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An example: Calcium is required for good bone strength/density. However, Vitamin D deficiencies mean the body can't absorb enough calcium. With regard to the "

An example: Calcium is required for good bone strength/density. However, Vitamin D deficiencies mean the body can't absorb enough calcium. With regard to the "natural vs supplement" argument, some people are very pale and susceptible to skin cancer. It may not be safe for everyone to get enough Vitamin D through natural means alone.

Dewie 13y ago
Pale skin also means that you need less sun exposure to get enough D vitamins.
- peterwwillis 13y ago
  Source? A very pale person may burn in 5 minutes. It doesn't make sense that your body would speed up the synthesis of cholesterol just because your skin has less melanin or is more sensitive to UV radiation. Also keep in mind that no matter how much is synthesized it's up to the liver and kidney to make it into a useful hormone.
  - mason55 13y ago
    Melanin blocks sunlight which reduces vitamin D synthesis http://essays.backintyme.com/item/4 http://essays.backintyme.com/item/4 > The lightness adaptation enhances calciferol (vitamin D) synthesis. Too much epidermal melanin for the latitude blocks UV penetration essential to the dermal synthesis of calciferol or vitamin D. If you have less melanin then more sunlight reaches the lower layers of skin which increases vit D synthesis.
  - sambeau 13y ago
    Google "pale skin vitamin d wheat northern europe" and you'll have it explained in full.
- justindz 13y ago
  I would love a good citation if you have one. I'll look around on my own, too. Curious about this because I am 1) very pale and 2) enjoy hiking.
  - Dewie 13y ago
    https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6244783 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6244783
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
olaf 13y ago
Calcium seems no longer to be the best nutrition for strong bones: eat fresh herbs instead (see video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuiKYe_HrAc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuiKYe_HrAc IIRC at 01:55 minutes [german language])
- criley2 13y ago
  Remember, your bones are largely CALCIUM apatite. Calcium isn't just used structurally, it's used with hormones in signalling and it plays a huge role in many enzymatic reactions in the body. Excess dietary calcium is stored in the bone bank and withdrawn when one of the 100+ crucial human biochemical reactions requiring calcium lowers the blood availability. Perhaps there are ways of maximizing the effect of one of our most important and most used nutrients, but nothing can replace the Ca element and it's widespread, fundamental usage in our body. I wish I could watch your video (I don't speak German) but I want to stress that Ca is absolutely a requirement for healthy bones, and is the #1 requirement. Without calcium intake, there cannot be bone for long.
  - peterwwillis 13y ago
    And to reinforce the original point: Vitamin D helps calcium and phosphorus uptake in your system (really, it's crucial for it): "For example, some of the proteins produced in response to calcitriol in the intestine help transport calcium across the intestine and into the bloodstream, greatly increasing the absorption of calcium from the diet. The vitamin D receptor is found in several cells that are critical for controlling the metabolism of calcium, phosphorus, and bone: intestinal cells, bone cells, kidney cells, and parathyroid gland cells." http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/what-is-vitamin-d-and-how-does-it-work.html http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/what-is-vitamin-d-and-... "Vitamin D’s best-known role is to keep bones healthy by increasing the intestinal absorption of calcium. Without enough vitamin D, the body can only absorb 10% to 15% of dietary calcium, but 30% to 40% absorption is the rule when vitamin reserves are normal." ... "Low levels of vitamin D lead to low bone calcium stores, increasing the risk of fractures." ... "In the intestines, the receptors capture vitamin D, enabling efficient calcium absorption. But similar receptors are also present in many other organs, from the prostate to the heart, blood vessels, muscles, and endocrine glands." http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/vitamin-d-and-your-health.htm http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/vitamin-d-and-your-he...
speeder 13y ago
Actually some research has shown that the darker your skin, the more likely you will have Vitamin D issues. What cause most Vitamin D issues today is that people are NOT enough in the sun... I personally dislike the sun and used to avoid it a lot (because I am more or less white and it burns me fast), now I have a really bad Vitamin D deficiency and was obliged by the medics to take supplements. I stopped avoiding the sun... But it is still not really enough (I am programmer... I wake up in a dark room, walk to work in the sun, but the walk is 5 minutes, and then I stay indoors until night, when I walk back home, without any sun, thus my total sun daily is 5 minutes :/)
- gngeal 13y ago
  I happen to get sun-induced headaches. They're not very nice either, and they're not a good motivational factor for sunbathing.

