Dr. Andrew Belaveshkin

  Three paradoxes of vitamin D and how to overcome them.   1. The paradox of vitamin D supplements.   In many studies, high levels of vitamin D are associated with a reduced risk of many diseases, from cancer and autoimmune diseases to obesity and diabetes. The quality and reliability of these studies are beyond doubt. However, conversely, vitamin D supplements do not reduce the risks of diseases almost anywhere. Why? Two possible explanations for the paradox: 1. Vitamin D is a surrogate marker of health, meaning it is higher in those who spend more time outdoors, meaning they are more physically active, socialize more, etc. 2. Sunlight (ultraviolet) induces the formation of about a dozen beneficial compounds besides vitamin D (such as nitric oxide, beneficial for lowering blood pressure and for erection, or proopiomelanocortin, etc.) – one supplement cannot replicate their synergistic effect. What to do? Prefer sunlight, even in winter countries.       2. ...

False invincibility (invulnerability). American economist Samuel Peltzman discovered and described the cognitive bias of false invincibility, which states that people are more likely to take risks when they feel more protected (Peltzman Effect or risk compensation). This phenomenon manifests itself in various areas of life: when people begin to trust a salesperson, they are inclined to buy things they didn’t plan to buy; a person carrying a weapon behaves more recklessly, provoking aggression; even when wearing a mask, we tend to ignore illness symptoms and neglect basic hygiene rules, thereby increasing the risk of infection; a soldier wearing body armor moves less carefully and safely. A similar effect is observed when we protect ourselves from the sun. The effectiveness of sunscreen is calculated for ideal conditions, but in reality, people apply it unevenly, rarely reapply it, and so on. Most importantly, when using sunscreen, people spend much more time in the sun than they would ...