy it is (or not!) to produce Vitamin D as a result of daily sun exposure as well as showing how skin tone influences your ability to make vitamin D at all.

It is an article worth reading especially if you are not a leathery beach bum or chronic sunbather (without sunscreen though!)  who doesn't need to worry about Vitamin D intake since you likely get plenty.

------------------
SUNLIGHT & VITAMIN D

The human body was designed to receive vitamin D by producing it in response to sunlight exposure – specifically, the UVB band of the Sun's ultraviolet spectrum. Since this is the way Nature intended, it should be considered the method of choice.

Studies show large quantities of vitamin D3, also known as cholecalciferol, are synthesized in the skin in response to full-body summer sun exposure - about 10,000 international units (IU).1

Because this happens within minutes, overexposure is not necessary. In fact, one will have made all the vitamin D they are going to make for the day in about one-half the time it takes for their skin to turn pink.

Factors affecting vitamin D production from sunlight There are many factors that influence how much vitamin D is produced in response to UVB exposure 2, the most well-known factor being the angle of the Sun’s rays.

Angle of the Sun’s rays If your shadow is longer than you are tall, you are not making much vitamin D.
Time of day, season, and latitude all determine the amount of UVB that reaches your skin. When the Sun's rays enter the Earth's atmosphere at too much of an angle, the atmosphere diffuses (blocks) the UVB portion of the rays. This occurs during the early and latter parts of the day, during the winter season (what is called “Vitamin D Winter”), and increases as one moves further away from the equator. A good rule of thumb is: If your shadow is longer than you are tall (an indicator of the oblique angle of the Sun), you are not making much vitamin D.

Time of day For vitamin D production, sun exposure should be midday between the hours of approximately 10am-2pm. These hours will vary slightly according to latitude. The closer to solar noon, the more vitamin D produced. 3

Season: Vitamin D Winter and latitude What latitude you reside at will affect the length of your Vitamin D Winter. Vitamin D Winter is when no vitamin D production is possible due to the atmosphere blocking all UVB. This lasts for several months, with the duration of time increasing as you move further from the equator. 4

Estimated Vitamin D Winter months according to latitude:

• Latitudes from zero degrees to around 35 degrees north or south allow year-round vitamin D production, though the amount produced will decrease as latitude increases. 3 5
• Latitudes above 40 degrees north will experience Vitamin D Winter from around November through early March.
• Latitudes below 40 degrees south, around June through August.
• Latitudes above 50 degrees north, October through early April. 3
• Latitudes below 50 degrees south, mid-April through July. 4

Skin Type An individual’s skin phototype also influences the the amount of vitamin D produced relative to length of sun exposure time.  Skin phototype is determined by melanin content (how light or dark one's skin is).


Skin Phototypes: Skin Type Skin Color Characteristics

I White; very fair; red or blond hair; blue eyes; freckles Always burns, never tans
II White; fair; red or blond hair; blue, hazel, or green eyes Usually burns, tans with difficulty
III Cream white; fair with any eye or hair color; very common Sometimes mild burn, gradually tans IV Brown; typical Mediterranean caucasian skin Rarely burns, tans with ease
V Dark Brown; mid-eastern skin types Very rarely burns, tans very easily
VI Black Never burns, tans very easily

For vitamin D production, dark-skinned individuals will need up to six times longer in the sun than those with light skin.

Vitamin D synthesis occurs faster in individuals with skin types I through III than in those with skin types V and VI.

Skin type I will need around 15 minutes of sun exposure whereas those with dark skin will need longer exposure times - up to 6 times longer.

This is because darker skin has increased melanin content. Melanin is Nature's built-in protection against skin damage from excess ultraviolet exposure and so it allows less UV to enter the skin.  This is why those whose ancestry is native to regions near the equator have darker skin than those native to regions located at higher latitudes. It is also why those with darker skin living at higher latitudes have higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency. 6


Skin type, latitude, and season Combining the factors of skin type, latitude, and season one can see how difficult it can be to determine the necessary length of sun exposure time for a particular individual to produce optimal amounts of vitamin D. 7

For example:

At noon in Miami, an individual with skin type III would require approximately 6 minutes to synthesize 1000 IU of vitamin D in summer and 15 minutes in winter. Skin type V would need around 15 and 29 minutes, respectively.

