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Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D status of the US population: 1988-1994 compared with 2000-2004. Looker AC, Pfeiffer CM, Lacher DA, Schleicher RL, Picciano MF, Yetley EA. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Dec;88(6):1519-27. PMID: 19064511 doi:10.3945/ajcn.2008.26182 Conclusions: Overall, mean serum 25(OH)D was lower in 2000-2004 than 1988-1994. Assay changes unrelated to changes in vitamin D status accounted for much of the difference in most population groups. In an adult subgroup, combined changes in BMI, milk intake, and sun protection appeared to contribute to a real decline in vitamin D status. In summary, age-standardized mean serum 25(OH)D concentrations based on observed values were significantly lower in 2000-2004 than in 1988-1994 in all groups examined. Adjustment for assay changes noticeably reduced the difference between surveys. However, mean serum 25(OH)D concentrations remained significantly lower in males (except Mexican Americans) in NHANES 2000-2004 than in NHANES III, even after adjustment for assay differences. This remaining difference likely represents a real decline in vitamin D status. Changes in BMI, milk intake, and sun protection appeared to contribute to this decline in a subgroup of non-Hispanic white adults. The possibility that trends in overweight, sun protection, and milk intake may continue supports the need to continue monitoring the serum 25(OH)D status of the population

There is a constant flow of advice from the media today prescribing often-facile solutions for complex problems. From television therapists to political figures, the underlying message is that achieving success always requires ever-harder work and more personal sacrifice.

Feb. 23, 2009 -- A walk in the sun may be better than popping a vitamin C tablet for boosting your chances of preventing the common cold or flu.\n\nA new study adds to mounting evidence that vitamin C may have been stealing the spotlight all these years from the real cold fighter, vitamin D.

Add vitamin D to achieve our target serum level . . . HDL jumps to 50, 60, 70, even 90 mg/dl. The first few times this occurred, I thought it was an error or fluke. But now that I've witnessed this effect many dozens of time, I am convinced that it is real. Just today, I saw a 40-year old man whose starting HDL was 25 mg/dl increase to 87 mg/dl. Responses like this are supposed to be impossible. Before vitamin D, I had never witnessed increases of this magnitude.

sunlightD.org Grassroots Health and ZRT Labs are working together to help us all make sure we have enough vitamin D. Participate in understanding vitamin D. Visit grassrootshealth.net and join the research project. You'll get your D tested twice a year for five years. The cost is just $40 a test, $80 a year, more than reasonable for accurate D testing, and you'll help provide real answers, for yourself and for us all, about how much D we get and how much we need. Join now. Do commit to the full 5 years if you decide to sign on. If not joining for the full test period please use the testing links below.

"I recently received an email from the Vitamin D Council regarding recent evidence that having adequate serum Vitamin D levels could be very important to avoiding illness from the H1N1 (swine) flu that is making the rounds. That will seem intuitive to those of you who read my earlier post about D, but it's good to see some real evidence. Some of you may have seen this information already on other blogs, including Richard's, but I have some new information and some comments to add."