Dr. Fuhrman’s Osteo–Sun

Features & Benefits:

Vitamin D3 – cholecalciferol – a vitamin which is fat-soluble and promotes the increased absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the intestines
Contains calcium and magnesium that are balanced for the best absorption
Critical for bone growth as well as the maintenance of healthy bone density
Contains silica, a trace mineral that is also a significant component of collagen
Enhances the absorption of calcium for optimum bone health, as well as strong nails and hair
Reduces the risk of osteoporosis and helps treat existing osteoporosis
Critical for a healthy immune system as well as cell growth regulation and the prevention of cancer
180 capsules – 60 day supply

Designed to treat and protect against osteoporosis, Dr. Fuhrman’s Osteo-Sun is a nutritional supplement made for both men and women looking to achieve their most superior level of health. Osteo-Sun’s formula contains higher than traditional levels of vitamin D and lower than traditional levels of magnesium and calcium – in comparison to other supplements that are designed to supplement bone health for those who work indoors or do not receive adequate sunlight to support the best levels of vitamin D. In Osteo-Sun Dr. Fuhrman has added silica which helps to support bone mineral density and promote stronger nails and hair.

Vitamin D has been identified in recent medical studies to be more effective than calcium in bone building and protection. Too much calcium, in fact, can actually hinder the natural process of vitamin D. For the many women taking extra calcium on a daily basis, most particularly when there is not an equivalent increase in vitamin D, there is the potential for the increased risk of cancer because of the lower function of vitamin D. And taken at these higher levels, calcium is simply not the most effective method for increasing bone density. This is of particular concern because the world is currently experiencing vitamin D deficiencies of epidemic proportions. Most multivitamin products contain insufficient amounts of vitamin D and are not enough to elevate the levels of vitamin D in the blood within a range that is ideal; which becomes even more important during the aging process.

Dr. Fuhrman’s Osteo-Sun provides a level of vitamin D that is important – that is needed by our bodies – along with silica that will help support stronger bones, nails, and hair, as well as appropriate levels of magnesium and calcium to promote optimum bone health.

Produced by our bodies after we are exposed to the ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun, vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that actually functions as a hormone. The reason for this is that vitamin D sends messages to the intestines that actually work to increase the body’s absorption of phosphorus and calcium. The promotion of calcium absorption is vitamin D’s primary role in the growth and maintenance of healthy, strong bones. But research has also suggested that vitamin D is significant in the maintenance of a healthy immune system, the regulation of cell growth, and the prevention of cancer; as well as offering protection against such diseases as inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and autoimmune disease. Additionally, working alongside other important minerals, vitamins, and hormones, vitamin D works to support bone mineralization.

Obviously our most critical source of vitamin D is sun exposure which provides most of us with the required levels of vitamin D. But the farther away from the equator that you live the more exposure to sun that you need to produce the optimum levels of vitamin D. Other elements can impact UV ray exposure and subsequent vitamin D synthesis, including the time of day, cloud cover, season, smog, and sunscreen that we may be wearing. Another factor that can impact vitamin D synthesis is melanin – or the pigmentation of the skin. Melanin gives our skin color.

The higher the melanin content the darker the skin. And the higher the melanin content the less our skin’s ability to produce vitamin D from sunlight. Subsequently, it is enormously important that those with darkly pigmented skin, including African Americans, ingest enough sources of vitamin D to allow them to reach ideal levels. Studies have even suggested that vitamin D deficiency in black men – which is at epidemic proportions – could contribute to their high occurrence of prostate cancer. Other groups that are at extreme risk for vitamin D deficiency include women and older adults.

The Connection of Vitamin D and Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is something that we have continued to hear more and more about because of the expanding prevalence of its onset among our population. In fact, estimates have shown that here, in the United States, more than 25 million adults either already have osteoporosis or are at risk of developing the disease. Vitamin D helps us fight back; having adequate levels of vitamin D in the body means that we are able to help support our healthy bones and subsequently prevent the onset of osteoporosis. Aging is a part of the process that lends to the occurrence of osteoporosis because as we age we are less and less able to synthesize vitamin D as effectively as we once did. Further, our kidneys become less adept at converting vitamin D to its active hormone form; this can result in a loss of bone mass as we age. So connected are the two, that a study of women with osteoporosis who had been hospitalized for hip fractures showed that half of them were vitamin D deficient. It has also been shown that taking vitamin D supplements can reduce the risk of osteoporosis–related fractures.

The Connection of Vitamin D and Cancer

It has been shown through a variety of studies that vitamin D can protect the body against many forms of cancer. In fact, study findings have demonstrated lower occurrences of breast, prostate, and colon cancer – as well as other types of cancer – among those who ingested higher levels of calcium and vitamin D in their diets or experienced more vitamin D synthesis through their exposure to sun. For over six decades researchers have worked on showing the relationship between minimal sun exposure and death from cancer. Those with higher levels of vitamin D in their blood were at lower risk for many types of cancer.

Dr. Fuhrman’s Osteo-Sun supplies 300 IUs of vitamin D3 per capsule; the suggested usage – two to six capsules a day – depends on the user’s individual requirements. For those who work indoors, three capsules a day will deliver the recommended dose of vitamin D3. It is recommended that Osteo-Sun be taken in tandem with Dr. Fuhrman’s multivitamin Gentle Care which contains vitamin D2.

Suggested Daily Use:

Two capsules taken with meals twice a day.

Supplement Facts

	Amount per Serving	%DV
Vitamin D3 (as cholecalciferol)	900 iu	225%
Calcium (as calcium citrate and calcium amino acid chelate)	375 mg	38%
Magnesium (as magnesium oxide, magnesium aspartate, and magnesium glychinate)	150 mg	38%
Horsetail Extract (whole plant) (7% soluble silica)	37.5 mg	**