Vitamin D Milk

Discussion in 'Science & Society' started by Orleander, Dec 5, 2009.

  1. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    WHAT!!???
    I was stunned to find out that vitamin D supplemented milk isn't the norm for kids in Scotland. Why the hell not? Is America the only country that has it? Even if there isn't a link between Vitamin D deficiency and MS, shouldn't it still be in the milk?




    Schoolboy Ryan McLaughlin wins vitamin D campaign


    Pregnant women are to be educated about the importance of taking vitamin D supplements thanks to a campaign by a 14-year-old Glasgow schoolboy. Ryan McLaughlin, whose mother Kirsten has multiple sclerosis, took his case to the Scottish Parliament's petitions committee earlier this year. He believes taking vitamin D can help prevent the condition.

    In a written response, the Scottish government said it would put in place an action plan to increase awareness. It said recent research had found there was an "urgent need" to provide information to all health professionals who work with pregnant women and young children about current guidance on vitamin D.

    "There is also a need to educate women about the importance of taking vitamin D supplement when pregnant and the importance of giving their children a vitamin D supplement until the age of four," the response added.

    These actions will make a big difference to the health of generations of Scots
    Ryan McLaughlin. The Scottish government will now agree a co-ordinated programme of action with NHS Health Scotland, and has pledged to keep the McLaughlins informed of developments...

    ...He told MSPs research into the genetic effect of vitamin D deficiency showed a link to the development of MS. Vitamin D, which the body needs for healthy, strong bones is largely gained through sunlight and food.

    The Scottish government has already ruled out free vitamin D supplements for all pregnant and breastfeeding women, and said there were no plans to introduce the supplements in the form of fortified milk or other drinks at school.

    Scotland is thought to have the highest rate of MS in the world.
     
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  3. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    I don't think we have it either.
     
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  5. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    gak!

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    Do you have milk in your fridge? Can you go look?
     
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  7. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    Nope, in fact it's illegal here to add vitamin D to milk.
    I also read that vitamin D overdose is relatively common in the US.
    One glass of vitamin D milk provides you with 25% of the daily recommended dosage (edit: I looked it up, that should read Dietary Reference Intake or DRI for short). That seems like a lot!
     
  8. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    I will go look, but I just read that it's illegal here (see previous post).

    I looked. There is no vitamin D in it. All it says is that it contains 15% DRI calcium (err I think that's per 100 ml, but it's really not important

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  9. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    ??? it is?
    I know they even add Vitamin D to organic milk
     
  10. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    Hmm.. I take that back. It seems that was an isolated incident.
    They added far too much vitamin D to milk by accident and some people died from it.
    I'm still looking for an English source in case you're interested.

    Edit: I found it, but it only speaks of one death in contrast to the Dutch reference.

    Hypervitaminosis articles are popular with the media, sometimes even making it into the pages of the Wall Street Journal. On April 30, 1992, David Stipp reported that between 1990 and 1992, "a series of patients with vitamin D overdoses began turning up at Boston hospitals." One of these patients subsequently died from drug complications, and the case went to court. (82) "Essentially, this was a product liability action against the producer of dairy products, specifically milk which contained excessive amounts of Vitamin D. The plaintiff's decedent purportedly suffered from elevated levels of Vitamin D in her bloodstream which required medication which in turn allegedly compromised her immune system, leading to her death." (83) This is the one and only vitamin D-related death I could find confirmation of anywhere, and even this one was not directly due to the vitamin, but rather to side effects of medication.

    A physiology textbook later stated that "At least 19 cases of vitamin D toxicity were reported in the Boston area during 1992. Symptoms included fatigue, weight loss, and potentially severe damage to the kidneys and cardiovascular system. The problems resulted from drinking milk fortified with vitamin D. Due to problems at one dairy, some of the milk sold had over 230,000 units of vitamin D per quart instead of the usual 400 units per quart. The incident highlighted the need for quality control in the production, and care in the consumption, of vitamin supplements." (84)

    http://www.doctoryourself.com/dvitamin.htm
     
  11. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    no, I'm good.
    If we lived further south and we got more sun, I wouldn't care as much.
     
  12. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    Anyhow, our butter contains vitamin D. I think 'real' butter contains it naturally, but they add it to margarine etc here.
     
  13. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    ah, that must be the difference. No Vitamin D added to our margarine/butter.
    And I don't think my daughter has any margarine/butter at school. But every child has to drink a carton of milk, much to my daughter's disgust
     
  14. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    They have to? Wow..
    What's a carton? Like 50cl?
     
  15. CutsieMarie89 Zen Registered Senior Member

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    Really? Why?
     
  16. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    Its a half pint (1 cup)
     
  17. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    why does she have to or why does she hate milk?
     
  18. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    Its much easier to get such things done in the US. Most places around the world do not have vitamin D in their milk
    Nonsense. The whole vitamin D "overdose" bit is based on bad science. We make 20,000 IU under the skin in 15 minutes of optimal exposure to UVB, while DRI trail far behind at 400 IU to 1000 IU. Most people are deficient in vitamin D and experimental tests on [on mice, true] have found no toxic effects until 100,000 IU. [warning:this is not a recommendation to try it out!]

    I also do not believe it can be illegal to add vitamin D to milk, makes no sense at all.
     
    Last edited: Dec 6, 2009
  19. CutsieMarie89 Zen Registered Senior Member

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    Why do they have to?
     
  20. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    See post 7.
    I'll see if I can find the piece about it being illegal again.
     
  21. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    doctoryourself.com?
     
  22. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    No.. the part where I take it back.
     
  23. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    Ah I very much doubt the "isolated incident" as well. Is any food fortified with vitamin D more than 20,000 IU?
     

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