Among this week’s reports, the ABC News write-up by Nick Wasson did better than most in getting a range of medical perspectives and exploring the full spectrum of risks. But the strongest account probably came from Denise Mann, writing for HealthDay, which is picked up by WebMD and consumer outlets. She wrote:
Dr. Susan Zweig, an endocrinologist and clinical assistant professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, expressed more concern.
“It is hard to get toxic levels vitamin D, but it is certainly possible,” Zweig said. “Vitamin D is stored in fat so it can build up, unlike other vitamins that we pass when we urinate.” People with liver or kidney conditions may be at higher risk for vitamin D toxicity, she said.
As cliché as it sounds when you hear it, there’s a reason pharmaceutical commercials end with “Ask your doctor if it’s right for you.”
This author claims it is important to understand that "without medical advice to do so, nobody should be taking Vitamin D or any other supplement". The implication is that a medical doctor is knowledgeable about supplements. Yet, this is not what the medical literature tells you. Studies have shown that traditional physicians have poor knowledge about dietary supplements (see http://www.supplements-and-health.com/nutritional-supplements-information.html ). Contrary to this author's notion, if you “Ask your doctor if it’s right for you.” he/she will likely say no because of the aforementioned lack of understanding about supplements, which serves very well the commercial interests of the medical-pharmaceutical industry.
#1 Posted by Eric, CJR on Sun 17 Feb 2013 at 12:04 PM