Completely You: Health
By Winnie Yu for Completely You
Want to improve your health in a flash? Make sure you get enough vitamin D.
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Doctors have long known that the sunshine vitamin helps you develop strong bones and healthy teeth. But new research suggests that vitamin D may also play a role in treating gum disease and possibly even preventing it. A recent study published in the Journal of Periodontology found that patients who increased their levels of vitamin D and calcium had better overall oral health. Research also suggests that vitamin D may help prevent tooth loss.
As if that weren’t enough, high levels of vitamin D are also linked to a 30-50 percent lower risk of breast cancer, a 50 percent lower chance of developing colon cancer, and a 39 percent lower chance of dying from the disease if you do get it. In addition, research shows that people with high levels of vitamin D have a greater resistance to viruses, and get sick about half as often as those with low levels of the vitamin.
“It turns out that this nutrient is key to almost all body functions. Every cell in our bodies has a vitamin D receptor,” says Michael F. Holick, professor of medicine, physiology and biophysics at Boston University Medical Center and author of The Vitamin D Solution. “We know that they must be there for a reason.”
One theory why vitamin D is so powerful is that it reduces the inflammation involved in many disorders, including gum disease. It also stimulates the production of cathelicidin, a natural antibiotic that helps fight infection and may fend off tooth decay.
Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?
Most Americans aren’t getting enough vitamin D, according to a 2009 study in the Archives of Internal Medicine. To find out if you are one of them, ask your doctor to test the vitamin D levels in your blood at your next checkup. If the result is below 20 nanograms per milliliter, you are deficient. In fact, many experts believe that your levels should be at least 30 ng/ml in order to get any of the protective benefits.
If it turns out your D levels are at least 30 ng/ml, Holick advises taking a supplement of 2,000 IU daily for adults and 1,000 IU for kids. (It doesn’t matter whether the label says D2 or D3.) If your levels are below 30 ng/ml, take 5,000 to 6,000 IU daily for a couple of months, then get tested.
In addition, get 10-15 minutes of sun exposure without sunscreen each day on your arms and legs — never your face. But limit it to that so you don’t increase your risk of skin cancer.
Some foods contain a little vitamin D too, which can help. That includes milk, cheese and salmon, which are also good for bone, tooth and gum health. But supplements and sunshine are still your best bet because these foods don’t contain enough D to meet your daily needs.
How do you ensure you’re getting enough vitamin D? Talk about it below or connect with us @Completely_You
Winnie Yu is Completely You’s mom blogger. She has two daughters (Samantha, 14, and Annie, 12) and is the author of seven books, including New Mother’s Guide to Breastfeeding and What to Eat for What Ails You. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, including Woman’s Day, AARP Bulletin, Prevention and WebMD.com.
3 thoughts on “Why You Need More Vitamin D”
Without doubt, ensuring a high level of vitamin D is probably the single best thing you can do for a long and healthy life.
Being just over 60 years old, I have been following my vitamin D levels for three years by now. I have tried different supplements but find it hard to maintain a decent level with only with the help of supplements (and only through diet it is absolutely not possible). Summertime, it is no problem to get vitamin D in the way we are supposed to get it, through sunlight on our skin, but, alas, where I live, the summer is much too short. I have noticed that after having got an relatively high level during summer, I am below the deficiency level already after a month without sunshine.
Fortunately there are tanning beds. But what about the skin-cancer risk? Well, having studied the anti-tanning propaganda, I have found the risks exaggerated (for the benefits of sun-protection cosmetics sales). Not even the most hard-core anti-tanning propagandists have been able to present any statistics that show an increased risk for skin-damage as long as you do not burn. Taking into account that in order for your body to produce 5,000 – 10,000 IU vitamin D, you will need only half of the time in a tanning beds compared to what it would take for you to burn, the risk is easily negotiable. And this statement from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), supports the idea of regular UV-exposure as protective measure towards melanoma: “Chronic exposure, as assessed through occupational exposure, appeared to reduce melanoma risk in three of the large studies, particularly in men; this observation is consistent with the descriptive epidemiology of the condition, which shows lower risks in groups that work outdoors.”
And what about photo-aging? Let me tell you that I just last week made a test in a 25,000 $ skin-analyzer. My face-skin came out better (i.e. younger) than 91% of other men in the huge database of the analyzer. I strongly believe that regular and moderate UV-exposure (in combination with a generally healthy life-style) has skin-caring benefits, not the opposite. Plus that it gives your face that golden hue, which makes you look more healthy and younger.
There are not a lot of food that are rich with Vitamin D. It is better to spend more time on the fresh air and enjoy the sun. I don’t get used to consuming various supplements. I only use natural ways of getting vitamins. I try to spend more time on the sun. I think in winter we don’t have enough this vitamin as there is no much sun. So it is better to use some supplements. As we can’t afford our body to limit this Vitamin.
Great reading! thanks…
Thank you Winnie for the post. Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that we all lack as we do not spend as much time under the sun. Instead of getting natural tan/tone people even use indoor tanning lotions which even further limits exposure…eat egg yolks and supplement with 5000IU per day I say