Dr. Fuhrman’s Osteo–Sun

Osteo–Sun is a nutritional supplement designed by Dr. Fuhrman, not only for protection and therapy for osteoporosis, but also for both men and women who desire optimal health. It has been specifically formulated to be higher in vitamin D and lower in calcium and magnesium compared to most other supplements designed for bone health to meet the needs of individuals who work indoors and are not exposed to adequate sunlight to produce optimal levels of Vitamin D.

Recent medical studies document that vitamin D is more effective than calcium for protecting and building bone. In fact, too much calcium can interfere with the conversion of vitamin D into its biologically active form.² Therefore, high dose calcium consumed by so many women, especially without a corresponding increase in vitamin D, is not the most effective way to increase bone density and may even increase cancer risk as a result of lower vitamin D function. The modern world has an epidemic of vitamin D deficiency and most often a multivitamin containing the RDA for D is simply insufficient to bring blood levels up to the ideal range, especially as we age.

Dr. Fuhrman’s Osteo-Sun gives you the extra vitamin D you need and just the right dose of calcium and magnesium to bring your intake to the best level to maximize bone health.

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that is made in your body after exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. Vitamin D functions as a hormone because it sends a message to the intestines to increase the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. By promoting calcium absorption, vitamin D helps to form and maintain strong bones. Vitamin D also works in concert with a number of other vitamins, minerals, and hormones to promote bone mineralization. Research also suggests that vitamin D is important to maintain a healthy immune system, regulate cell growth and prevent cancer. Vitamin D has been shown to protect against the development of autoimmune disease such as inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, and it also has been shown to be helpful for those who have autoimmune disease.³

Sun exposure is perhaps the most important source of vitamin D because exposure to sunlight provides most humans with their vitamin D requirement. The further you live from the equator, the longer exposure you need to the sun in order to generate vitamin D. Season, time of day, cloud cover, smog, and sunscreen affect UV ray exposure and vitamin D synthesis. For example, sunlight exposure from November through February in Boston is insufficient to produce significant vitamin D synthesis in the skin. Melanin is the pigment that gives skin its color. The high melanin content in darker skin reduces the skin's ability to produce vitamin D from sunlight. It is very important for African Americans and other populations with dark-pigmented skin to consume recommended amounts of vitamin D. Some studies suggest that older adults, especially women, in these groups are at extremely high risk of vitamin D deficiency. There is also considerable evidence to suggest that the epidemic vitamin D deficiency in black men contributes to their high prevalence of prostate cancer.

Vitamin D and Osteoporosis
It is estimated that over 25 million adults in the United States have, or are at risk of developing, osteoporosis. Adequate storage levels of vitamin D help keep bones strong and help prevent osteoporosis in older adults. As people age, skin cannot synthesize vitamin D as efficiently and the kidney is less able to convert vitamin D to its active hormone form creating a rapid decrease in bone mass with aging.⁴ In a review of women with osteoporosis hospitalized for hip fractures, 50 percent were found to have vitamin D deficiency.⁵ Daily supplementation with 20 µg (800 IU) of vitamin D has been shown to reduce the risk of osteoporotic fractures in elderly populations with low blood levels of vitamin D.⁶ The Decalyos II study examined the effect of combined calcium and vitamin D supplementation in a group of elderly women who were able to walk indoors with a cane or walker. The women were studied for two years, and results suggested that supplementation significantly reduced the risk of hip fractures. Vitamin D was found to be the most effective component.⁷

Vitamin D and Cancer
Laboratory, animal, and epidemiologic evidence indicates that vitamin D is protective against many cancers. Epidemiologic studies suggest that a higher dietary intake of calcium and vitamin D, and/or sunlight–induced vitamin D synthesis, correlates with lower incidence of cancer, including breast, prostate and colon cancer.⁸ In fact, for over 60 years researchers have observed an inverse association between sun exposure and cancer mortality.⁹ The inverse relationship between higher vitamin D levels in blood and lower cancer risk in humans show a significantly lower risk of among those with the highest vitamin D intake.

Dr. Fuhrman’s Osteo-Sun is designed with each capsule supplying 300 IUs of vitamin D3 so that two to six capsules per day can be utilized depending on each person’s individual needs. The recommended dose of three capsules daily will suffice for most people who work indoors, supplying 900 IUs.

Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 3 Capsules
Servings Per Container: 60

Calcium (as calcium citrate and calcium amino acid chelate)

Magnesium (as magnesium oxide, magnesium aspartate, and magnesium glychinate)

Other Ingredients: Cellulose, magnesium stearate and silica