Why You Need Vitamin D
Friday, November 10, 2023
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Why You Need Vitamin D ☀️
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The Importance of Vitamin D in Winter
why You Need Vitamin D ☀️😎🌥️☀️
As the days grow shorter and we spend less time outdoors in the winter months, many people become deficient in vitamin D. This important vitamin plays a vital role in bone health, immune function, and more. Getting adequate vitamin D is especially critical during the winter when natural vitamin D production from sunlight exposure drops.
This guy in the picture has captured the mood perfectly. I remember trudging through the slush in Pittsburgh bundled up head to toe. It's important to find out how many days of sunshine you get. In Kissimmee, it's over 260 days (seems low), while Pittsburgh it's 160 (seems high), Boston is 200 , and Anchorage is 125, which is probably the 1/2 of the year that's not fully dark.
There was a famous study done in the 1990s in Boston with graduate students (probably for money). They were required to sit outside in the winter 15 minutes a day and their Vitamin D levels were monitored. Spoiler alert, the young healthy grad students had decreasingly lower levels of Vitamin D as the winter went on. God Bless Grad Students giving their bodies to the advancement of science.
Vitamin D is sometimes called the "sunshine vitamin" because our bodies synthesize it when our skin is exposed to sunlight. But during the winter, people in northern climates like ours may not get enough sun exposure to maintain optimal vitamin D levels. This makes it important to get vitamin D from foods and supplements.
Vitamin D supports calcium absorption and bone metabolism. Without adequate vitamin D, you are at higher risk for bone loss and fractures. Vitamin D has also been found to support immune system function. Other research indicates vitamin D may play a role in cardiovascular health, diabetes management, and cancer prevention.
As cold and flu season approaches, many people reach for vitamin C to help fend off illnesses. But don't overlook the importance of vitamin D for immune health. Research shows this versatile nutrient plays a key role in preventing respiratory infections and other health problems.
Vitamin D supports healthy immune system function in several ways. It enables the cells that make up the first line of defense against pathogens to develop properly and protects against inflammation. Vitamin D also stimulates production of antimicrobial proteins that can fight bacteria and viruses.
Studies have found people deficient in vitamin D are at far greater risk of respiratory infections like colds, flu, and pneumonia as well as chronic illnesses like asthma and COPD. Supplementing with vitamin D shows great promise in warding off these health issues.
In research trials, taking vitamin D supplements led to fewer respiratory infections and reduced antibiotic use in adults and children. Hospitalized patients given high-dose vitamin D had a 25% lower risk of dying from pneumonia. Other studies found vitamin D supplements can reduce asthma attacks in children by over 40%.
Emerging research indicates that having sufficient vitamin D levels may help reduce the risk of developing severe Covid-19 illness. Studies have found that people deficient in vitamin D are more likely to test positive for Covid-19 and suffer from more serious symptoms and complications. This may be because vitamin D plays an important role in regulating the immune system and inflammatory response. Patients with severe Covid-19 often experience an extreme inflammatory reaction that damages organs. Given vitamin D's anti-inflammatory effects, having adequate levels may mitigate this overactive immune response to the virus. Ensuring you maintain recommended vitamin D levels through sunlight exposure, food sources, and supplements where needed could potentially help minimize your Covid-19 risk and severity. More research is still needed, but optimizing vitamin D intake is likely beneficial for COVID-19 prevention and outcomes.
The role vitamin D plays in supporting lung health may be one reason people with chronic lung diseases often have insufficient levels. Ensuring adequate vitamin D intake through sunlight, food, and supplements is a key way to strengthen your defenses against illness. Talk to your doctor about having your vitamin D level tested and how to prevent deficiency.
The recommended daily intake of vitamin D is 600 IU for adults up to age 70. After age 70, the recommendation increases to 800 IU per day. Good food sources of vitamin D include fatty fish, egg yolks, fortified dairy products, and cod liver oil. Vitamin D is also readily available in supplement form. With limited sun exposure during winter, taking a supplement can help ensure you meet your daily vitamin D needs. Since Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, it can get stored in your body, so be careful with the dosage. See the Carlson products below that are formulated by a team of pharmacists. They are my favorite products.
Be sure to discuss vitamin D testing and supplementation with your healthcare provider, especially if you are at high risk for deficiency. With its wide-ranging health benefits, making sure you get enough vitamin D is particularly important in the darker winter season. Maintaining adequate levels can help keep your body strong during the colder months.
Hi, I Am Dr. Lisa
CEO Of Healthy Mindful Self
As a pharmacist for over 40 years, Dr. Lisa is passionate about helping people derive the best benefit from Medications and Natural Supplements. As a Certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher, Dr. Lisa brings body, mind and spirit to heal.
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