Don't Rely on Fortified Foods

Vitamin D has major health benefits. The best source of vitamin D is from the sun, but you also see lots of foods fortified with Vitamin D. Unfortunately, milk and other foods fortified with vitamin D often contain a synthetic form called ergocalciferol, or vitamin D2.

This synthetic form isn’t as potent and doesn’t last as long in your body. In fact, synthetic vitamin D becomes toxic in your body at far lower levels. Too much synthetic vitamin D2 may be linked to health problems. A number of studies link synthetic vitamin D2 to irritation of the lining of blood vessels.

In fortified milk, you may not know even how much you are getting. When Dr. Michael Holick and his colleagues at the Boston University School of Medicine tested samples of milk, they found 8 out of 10 samples contained either 20 percent less or 20 percent more vitamin D than the amount the label advertised -- and some of the milk tested contained no vitamin D at all.


Sources:

Examiner.com December 23, 2009

http://blogs.mercola.com/sites/vitalvotes/archive/2009/12/25/Dont-Rely-on-Fortified-Foods.aspx

Important Notice: Information provided is for general background purposes and is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment by a trained professional. You should always consult your community pharmacist or physician about any health care questions you may have, especially before trying a new medication, diet, fitness program, or approach to health care issues.