[p2p-research] How effective is the flu shot? [Greg Laden's Blog]

[Ryan Lanham]

Hi Paul:

While I think the vaccine is much safer than Vitamin D, I actually am a huge
Vit-D advocate and I believe the emerging science suggests it is a
prophylactic against flu.  I think you stretch Greg's position a little
far.  I think he is overly combative.  But in the US context (which you well
know) to overcome the absurd folks, you need to be blunt.  Rhetoric has
become ugly.

For what it is worth, I totally agree that 6000-8000 IU of liqui-form Vit D3
a day is a good defense from flu for most adults.  Nearly all of the world's
people who do not live out of doors are D deficient by recent studies...some
of which you have noted.  I agree.

I have been taking large quantities of D3 for well over 2 years along with
fish oil and a number of other heart/diabetic supplements.  I am a great
believer--and by the way, I would say this position is less standard than
the anti-vaccine one--but it is more science based IMHO.

Ryan

On Thu, Oct 8, 2009 at 8:36 PM, Paul D. Fernhout <
pdfernhout at kurtz-fernhout.com> wrote:

> Ryan-
>
> Greg Laden suggests essentially that anyone who believes vitamins help
> prevent flu is a "moron":
>


> Guess he has not read this:
> "Vitamin D deficiency linked to more colds and flu"
>
> http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm?id=vitamin-d-deficiency-linked-to-more-2009-02-23
> "Is sunshine more than just a home remedy for a cold? New research suggests
> it may be: In a study that will be published tomorrow, people with low
> levels of vitamin D — also known as the "sunshine vitamin" — were more
> likely to catch cold and flu than folks with adequate amounts. The effect of
> the vitamin was strongest in people with asthma and other lung diseases who
> are predisposed to respiratory infections."
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listcultures.org/pipermail/p2presearch_listcultures.org/attachments/20091009/5bbce5b6/attachment.html>