Theoretically, our bodies make plenty of Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, when exposed to the sun. But today, people shy away from the sun, due to cancer concerns, or lather on the sunscreen. We spend too much time in homes, on the TV or the computer, and many of us work inside. All of this blocks the production of Vitamin D. So it’s no surprise that three of every four Americans are deficient in Vitamin D!
Some people make ample amounts in the summer, but Vitamin D levels start to decrease when daylight savings time changes or when the sun is lower in the horizon. Sun is too low during winter months to even stimulate your body’s production of D.
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that works along with Vitamin A to utilize calcium and phosphorus to build bones and teeth. Although we call it a vitamin, it really is a hormone produced by the sun. Deficiency results in nearsightedness, psoriasis, soft teeth, muscle cramps and tics, slow healing, insomnia, nosebleeds, fast heartbeat, arthritis and osteoporosis. Vitamin D also helps with all eye problems including eye spots, conjunctivitis, and glaucoma.
Benefits include:
- Vitamin D is needed for normal insulin function and regulation of blood sugar. It also helps prevent foot infections, which studies show, can come from low levels of Vitamin D.
- In obesity, Vitamin D is stored in fat tissue which prevents it from being used by the rest of the body. Therefore those individuals are at high risk for deficient Vitamin D.
- Higher Vitamin D gives many women an edge to surviving breast cancer and decreases in tumor size.
- Low Vitamin D contributes to Multiple Sclerosis (MS). MS seems to be higher in people living further away from the equator.
- Studies have found that Vitamin D supplementation lowers senior’s risk of bone fracture, suggested dose of 2,000 IU’s or more daily.
- Evidence has been mounting that Autism and Vitamin D are linked, since “D’ regulates thousands of genes in the human genome. Possibly a part of today’s Autism epidemic!
- Therapy with Vitamin D is associated with a lowered risk of mortality among those with Kidney disease.
- In Osteoporosis, the role of Vitamin D in skeletal maintenance is very important and helps absorption of calcium. Also eating foods high in Vitamin D like avocados, salmon, sardines, milk and greens are very helpful.
Dr. Lars Reynmark of Denmark wrote that Vitamin D deficiency affects risks of many different diseases. Supplementation can become a necessity if or until the body can produce it by itself. Recent studies found taking 2,000 IU of D3 daily was not sufficient for many to boost levels to normal ranges. In most cases 5,000 IU resulted in much better success.
D3 is better absorbed than D2, and actually D2 can lower your level of D3 even more! I recommend taking D3 in liquid form or in a homeopathic sublingual tablet to make sure it gets into the system. Others prefer the capsule or tablet which may take longer to break up in the body. For myself, I prefer the homeopathic form of D3 in 5000 IU’s daily.
References:
The Green Pharmacy by James Duke