From the cold Finland we have a new study showing that vitamin D supplements given to baby boys reduces the risk of schizophrenia (a form of psychosis). Interestingly the same benefit was not observed in the girls. The boys were given 2,000 units of vitamin D (8 times the US RDA for vitamin D for kids). This further reinforces the fact that all children need vitamin D supplements if they are not exposed to sunshine, especially breast fed babies as there really isn't any significant quantity of usable vitamin D in breast milk.
When you live in cold far northern countries like Finland you really don't have any practical options to get vitamin D the way God designed you to get it, by exposing your skin to sunshine. If you are in a similar situation and need a vitamin D supplement cod liver oil is clearly your best choice as it is balanced with natural vitamin A and that decreases any potential vitamin D toxicity.
If you have any of the following conditions though:
- osteoporosis
- heart disease
- most cancers
- autoimmune diseases like RA or MS
then you will want to consider a high quality vitamin D supplement to improve your vitamin D levels. If you are one of the faithful that reads the blog you will have a heads up on regular newsletter subscribers as tomorrow I announce the vitamin D we use in our office. It is emulsified and much better absorbed than vitamin D capsules. If you use this though it is very important that you monitor your levels with vitamin D testing.
Schizophrenia Research April 2004;67(2-3):237-45