Should You Take A Vitamin D Supplement?
/A vitamin D deficiency occurs when the level of vitamin D in your body is too low. Vitamin D helps the body use calcium from our diet which is essential for us as humans to maintain bone strength. If you feel you might be experiencing symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency, it is important to get tested and treated because it can eventually cause your bones to become thin, brittle or misshapen. The only way to confirm that you are suffering from a vitamin D deficiency is to get a blood test to test your vitamin D levels. In the meantime, if you are experiencing any of the following signs or symptoms, you should get tested sooner rather than later.
Vitamin D is vital to absorbing calcium and phosphorous and promoting healthy bone growth. Too little vitamin D can contribute to soft bones or weak bones which is osteoporosis, both of which increase the risk of fracture. The problem is natural sources of vitamin D are few and far between, leaving the sun as one of the main natural sources. According to the National Institutes of Health, our bodies need exposure to the sun without sunscreen for about 10-15 minutes 3 times per week.
Someone who tests as being deficient in vitamin D may exhibit no symptoms of deficiency at all. The symptoms can also be quite generic — tiredness and fatigue, joint and muscle pain, and skin rashes, among others. However, doctors say there’s a link between serious, prolonged deficiencies and illnesses like cancer, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis, psoriasis, and even autoimmune conditions.
Screenings are the best way to assess vitamin D levels and potential deficiencies, but they are not commonplace because many insurance companies do not cover the expensive tests
Vitamin D is arguably the most important vitamin you could take. Vitamin D is actually a hormone; it's not even a vitamin and it affects our entire body. Whenever, you feel fatigued or little energy - it's quite possible you're Vitamin D levels are low.
BENEFITS OF VITAMIN D
- Vitamin D helps build up calcium in your body which strengthens bone and teeth health
- Decreased risk of osteoporosis, diabetes, dementia and some cancers including breast, colon, prostate, ovarian, esophageal and lymphatic
- Helps lower blood pressure levels and hypetension
- Regulates your immune system for optimal efficiency and fighting disease
- Studies have shown that it can decrease multiple sclerosis in women
Over the years many studies have shown low Vitamin D leading to heart disease, diabetes, dementia, aggressive prostate cancer and Alzheimers. A new study published inThe Journal of Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism explored the importance of vitamin d related to heart health. A connection was made between children having low vitamin d levels and experiencing heart disease later in life. Learn more on this connection between heart disease and low vitamin d.