The Sunshine Vitamin And It’s Benefits – Vitamin D

The Sunshine Vitamin And It’s Benefits – Vitamin D

Vitamin D is called the sunshine vitamin because vitamin D is made in the skin when the skin reacts to ultra violet light from the Sun.

Research in the USA shows that almost 10% of children are deficient in Vitamin D and over 60% have insufficient Vitamin D levels. This is shocking news because there is probably the same levels of deficiency in adults and this level of deficiency is probably prevalent in the western world.

What do we need vitamin D for:-

“It is crucial for the absorption and metabolism of calcium and phosphorous, which have various functions, especially the maintenance of healthy bones.

• It is an immune system regulator.

• It may be an important way to arm the immune system against disorders like the common cold.

• It may reduce the risk of developing multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis is much less common the nearer you get to the tropics, where there is more sunlight.

• Vitamin D may have a key role to play in helping the brain to keep working well in later life.

• Vitamin D is probably linked to maintaining a healthy body weight.

• It can reduce the severity and frequency of asthma symptoms and also the likelihood of hospitalizations due to asthma.

• It has been shown to reduce the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis in women.

• A form of vitamin D could be one of our body’s main protection against damage from low levels of radiation.

• Various studies have shown that people with adequate levels of vitamin D have significantly lower risk of developing cancer compared to people with lower levels.

• High vitamin D doses can help people recover from tuberculosis more rapidly.

• An additional study published in September 2012 suggested that low levels of vitamin D may increase the risk of heart attack and early death.

On  a personal  level I was having a lot of problems with my teeth. I started on a vitamin D supplement and within a few weeks my teeth felt a lot stronger and I did not require the extractions I was told I needed. Calcium and phospherous are important for teeth and gum health and Vitamin D helps the absorption and metabolism of these two minerals.