Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that’s stored in your liver and fatty tissues that helps your body balance hormones. So, essentially it’s a pro-hormone or steroid hormone in the way it acts in the body. Vitamin D has been studied for decades but evidence is showing more and more benefits of vitamin D and how important it is that we all get enough of it every single day.
Benefits
There are many benefits of vitamin D other than maintaining healthy bones. It’s also associated with:
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- Weight management
- Supporting the cardiovascular system
- Fighting some forms of cancer
- Prevention and treatment of multiple sclerosis
- Improve symptoms of tuberculosis
- Reducing the risk of type II diabetes
- Reducing the risk of allergies in children and adolescents
- In balancing hormones
- Fighting infections
- Warding off depression
- Getting rid of excess estrogen which is really important for fertility and overall hormone balance.
Most American’s are deficient in Vitamin D
The truth is, most American’s are deficient in Vitamin D levels. Americans primarily spend their days indoors and children play more inside and don’t get as much sun exposure. Sunscreens also prevent vitamin D production.
For years, it’s been known that children born to vitamin D-deficient mothers are at increased risk for type 1 diabetes. This deficiency in childhood has been associated with more severe asthma and allergies. A newer study found that after giving birth, 76% of moms and 81% of newborns were vitamin D deficient. That’s more than three out of every four moms out there today are vitamin D deficient! A study at the University of Missouri found that 79% of men and 76% of women had sub-optimal levels of vitamin D. That’s almost 80%! Also, girls today are 56% more likely to break a bone than girls 40 years ago. Boys, 32% more likely.
Best sources of Vitamin D
Common types of vitamin D are vitamin D2 and D3. D2 is comes mostly from food whereas, vitamin D3 is derived from the sun and is 87% more effective for addressing insufficient levels of vitamin D. Vitamin D is found naturally in only a handful of foods – fatty fish, eggs and mushrooms.
The #1 place to get vitamin D is the sun. The sun promotes vitamin D synthesis from cholesterol in the skin. Sunscreens actually prevent vitamin D synthesis. If skin protection is needed consider leaving skin exposed for a few minutes before covering up or using natural sun protectant lotions.
Milk is NOT a good source of Vitamin D. Convential milk has been linked to both calcium and vitamin D deficiency disorders. Milk that you find at the supermarket has undergone pasteurization and homogenization. These processes alter the chemical structure, destroys nutrients, causes fats to go rancid, and forms free radicals.
A high quality Vitamin D3 supplement daily and throughout the year. I recommend 2,000-3,000IU per day minimum for ages 5-70, and for pregnant and lactating women. 4,000IU per day for 70+ years.
Curious if your Vitamin D levels are up to par?
It is quite simple to check your vitamin D levels. Simply visit your primary care physician, or you can order a vitamin D test online for around $49. Optimal vitamin D levels are between 60-100ng/ml.
References
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/85/6/1586.full
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/05/28/vitamin-d-deficiency-signs-symptoms.aspx#_edn4
http://www.medicinenet.com/vitamin_d_deficiency/article.htm
http://www.raw-milk-facts.com/milk_history.html
http://draxe.com/pasteurization-homogenization-101
