Vitamin D

Last week I shared the importance of Vitamin D in preventing osteoporosis and Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD.  If you recall, the best source of this nutrient is the natural kind that causes our own vitamin D to be released from the skin with moderate exposure to direct sunlight.  In addition to influencing the regulation of our hormones, Vitamin D has also been found to influence the regulation of over 2000 of our genes making it crucial for preventing a variety of diseases.

For instance, Vitamin D has been found important in reducing weight and high blood pressure and preventing Autism and autoimmune diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, M.S. and Chron’s. In addition, the vitamin has been found helpful in preventing infertility, asthma, and Alzheimer’s.  According to Dr. William Grant Ph.D., it may be the most important chemotherapy ingredient ever discovered and may be critical in preventing up to at least 30 % of cancer deaths.  Unfortunately, it is estimated that in the winter months, approximately 85% of Americans are deficient in this vital nutrient especially in this part of the country.  Ideally, we should be getting about 15-30 minutes of sun exposure per day.  When this is not happening, an oral dose of about 4000 units per day can be used for the average sized adult.  If taking this dose, you want to make sure the vitamin you are taking is Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) and not the synthetic Vitamin D2 more commonly used.  For complete information on this subject, I recommend looking up information by Dr. Joseph Mercola on his website mercola.com.