EXPERT:

Itseems like there’s a new study on vitamins released every day, and the shelves at the local grocery store are packed with bottles of vitamins and supplements. Which ones should you take and which ones should you leave? That’s where your doctor comes in, says Dr. Glen Aukerman.

Q&A:

Dr. Glen F. Aukerman

Glen F. Aukerman, M.D. is a tenured professor of family medicine in the Department of Family Medicine at The Ohio State University and Medical Director for the University’s Center for Integrative Medicine.

Aukerman has served as chairman of the Department of Family Medicine at Ohio State and at West Virginia University. In addition to his extensive teaching, research and clinical experience, he has extensive state and national leadership experience. Aukerman is the past president of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Ohio Academy of Family Physicians. He is also a past scholar in residence of the Bureau of Health Professions and deputy director of the Division of Quality Assurance in Bureau of Health Professions in the Health Resources Services Administration in Washington, D.C. Aukerman is board certified in holistic medicine, family practice, managed care and health care quality management.

There have been many vitamin D studies in the news lately. Where does the vitamin come from in nature?

Historically, people got vitamin D in foods as D3 and D2 (editor’s note: shiitake and button mushrooms, certain types of seafood, and eggs are good natural sources), but we can make it from cholesterol with adequate sun exposure. This was discovered during studies to find the cause of rickets, which is a childhood form of osteomalacia, a softening of the bones. Unfortunately, the amount of sun exposure needed to synthesize vitamin D presents a risk of sunrelated cancers such as melanoma, squamous cell and basal cell cancers.

Because areas north of the tropics do not provide enough sun exposure from September through April, vitamin D is able to be stored in body fat for use during these periods of low sun exposures. Currently, vitamin D is added to foods such as milk and dairy products to avoid deficiency-related rickets.

Why is vitamin D important?

Vitamin D is converted in the liver and in the kidneys to the bioactive form, which is then able to be used by binding sites in every tissue in the body except the spleen. Circulating vitamin D controls the concentrations of calcium, magnesium and phosphates in the bloodstream, promoting health of the bones.

Additionally, vitamin D controls cell prolifera- tion and differentiation and apoptosis of cells, as well as inflammation and nerve and muscle functions. Vitamin D deficiency increases bone loss, muscle and nerve weakness, and kidney stone formation. ubs.com/team/ahngroup

In those who are deficient in vitamin D, supplementation can reverse the deficiency symptoms and strengthen bones, reversing osteopenia and osteoporosis.

Should I take a daily multivitamin? Can I obtain the necessary vitamins and minerals from a well-balanced diet?

Prior to 1950, you would have been able to get all the necessary nutrients from a balanced diet, but since then, all 43 garden fruits and vegetables grown in the United States are deficient in six essential vitamins and essential nutrients. Supplementation is all but essential for good health with today’s food supply. For people with documented deficiencies, vitamins and supplements appear to be very health-improving. Multivitamins provide minimal health benefits, especially in trace minerals and vitamins A, D and E. Also among the most valuable ingredients are lutein and lycopene for eye protection.

What are some symptoms of common vitamin or mineral deficiencies?

Fatigue, interrupted sleep, body aches and stamina all improve with adequate calcium, magnesium and vitamin D levels.

Can vitamins and supplements do harm? How?

Minerals are believed to block the absorptions of some hormones and medications, and vice versa. For that reason, it is essential for your physician to know what you take and to be very knowledgeable about nutrition and nutrients. A knowledgeable physician will adjust your recommended dosage of vitamins and supplements based on your blood levels and deficiency markers.

The last thought: Get a little sunshine every day, take your daily multivitamin and always let your doctor know what vitamins and supplements you’re taking.

Have questions you would like to have answered by an expert? Send them to editor@healthynewalbany.org.

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