Vitamin D deficiency is common in the United States and around the world. It is known to be important in bone mineral metabolism, but we now have information that it does much more.
In general, vitamins are known to be responsible for a single disease and proper supplementation should correct the disease. A hormone goes to distant tissues and produces multiple metabolic enhancements. That’s the job of vitamin D.
Your vitamin D levels should be much higher than previously thought. Certainly much higher than what is indicated on the milk carton or vitamin pills from the local pharmacy. Here’s today’s story.
In general, eight hundred to one thousand IUs are needed, but as we age, we need a lot more. I like liquid formulations better because as you get older D is harder to absorb. It’s probably best to consume those 1,000 IUs daily to maintain consistency in enhancing all the things that vitamin D will do for you.
For example, hip fractures decrease 23% and other non-vertebral fractures decrease 26%. We know how to slow bone loss as we age, but did you know that it works in muscles too? Lower extremity strength and improved gait were demonstrated in several studies in older people. The risk of falls is improved by 22%. It is good to have less muscle pain, walk a little faster, and get up from a chair faster than other older people. Arthritis also decreases in severity.
Many cancers also decrease significantly with increasing vitamin D. These include colon, breast, and prostate cancers. Other metabolic disorders include type 1 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, possibly type 2 diabetes, and multiple sclerosis.
Vitamin D is a potent modulator of activated T and B lymphocytes, the workhorses of the immune system. Animal models show prevention of rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease of the intestine. Research has also shown a remarkable improvement in psoriasis.
If that is not enough, it is generally observed that there is a clear improvement in well-being and energy, often within the first week. All of these improvements were reported in Endocrine News, a publication of the Endocrine Society in the August / September 2005 issue beginning on page 10.
It’s remarkable what you can do for yourself when you combine trusted information about health in action for your life. It’s not only good, it’s exciting. This is how life is supposed to be.
It’s your time.
Dr joe
