Director's Letter  

Many of you are aware that GrassrootsHealth was founded after my bout with breast cancer and what I considered the barbaric treatment. (There's got to be a better way!) It took me two years to find out about vitamin D after I started looking - then, it was 'full tilt ahead' to create an organization that could put the research that was known 10 years ago (20 years ago now) into practice! Putting research into practice takes scientific consensus, education, PR programs, analysis and participants. Given that, we now have the tools to go to the next step: We don't have to suffer the consequences of the treatment if we can prevent the disease. And, it's not too late - even if you have had breast cancer, getting your vitamin D level up to at least 40 ng/ml may help prevent a recurrence ( Goodwin et al., 2005). 

 
There is enough research available to formidably say that vitamin D can significantly reduce the risk of new cancer, but equally important, it's considered safe, and it is relatively inexpensive. We now have over 10,000 participants of D*action, our world-wide vitamin D project, whose average serum level is 44 ng/ml (110 nmol/L). Data from D*action has been used to publish many research papers on higher levels of vitamin D than most trials and to answer questions about the impact of higher levels, e.g., reduced pain, fewer cases of the flu, and a lower incidence of cancer!

Starting in 2013 we were able to run a successful two-year project with pregnant women at the Medical University of South Carolina, a major urban hospital. In this project, vitamin D was shown to be safe, inexpensive (actually saved money), and to aid in better health outcomes. There was a reduction of 40-60% of preterm births by increasing serum levels from 20 ng/ml to 40 ng/ml.

For something so inexpensive, effective, safe, and with such potentially positive consequences, it's time to move!

What is next?

It is time for everyone to take action. To recommend 40-60 ng/ml as opposed to 20 ng/ml. We, and others, have clearly demonstrated that the 20 ng/ml level is wrong - even for bone health. It's time to teach about vitamin D in medical school. To ensure that every yearly well visit has a test of vitamin D, just as they do with cholesterol levels, and then take corrective action when it is below 40 ng/ml (100 nmol/L).

Now is the time! Don't waste your life, or that of others, by omitting something so simple, and so potentially useful.