Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D Deficiency – Why it’s Important and how to Prevent it.

Vitamin D is a very well known fat soluble vitamin that has been great media attention over the last few years especially in the field of immunity.  This post will focus on 3 main items to prove to you the importance of this vitamin in your overall health.

1. Vitamin D Deficiency – The importance and and possible symptoms associated with it
2. Ideal way to Optimize your Vitamin D levels
3. How Vitamin D can cut your risk for getting the flu by half

Here are the possible symptoms straight from WebMD’s website for a possible vitamin D deficiency.   Symptoms of bone pain and muscle weakness can show up.   However, for many people symptoms are very rare but can cause major health problems. including and not limited to,

• Increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• Cognitive impairment in older adults
• Severe asthma in children
• Cancer

Research has shown that Vitamin D can play an important role for the treatment and prevention of Type I and II diabetes, hypertension, glucose intolerance, and multiple sclerosis.

Deficiencies can occur for a number of reasons including strict diets and with limited sunlight exposure.

Ideal Way to Optimize your Vitamin D Levels

The reason why I’ve put the picture of the sun in this post is that is the #1 way to get Vitamin D into our bodies.  Whenever our skin is exposed to sunlight it makes the Vitamin D3 conversion take place but according to Dr. Stephanie Seneeff it also produces vitamin D3 sulfate.  According to Dr. Mercola’s website, your sulfur levels are intricately tied to your cholesterol levels and play a big role in prevention of heart disease.

Vitamin D can cut your risk of getting the Flu in Half!

First get your Vitamin D levvels checked by this blood test: 25 Hydroxy D, which tests serum levels of Vitamin D which is the most important.  Here is a chart to follow once you have your test score performed.

Getting your sunlight and/or taking a good Vitamin D3 supplement has found in subjects to avoid the flu.  In fact, from a 2010 study off of Dr. Mercola’s website showed a 42% less likely chance of coming down with the flu after taking low doses of Vitamin D3.

Now compare that to the current medical recommendations of gettin a flu vaccine with this newest research available from the medical “bible” called the Cochrane Database Review.  No less than five reports between 2006 and 2010 all claim the flu vaccinations are not the best prevention against the flu.

Read this Cochrane study: which states, “Influenza vaccines have a modest effet in reducing influenza symptoms and working days lost.  There is NO EVIDENCE that they affect complications, such as pneumonia, or transmission.”

Wow!  There are other studies from the Cochrane Database in 2006 that there is NO evidence that the flu vaccine is any more effective that a placebo in children under two!

For the eldery, This Cochrane Study shows the available evidence is of poor quality and provides no guidance regarding the safety, efficacy or effectiveness of influenza vaccines in people aged 65 and older.

Preventing Vitamin D Deficiency

The obvious here is to get adequate sunlight exposure on a daily basis.  Get outside for a minimu of 30 minutes with your face exposed, and weather permitting, arms and legs too.  Winter months are tougher to attain this so supplementation is crucial for overall health and prevention during this time period.

If you are concerned about what your Vitamin D levels are, the test is very inexpensive and will prove what levels you are at.  To prevent the flu remember sugar and processed foods lower your immunity very fast and put you at risk for developing the flu.  Cut out sugar foods and load up on fresh vegetables, lean meats and fish, and find a good Vitamin D3 supplement.  If you can find a liquid form that will be better because it will absorb quicker.  But also check to make sure there is Vitamin A in the product as well.  They need to be together for optimal usage.

Use this information about Vitamin D deficiency to prevent this from happening.  Good luck and watch for furture posts on this hot topic!

Keep kickin’ it,

Dr. Chris Patten

Tags: Normal Vitamin D levels, Vitamin D, Vitamin D Deficiency, Vitamin D Supplements