BUSM’s Holick Speaks to Brazilian Government Officials on Importance of Vitamin D

World renowned Vitamin D expert and BUSM professor Michael F. Holick, PhD, MD, recently returned from a trip to Brazil at the invitation of one of the country’s parliament members.

During his visit, Holick spoke at a seminar where several Brazilian Parliament members and the public attended and met with the country’s Minister of Health and the governor of Sao Paulo about the vitamin D deficiency problem in Brazil. Approximately 50 percent of the residents of Brazil are vitamin D deficient.

Through his years of research Holick has discovered that Vitamin D plays an integral role in modulating the immune system to help fight infections like the flu and reduces the risk of many common diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, depression and diabetes.

As part of his trip, Holick met with more than 100 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who had come to Sao Paulo specifically to meet him. According to Holick, many of these MS patients had experienced improvement in their symptoms as a result of treatment with high doses of Vitamin D.