Are you Getting your Vitamin D?

New Research now shows that 600,000 new cases of breast and colon cancer could be prevented worldwide each year simply by raising vitamin D blood levels. Here we spend literally BILLIONS of dollars on cancer drugs while just upping vitamin D levels could prevent 600,000 cases of cancer EACH YEAR.

Why is Vitamin D supplementation important?

Because meeting the necessary requirements for daily Vitamin D can provide protection from diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, depression, several autoimmune diseases, and cancers of the breast, prostate, and colon, and is really an integral part in maintaining optimal and therapeutic health!

How do we raise our Vitamin D levels?

There are 2 options for raising Vitamin D levels:

1) Exposure to ultraviolet light: We need our sunshine but unfortunately sunscreen blocks the majority of the UVB rays necessary for Vitamin D production. Also, this is not an option for many that live in colder/rainier climates, especially during the winter months. This can be challenging considering even those that live in sunny climates year round still tend to be deficient.

2) Oral supplementation: This seems to be the most practical option. One of the only major dietary sources of Vitamin D is cod-liver oil, but the amount needed to meet therapeutic doses would be impractical and expensive and could be harmful in the long run. Therefore, oral supplementation with “pure” vitamin D supplements allows the dose to be tailored to the individual needs of the patient.

How much do we need?

It’s always necessary to have your Vitamin D levels checked from a qualified health practitioner to identify a baseline level and determine how much supplementation is necessary and should be remeasured periodically. As a general recommendation based on the current literature:

Adults and Pregnant Women: 4000IU’s/day

Infants and Children: 1000IU’s/day as a minimum

How do I know what supplement to look for:

Look for Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) and is best purchased from a trusted health practitioner rather than the local drugstore or costco.

For maximum benefit, supplementation should be continued for a minimum of 5-9 months and should be continually remeasured via blood tests from a qualified health practitioner.

If you think you may be Vitamin D deficient or are interested in a quality Vitamin D supplement to help you maintain optimal health, contact Body Systems to discuss your options.