Vitamin D plays a larger role in regulating our health than simply improving our bone density. Researchers have discovered that getting the recommended daily vitamin D intake could help reduce plaguing health risks such as MS and diabetes. Ordinarily, a vitamin is an essential element that the body cannot create on its own; however, it is possible for people to create all the vitamin D they need from a cholesterol-like precursor. During the summer months that goal can easily be reached, as the human body can generate up to 12,000 IU of vitamin D from only 30 minutes of sun exposure. However, during the winter months, the daily intake people derive from food and sun exposure falls significantly below the recommended amount. Living relatively far from the equator makes it extremely difficult to get enough sun during the winter to maintain sufficient blood concentrations of vitamin D.
Summary of Vitamin D Research
• Prolongs life
• Prevention of diabetes
• Protection against multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Regulates inflammation, helps autoimmune diseases
• Signals colon, breast, and prostate cancers to stop growing (cancer prevention) which helps to
reduce cancer rates by 30-50%.
• Reduces breast cancer by 83%
• Prevention of osteoporosis
• Has a minor effect in weight loss
• Improves mental and nerve function, fights anxiety and depression
• Lowers blood pressure
• Deficiency can cause muscle cramps, spasms and parasthesias
• Improves mood in Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
• Improves skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema
• Works like a flu shot, lowering flu infection rates
• Strengthens blood brain barrier for brain protection
• Increased immune function
For adults, the minimum amount of international units (IU) of vitamin D per day should be between 200 to 1,000 IU, though most people don’t even come close to that. For health purposes up to 2,000-5,000 IU is considered safe, but some experts allow up to 10,000 IU. Women concerned with bone health should take 2,000 IU per day or more. 5,000 IU is needed in many people to get the full benefits against cancer. Blood tests are the best way to find out your blood levels, which can vary quite a bit.
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