Dewie 13y ago

Pale skin also means that you need less sun exposure to get enough D vitamins.

peterwwillis 13y ago
Source? A very pale person may burn in 5 minutes. It doesn't make sense that your body would speed up the synthesis of cholesterol just because your skin has less melanin or is more sensitive to UV radiation. Also keep in mind that no matter how much is synthesized it's up to the liver and kidney to make it into a useful hormone.
- mason55 13y ago
  Melanin blocks sunlight which reduces vitamin D synthesis http://essays.backintyme.com/item/4 http://essays.backintyme.com/item/4 > The lightness adaptation enhances calciferol (vitamin D) synthesis. Too much epidermal melanin for the latitude blocks UV penetration essential to the dermal synthesis of calciferol or vitamin D. If you have less melanin then more sunlight reaches the lower layers of skin which increases vit D synthesis.
- sambeau 13y ago
  Google "pale skin vitamin d wheat northern europe" and you'll have it explained in full.
justindz 13y ago
I would love a good citation if you have one. I'll look around on my own, too. Curious about this because I am 1) very pale and 2) enjoy hiking.
- Dewie 13y ago
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6244783 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6244783
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]

olaf 13y ago

Calcium seems no longer to be the best nutrition for strong bones: eat fresh herbs instead (see video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuiKYe_HrAc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuiKYe_HrAc IIRC at 01:55 minutes [german language])

criley2 13y ago
Remember, your bones are largely CALCIUM apatite. Calcium isn't just used structurally, it's used with hormones in signalling and it plays a huge role in many enzymatic reactions in the body. Excess dietary calcium is stored in the bone bank and withdrawn when one of the 100+ crucial human biochemical reactions requiring calcium lowers the blood availability. Perhaps there are ways of maximizing the effect of one of our most important and most used nutrients, but nothing can replace the Ca element and it's widespread, fundamental usage in our body. I wish I could watch your video (I don't speak German) but I want to stress that Ca is absolutely a requirement for healthy bones, and is the #1 requirement. Without calcium intake, there cannot be bone for long.
- peterwwillis 13y ago
  And to reinforce the original point: Vitamin D helps calcium and phosphorus uptake in your system (really, it's crucial for it): "For example, some of the proteins produced in response to calcitriol in the intestine help transport calcium across the intestine and into the bloodstream, greatly increasing the absorption of calcium from the diet. The vitamin D receptor is found in several cells that are critical for controlling the metabolism of calcium, phosphorus, and bone: intestinal cells, bone cells, kidney cells, and parathyroid gland cells." http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/what-is-vitamin-d-and-how-does-it-work.html http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/what-is-vitamin-d-and-... "Vitamin D’s best-known role is to keep bones healthy by increasing the intestinal absorption of calcium. Without enough vitamin D, the body can only absorb 10% to 15% of dietary calcium, but 30% to 40% absorption is the rule when vitamin reserves are normal." ... "Low levels of vitamin D lead to low bone calcium stores, increasing the risk of fractures." ... "In the intestines, the receptors capture vitamin D, enabling efficient calcium absorption. But similar receptors are also present in many other organs, from the prostate to the heart, blood vessels, muscles, and endocrine glands." http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/vitamin-d-and-your-health.htm http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/vitamin-d-and-your-he...

speeder 13y ago

Actually some research has shown that the darker your skin, the more likely you will have Vitamin D issues. What cause most Vitamin D issues today is that people are NOT enough in the sun... I personally dislike the sun and used to avoid it a lot (because I am more or less white and it burns me fast), now I have a really bad Vitamin D deficiency and was obliged by the medics to take supplements. I stopped avoiding the sun... But it is still not really enough (I am programmer... I wake up in a dark room, walk to work in the sun, but the walk is 5 minutes, and then I stay indoors until night, when I walk back home, without any sun, thus my total sun daily is 5 minutes :/)

gngeal 13y ago
I happen to get sun-induced headaches. They're not very nice either, and they're not a good motivational factor for sunbathing.