patients are really knowledgeable
about vitamin D, about the physiolo-
gy and pharmacology, they know
5,000 IU/day is not very much. The
problem is that the patients seem to
think that 5,000 IU is a lot.
Passwater: Is this because they
think 5,000 is a large number?
Cannell: Yes, but it is not a large
amount by weight. The trouble is
that 5,000 IU is only an eighth of a
milligram of cholecalciferol; that’s
only 125 micrograms. Micrograms,
not milligrams! There are 1,000
micrograms in a milligram. When I
explain to them how 5,000 IU actu-
ally is 125 mcg, they say, “Well, I’ll
take that.”
Passwater: Yes, the average person
can find the conventional systems for
expressing quantities of nutrients to
be confusing—USP Units,
International Units, enzyme units,
grams, milligrams, micrograms, etc.
The system of using standardized
units was developed to measure bio-
chemical activity long before the
structure of the nutrient was deter-
mined. Not all International Units
correspond to the same weight of a
given nutrient. As an example, 1 IU
of vitamin E can be 0.671 mg of nat-
ural (RRR-alpha-tocopherol or d-
alpha-tocopherol) vitamin E, or Y mg
of synthetic (all-racemic- alpha toco-
pherol or dl- alpha-tocopherol) vita-
min E, or 0.735 mg of d-alpha-toco-
pheryl acetate, or Z mg of gamma-
tocopherol. International Units for
the various vitamins are not the same
weight units and they are not directly
interchangeable. They must be con-
verted to weight measurements for
meaningful comparisons.
The international unit for vitamin D
activity dates back before 1931 and
was based on the antirachitic activity
for the rat.
One thousand IU of vitamin D is
only 25 mcg of cholecalciferol and
the same 25 mcg for the other form
of vitamin D, the irradiated analog
whose patent has expired, ergocalcif-
erol (also called vitamin D2).
After a doctor becomes familiar
with the pharmacology of vitamin D,
all that has to be done when a
patient comes in is to look at his/her
skin type, look at the amount of
melanin in the skin, ask about his
sun behavior, what kind of job he
has, does he have a covered garage,
does he get up in the morning and
put on his sun block, drive his car t
work, etc. If the patient works insid
wears sunblock, and doesn’t take an
vitamin D, he has a 100% chance of
being vitamin D deficient. He does-
n’t need a blood test.
So, 5,000 IU isn’t a lot of vitamin
and a lot of physicians and vitamin
researchers agree with your recom-
mendation. Next month, we can
chat a little bit about the safety/toxic
ity facts and how the U.S. Food
Administration was pushing to lower
the allowed amount of vitamin D in
supplements to 200 IU in the 1980s
Then, we can discuss your findings,
Dr. Cannell.
Dr. Richard Passwater is the author of
more than 40 books and 500 articles o
nutrition. He is the vice president of
research and development for Solgar
Vitamin and Herb. Dr. Passwater has
been WholeFoods Magazine’s science
editor and author of this column since
58719 NATTOKINASE 100 MG BST
30 VCA 9.99 7.99
44740 NATTOKINASE 100 MG BST
90 VCA 25.99 20.79
36551 NONI CONC BEST 650 MG
150 CAP 19.99 15.99
50109 PEPZIN GI
120 VCA 29.99 23.99
52597 PHOS SERINE 100 MG BST
60 SGC 39.99 31.99
34981 PROSTATE COMPREN FORM
90 TAB 29.99 23.99
54659 PROTEOLYTIC ENZYMES BES
EST VCA 42.99 34.39
55508 PUREWAY C 500 MG S/R
60 TAB 13.99 11.19
17265 QUERCETIN BROMELAIN
180 CAP 34.99 27.99
43807 R LIPOIC ACID 100 MG
60 VCA 33.99 27.19
59341 R LIPOIC ACID 100 MG
180 VCA 89.99 71.99
30003 RED WINE EXT FRN GR 60
90 CAP 12.99 10.39
45205 RED YEAST RICE 1200 MG
60 TAB 22.99 18.39
60296 RED YEAST RICE 600 COQ
120 VCA 27.99 22.39
42861 RED YEAST RICE 600 MG
120 VCA 24.99 19.99
45206 RED YEAST RICE W/COQ10
60 TAB 26.99 21.59
58168 RED YEAST RICE W/COQ10
180 TAB 69.95 55.96
54703 RESVERATROL 100 MG
