Sunshine Vs. Vaccine

Matt Toussaint
flu2.jpg

A study led by Dr. Mitsuyoshi Urashima investigating the effectiveness of vitamin D at preventing influenza infection finds that supplementation with the "sunshine vitamin" is a superior preventative measure compared with vaccination.

A total of 334 children took part in the study.  The design was simple and strightforward: administer a vitamin D3 supplement of 1200 IUs to half of the group, a placebo to the other half, and control with randomization and double-blinds.  In the placebo group, 31 children contracted influenza, compared with 18 in the study group.  This amounts to an 8% reduction in infection during the 3-month course of the study; flu vaccines successfully reduce infection by only 1%.

With respect to the study's secondary measure, the trial also shows a significant reduction in asthma attacks in previously diagnosed children who were taking the vitamin D3 (2 cases) compared with those who were not (12 cases).

This report is very telling, and it's relevance immediate.  As winter and "flu season" approaches, long hours spent in the sun simultaneously decline -- and therefore so does natural vitamin D production highlighting the question of whether or not to get vaccinated.

Although this finding is not definitive in its results, its implications certainly attest to the body's natural ability to heal -- to make whole -- and perhaps also hints at the dangers of relying exclusively on the application of external preventative measures, like vaccinations, but also on the kind of thinking that binds us to limited courses of actions when the remedy may very well be right here, humbly, inside our own bodies.

 

 

Image "Gripe" by Daquella manera on Flickr courtesy of Creative Commons Licensing.

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Comments

just to be clear...

Submitted by lancerobotson on Tue, 10/12/2010 - 13:45.
the study linked here is not comparing the efficacy of Vitamin D vs. influenza vaccine. it is merely studying the flu prevention effects of vitamin D supplement alone. So the headline is misleading.

acticle should be called "study vs. opinion"

Submitted by lancerobotson on Wed, 10/13/2010 - 04:44.
that conclusion is being drawn by an opinion maker on a health news site. The actual study cited itself has nothing to do with comparing the efficacy of vitamin D treatment to vaccine. that's all i'm saying.

The headline IS misleading

Submitted by twobit on Wed, 10/13/2010 - 19:44.
First post is correct. The study design was "a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial comparing vitamin D3 supplements (1200 IU/d) with placebo in schoolchildren." The study does not look at Vit D vs vaccine. In fact, from the abstract you could assume that some or all of the children could have been vaccinated. We don't know because the author did not look into that. You cannot take 2 completely different studies and then mash them together to say that one reported outcome is superior to the other. For a more robust discussion of vaccine effectiveness check out SBM: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=2040#more-2040

Seems to work

Submitted by Fabrice on Thu, 10/14/2010 - 05:14.
I did my research, and concluded that you have to be trying REAL HARD to get an "overdose" of Vitamin D. At the pharmacy here they say 25000 IU is per 15 days. According to Wikipedia "In healthy adults, sustained intake of 1250 micrograms/day (50,000 IU) can produce overt toxicity after several months" After *several months*. So you can experiment all you want you have pretty much zero chance to have adverse effects. I took Vitamin D last year (and no vaccine mostly because I live outside of the paranoia-stricken US of A). I did get a cold or flu I couldn't say, for which I took a 25000 IU capsule per day, for 2-3 days. It lasted two days. My nose did not run more than a day, not long enough for it to be red and painful. Then my throat was a little sore for a day and it was over. I'm doing the same this year, I mean the point is... what is there to loose? Vitamin D cure is really cheap and safe.

Signifigance

Submitted by Terranhealer on Thu, 10/14/2010 - 12:40.
should have looked up the journal article to see what the levels of significance are for the results. i calculated them from the exposed unexposed (vit D) data and got a chi-square figure of 0.24 which means that in this sample size the results have a slightly greater than 50% chance of occurring randomly. Im not against vitamins or vaccines. They both are valuable tools. but proper living, diet, and hygiene are the best ways to prevent disease. Harmony dispels disharmony.

model trains

Submitted by j_schmoe on Tue, 02/14/2012 - 01:07.
I like to run my model trains and work on my model railroading layout. When ever I have free time, that is what I am doing. I have had a train layout for several years and I hope to continue with the hobby for many years to come.