More on Vitamin D

I know, I have posted on vitamin D in the past, but I keep reading more and more wonderful stuff about it, so I have to expound!! After hearing directly from Dr. Michael Holick at the Integrative Healthcare Symposium last month, and reading the newsletter from the Vitamin D Council this month. I am beginning to believe that this vitamin is good for everything!!

Vitamin D is actually a hormone, not a vitamin at all, and is converted in the body using cholesterol, your skin, the liver and kidneys. In fact, there are receptors for vitamin D on almost all the cells in your body—not just the bones! I mentioned in the past that this vitamin has been shown to help prevent heart disease, most cancers and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. In fact, after supplementing my diet with 5000-8000 units daily for many months, I have finally gotten my blood levels into the normal range—and my thyroid bloodwork is now totally normal!!!!!!

Vitamin D is also implicated in preventing the flu and other viruses. And, research has shown its positive effects in patients suffering from colitis and Crohn’s disease. Depression also lifts in many cases with adequate levels of vitamin D. Shall I go on??

Just suffice it to say, everyone should have their D levels drawn at least once a year. Now is a great time, because the level is apt to be at its all-time low since we are ending the long, dark wintertime. Conversely, our D level should be at its zenith at the end of summer. Wouldn’t you like to know your levels??

Make sure you ask your doctor to run the 25 (OH) vitamin D test, not the 1,25 (OH) vitamin D test. And your results should be in the greater than 50 range. Depending on who you talk to, 50-80 or 50-90 is probably the best range. So how low do you go??