60 VCA 24.99 19.99
58203 RESVERATROL 200 TRANS
60 VCA 39.99 31.99
57385 SAM E 200
60 TAB 39.99 31.99
51053 SAM E 400 DOUB STR
30 TAB 39.99 31.99
60235 SAM E 400 DOUB STR
60 TAB 71.99 57.59
40935 SAW PALM 320 MG
60 SGC 17.99 14.39
51739 SERRAPEPTASE BEST
90 VCA 24.99 19.99
58720 SERRAPEPTASE BEST
270 VCA 64.99 51.99
58722 SERRAPEPTASE HI POTENC
90 VCA 59.99 47.99
45207 STRONTIUM BONE MAKER
60 VCA 20.99 16.79
53760 STRONTIUM BONE MAKER
120 VCA 36.99 29.19
56481 SUNTHEANINE 150 MG
90 VCA 27.99 22.39
60482 SUPERFOODS FERMEN 1000
90 VCA 24.99 19.99
45188 SYTRINOL 150 MG
60 SGC 27.99 22.39
57293 TOCOTRIENOLS DELTA 50
60 SGC 24.99 19.99
52210 TRYPTOPHAN 500 MG
90 VCA 33.99 27.19
52212 TRYPTOPHAN ENHANCED
90 VCA 39.99 31.99
57386 UBIQUINOL COQ10 100 MG
60 SGC 49.99 39.99
54289 UBIQUINOL COQ10 50 BST
90 SGC 39.99 31.99
54660 VEIN SUPPORT BEST
60 VCA 31.99 25.59
DOUGLAS LABORATORIES
35070 5 HTP PLUS 75 MG
60 VCAP 56.70 45.36
43520 A 10000 SGC
100 SGC 7.40 5.92
29256 ACETYL L CARNITINE 500
60 CAP 19.00 15.20
60491 ACETYL L CARNITINE 500
120 CAP 31.50 25.20
10171 ADDED PROT NO CU/FE
180 TAB 31.90 25.52
30346 ADDED PROT NO FE
180 TAB 31.90 25.52
10173 ADDED PROTECTION NO CU
180 TAB 31.90 25.52
10172 ADDED PROTECTION W/CU-F
180 TAB 31.90 25.52
59169 ADRENO MEND
120 VCA 46.40 37.12
35007 ADRENPLUS 300
120 CAP 30.50 24.40
28868 AGNUS CACTUS V 400 MG
60 VCA 41.80 33.44
59759 AHCC PLUS
60 VCA 109.40 87.52
10175 ALER GEST
250 TAB 21.80 17.44
57421 AMINO BLEND
100 CAP 47.60 38.08
26390 AMINO GRAM FORTE
100 TAB 14.70 11.76
25582 AMINO MAG 200 CHEL
100 TAB 12.40 9.92
54937 AQUA E
8 Z LIQ 45.80 36.64
27327 ASCORBPLEX 1000 BUFF
180 TAB 33.30 26.64
40790 ATP 20
60 TAB 18.30 14.64
35073 AYUR CURCUMIN
90 CAP 23.00 18.40
60440 AYUR PHYLLANTEUS
60 CAP 11.90 9.52
60500 B COMPLEX W/MEATFOLIN
60 VCA 20.60 16.48
36584 B STRESS PLUS
90 TAB 16.10 12.88
21158 B12 + SUBL 1000 MCG
90 TAB 10.60 8.48
43521 B12 2500
60 TAB 14.50 11.60
44536 B12 500 MCG
100 TAB 6.30 5.04
40145 B6 100 MG
100 TAB 6.30 5.04
43522 BALANCE PLUS
90 SGC 21.90 17.52
10182 BASIC PREV 1 + CU/FE
180 TAB 36.40 29.12
10178 BASIC PREV 2 NO CU/FE
180 TAB 29.50 23.60
10181 BASIC PREV 3 + FE/CU
180 TAB 36.40 29.12
10180 BASIC PREV 4 NO CU/FE
180 TAB 36.40 29.1
43527 BASIC PREV 5 NO FE
270 VCA 37.60 30.0
43594 BASIC PREV 5 NO FE TAB
180 TAB 29.50 23.6
43595 BASIC PREV 5 W/D TABS
180 TAB 34.20 27.3
38711 BENI KOJI RED RICE 500
120 CAP 61.30 49.0
10186 BETAINE HCL 648 MG
250 CAP 27.40 21.9
25041 BILBERRY MAX V
60 VCA 30.50 24.4
20964 BILEX
90 TAB 12.60 10.0
30238 BIO PLUS
100 CAP 8.20 6.5
26295 BIOFLAVONOID CMP 1000
100 TAB 12.50 10.0
45629 BLACK COHOSH
60 CAP 18.30 14.6
10189 BLACK CURRANT SEED OIL
90 SGC 19.60 15.6
10190 BORAGE OIL GLA 240
90 SGC 24.70 19.7
53444 BRAIN CALM
60 VCA 23.00 18.4
43503 BRAIN ENERGY
60 CAP 25.40 20.3
51113 BRAIN MEMORY
60 VCA 37.60 30.0
19068 BROMELAIN 5000 M.C.U.
60 CAP 8.00 6.4
26251 C + 500 NATURAL
250 TAB 21.60 17.2
50654 C 1000 MG
250 CAP 25.90 20.7
27041 C 1000 MG W/BIO NAT
250 TAB 26.50 21.2
22717 C CRYSTALS
8 Z PWD 17.00 13.6
26526 CAL 6 + MAG 250/125
250 TAB 16.00 12.8
23960 CAL CITRATE 250 MG
100 TAB 7.00 5.6
38470 CAL CITRATE 250 MG
250 TAB 12.60 10.0
50112 CAL D GLUCARATE 500 MG
90 CAP 52.90 42.3
24127 CAL MAG 2001
180 TAB 19.50 15.6
24128 CAL MAG 2001 250/125
90 TAB 10.70 8.5
35127 CAL MICROCRYST 1000 MG
90 TAB 14.70 11.7
23191 CAL MICROCRYST 500 MG
100 CAP 10.70 8.5
58302 CALCIGUARD 1:1 CA/MG D
90 TAB 11.50 9.2
10198 CALCIGUARD 250 + D
90 TAB 11.00 8.8
26623 CALCIUM LACTATE 200 MG
250 CAP 11.30 9.0
59546 CAP ALOE
100 CAP 10.30 8.2
43611 CAPRYLEX
90 TAB 16.30 13.0
44782 CARDIO EDGE
120 VCA 43.40 34.7
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Autumn 2011 - Willner Chemists Reference Catalog
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