We are all familiar with the importance of vitamin D intake with calcium for healthy bones. But, recently more medical research is showing and proving that it is needed for much, much more. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with the following: rickets, osteoporosis, diabetes, arthritis, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, depression, multiple sclerosis, thyroid disease, cancers of the breast, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), musculoskeletal pain,migraine headaches, and more.
As you can see, there a lot of conditions linked with vitamin D deficiency therefore showing that EVERYONE should behaving this test done for optimal prevention. This isn’t to say that if your vitamin D levels are adequate, you are free from disease or these mentioned conditions. But, it is one thing we can do to help prevent future conditions.
Over the years, we have been told to lather up on our sunscreen and minimize our sun exposure. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Mayo Clinical Procedures, that the assumption of vitamin D toxicity would occur at 1,000 IU per day is completely wrong and that requirements may be as high as 4,000 IU per day!
Important mention here should also be on simple back pain. Vitamin D deficiency causes a dull, achy musculoskeletal(bone) pain that is incompletely responsive to both drug and manual(chiropractic) treatments. This pain can be widespread or confined to a certain area, most commonly the low-back.
So what can you do about this? How can you find out if your vitamin D level is or is not adequate? This is one reason I (as well as other doctors) believe that Vitamin D testing should be done on everyone. The regular range on a blood test says that “normal” is anywhere between 25 and 100. Functional Medicine Doctors and those who practice nutritional medicine know that the best range should be between 60 and 90 (this being based off of current research).
Now that we know that a vitamin D deficiency exists, what are your options for raising those levels to a healthy and preventative range? There are two options for increasing the level of vitamin D in your body; one being sunlight and the other being oral supplementation. Most people are trapped indoors during the winter months and therefore do not receive much natural, vitamin D intake. During the summer months, people are clothed or wearing a lot of sunscreen making them not able to a take in the required amount to therapeutically raise vitamin D to the appropriate level (a lot of sun is great for you! Ten minutes per day with the sun on your face is a great way for even sensitive people to receive their “free” daily vitamin dose). It is recommended that to receive an optimal amount so as to create a change in the laboratory value, one needs to take vitamin D orally. Also, make sure your doctor monitors vitamin D and calcium levels so as to keep both of them in a healthy range.
Finally, there is a lot of talk about the new flu strains (H1N1) that may circulate this fall, endangering all of us. Recently, news has stated that new vaccines are being made that would target H1N1 AND the regular flu. It was also shown in a recent news reports that in New York where they are implementing a “no touching” policy; where kids are not allowed to hug, high-five, shake hands, etc. due to the fear that the spread of this new virus will take hold.
We know from research that the BEST way to combat all of these “new” illnesses, viruses, and infections is help our bodies fight as best as possible. That is what it was made to do! Vitamin D plays a significant role in this as it is a huge immune system modulator. This means it has hormonal effects in which to help the immune system work better and more efficiently. So before fear sets in about all of these new disease that the media is portraying, make sure we are doing the needing things to build our own immunity!