At noon in Boston during summer, skin type III would require approximately 1 hour and skin type V, 2 hours to synthesize 1000 IU of D. During the winter months in Boston vitamin D production is not possible.

Other factors An SPF as low as 8 can block almost 100% of vitamin D production. SPF 30, as pictured here, will block 100%.
There are other factors which affect the amount of vitamin D produced in response to UVB. They are:

• Amount of skin exposed – at least 40% of the entire skin surface should be exposed for optimal vitamin D production. The torso produces the most, legs and arms some, hands and face very little or none at all. 8
• Age – vitamin D synthesis can take up to 4 times as long for those over the age of 60 and under the age of 20, apparently due to having less 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin.
• Sunscreen – an SPF as low as 8 can block as much as 95% of vitamin D production.
• Altitude – more UVB is filtered out of the atmosphere at the beach as opposed to a mountain top.
• Cloud cover – water droplets in the air scatter some UVB back into space.
• Air pollution -- particles in the air (such as ozone, haze, and sulfur dioxide) can either absorb UVB or reflect it back into space.
• Being behind glass – glass blocks all UVB.

Indoor tanning Studies show a positive association between tanning bed use and higher blood levels of vitamin D.
Indoor tanning beds provide a viable alternative to natural sunlight, provided they are used sensibly. Studies show a positive association between tanning bed use and higher serum levels of vitamin D. 9 One case study successfully used a tanning bed as the method of treatment for vitamin D deficiency due to Crohn’s disease. 10

As with natural sunlight, vitamin D production from a tanning bed happens within minutes. Actual tanning of the skin and overexposure are not necessary.

Page last edited: 21 September 2011

References

1. Holick M.F., Chen T.C., Lu Z., Sauter E. Vitamin D and skin physiology: a D-lightful story. J Bone Miner Res. 2007 Dec; 22 (Suppl 2): V28-33.
2. Holick M.F. Environmental factors that influence the cutaneous production of vitamin D. Am J Clin Nutr. 1995 Mar; 61 (3 Suppl): 638S-645S.
3. Webb A.R., Kline L., Holick M.F. Influence of season and latitude on the cutaneous synthesis of vitamin D3: exposure to winter sunlight in Boston and Edmonton will not promote vitamin D3 synthesis in human skin. J Clin Endo Met. 1988; 67 (2): 373-378.
4. Ladizesky M., Lu Z., Oliveri B., San Roman N., Diaz S., Holick M.F., Mautalen C. Solar ultraviolet B radiation and photoproduction of vitamin D3 in central and southern areas of Argentina. J Bone Miner Res. 1995 Apr; 10 (4): 545-9.
5. Pettifor J.M., Moodley G.P., Hough F.S., Koch H., Chen T., Lu Z., Holick M.F. The effect of season and latitude on in vitro vitamin D formation by sunlight in South Africa. S Afr Med J. 1996; 86 (10): 1270-1270.
6. Signorello LB, Williams SM, Zheng W, Smith JR, Long J, Cai Q, Hargreaves MK, Hollis BW, Blot WJ Blood vitamin d levels in relation to genetic estimation of African ancestry. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2010 Sep; 19 (9): 2325-31.
7. Terushkin V., Bender A., Psaty E.L., Engelsen O., Wang S.Q., Halpern A.C. Estimated equivalency of vitamin D production from natural sun exposure versus oral vitamin D supplementation across seasons at two US latitudes. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2010 June; 62 (6): 929.e1-9.
8. Edvardsen K, Brustad M, Engelsen O, Aksnes L The solar UV radiation level needed for cutaneous production of vitamin D3 in the face. A study conducted among subjects living at a high latitude (68 degrees N). Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences. 2007 Jan; 6 (1): 57-62.
9. Tangpricha V., Turner A., Spina C., Decastro S., Chen T.C., Holick M.F. Tanning is associated with optimal vitamin D status (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration) and higher bone mineral density. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Dec; 80 (6): 1645-9.
10. Koutkia P., Lu Z., Chen T.C., Holick M.F. Treatment of vitamin D deficiency VIdue to Crohn's disease with tanning bed ultraviolet B radiation. Gastroenterology. 2001 Dec; 121 (6): 1485-8.

ARTICLE SOURCE:
http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/about-vitamin-d/how-to-get-your-vitamin-d/uvb-exposure-sunlight-and-indoor-tanning/