All 2000+ nutrients play a vital role in maintaining our health.
But, there’s one that stands out.
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient you shouldn’t be missing out on. It works together with the parathyroid hormone in the regulation of the calcium levels in the blood and promotes healthy bones.
It’s also crucial for oral health and the health of the teeth. Studies have found that people older than 50 with a lack of vitamin D have a higher risk of periodontal disease.
The Role of Vitamin D in Maintaining Our Health Optimal
Strengthens the immunity
Vitamin D is important for strong immunity. It helps by lowering the formation of excessive and inflammatory immune responses happening in autoimmune diseases like MS, lupus, Crohn’s, colitis, type 1 diabetes, and Graves’ disease.
Helps with type 2 diabetes
Vitamin D is important for the regulation of calcium which extends beyond healthy bones and teeth. Calcium is also essential in the glucose and insulin regulation.
With this in mind, sufficient amounts of blood calcium, which depends on vitamin D, are essential for the prevention of type 2 diabetes. This vitamin also promotes healthier pancreatic functioning to ease the control of glucose in the blood.
It may help with cancer prevention
Researchers have long been interested in the role of vitamin D in the prevention of cancer. Studies have found that people who live in the southern latitudes, where the exposure to the sun is higher and thus is their level of vitamin D, suffer less from cancer.
Vitamin D is an important nutrient for the activity of the cells as it helps in the regulation of cell multiplication and cell death. Cancer forms when there’s excessive cell multiplication and a slowing down in cell death.
This promotes the formation of tumors that can also affect the surrounding tissues, causing them to multiply excessively and not die off. Vitamin D helps by encouraging adequate cell activity and lowering the risk of cancer cell growth, as well as stimulating the death of harmful cells.
It may play a role in heart disease management
Several studies have associated low levels of vitamin D with a higher risk of heart disease like heart attack, congestive heart failure, peripheral artery disease, etc.
One study done at Harvard University found that people with low levels of vitamin D were twice as likely to experience a heart attack as those who have sufficient amounts of vitamin D.
Vitamin D can be of aid because it possesses anti-inflammatory properties. Excessive Inflammation in the arteries contributes to hypertension, arterial damage, and eventually heart disease.
A More & More Common Occurrence
Vitamin D deficiency is more common than you may think. It’s a more frequent occurrence in the northern hemisphere where there’s a lower exposure to sunlight and the bodies aren’t able to produce enough vitamin D. The increasing use of statins is one of the contributing factors to vitamin D deficiency.
Also, as we age, the skin doesn’t produce enough vitamin D despite the exposure to the sun. The kidneys’ efficiency in converting vitamin D into the appropriate form that the body needs also reduces with age.
If you suspect a vitamin D deficiency, don’t hesitate and get checked out. If you’re diagnosed with a vitamin deficiency, you should talk to your doctor and consider increasing your vitamin D levels naturally through food sources like eggs, shrimp, milk, and cod as well as through supplementation.
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