Diet & Nutrition

New Research Suggests Connection Between Vitamin D and Diabetes

Previous research has demonstrated that deficient levels of vitamin D may increase the risk of developing diabetes. The most recent study on the subject, which was published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE, offers support for this significant connection between vitamin D and diabetes.

Vitamin D Deficiency Poses a Greater Risk of Developing Diabetes

In a recent study carried out by a team of researchers from the University of California San Diego and Seoul National University involved 903 healthy adults with an average age of 74 who had no indications of either prediabetes or diabetes. Researchers followed the participants for 10 years, measuring their levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, along with fasting plasma glucose and oral glucose levels.

Among the participants, there were 47 new cases of Type 2 diabetes and 337 cases of prediabetes, which is when blood glucose levels are much higher than normal but not yet high enough to be considered Type 2 diabetes. Researchers noted the minimum healthy level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D as 30 nanograms per milliliter — 10 nanograms per milliliter above the level originally recommended in 2010 by the Institute of Medicine, which is now part of The National Academies, a health advisory group to the federal government.

According to first author Sue Park, M.D. of Seoul National University College of Medicine in South Korea, “we found that participants with blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D that were above 30 ng/ml had one-third of the risk of diabetes and those with levels above 50 ng/ml had one-fifth of the risk of developing diabetes.”

Co-author Dr. Cedric Garland, of the University of California San Diego, noted that those with 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels below 30 nanograms per milliliter were considered to be vitamin D deficient.

The researchers found that people with a deficiency were up to five times more likely to develop diabetes than people with levels above 50 nanograms per milliliter. According to Dr. Garland, people would have to supplement with 3,000 to 5,000 international units of vitamin D every day in order to reach the minimum of 30 nanograms per milliliter.

Dr. Garland, who has led previous investigations regarding the connection between vitamin D levels and various cancers, noted that this study builds upon previous epidemiological research that links vitamin D deficiency to a higher risk of developing diabetes, but he cautions that epidemiological studies are not necessarily proof of causality.

“Further research is needed on whether high 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels might prevent Type 2 diabetes or the transition from prediabetes to diabetes, but this paper and past research indicate there is a strong association,” Dr. Garland concluded.

Causes and Common Symptoms of a Vitamin D Deficiency

Most people are likely aware of vitamin D’s essential role in the body’s ability to absorb calcium, but vitamin D is also critical to the body’s immune, musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Not getting enough vitamin D has the potential to affect the entire body and can possibly lead to the onset of certain diseases and illnesses.

Vitamin D deficiencies are extremely common. An estimated 1 billion people globally have low levels of vitamin D in their blood and around 42 percent of adults in the US are deficient. Most people don’t even realize that they are deficient because the symptoms are generally so subtle that they may not be recognizable even if they are having significant impacts on their quality of life.

Common Causes of a Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency is becoming increasingly common. There are a number of different reasons that you may become deficient in vitamin D, such as:

not getting enough exposure to natural sunlight
not consuming enough vitamin D through diet
malabsorption problems that prevent absorbing enough vitamin D from food
medicines that may interfere with the body’s ability to convert or absorb vitamin D
a liver or kidney problem that prevents the body from properly converting vitamin D to its active form

Certain Risk Factors Increase Chances of Vitamin D Deficiency

There are certain risk factors that may affect whether or not a person is more likely to develop a vitamin D deficiency:

Spending too much time indoors means that you’re not getting enough exposure to the sun’s beneficial ultraviolet-B (UVB) rays, which are necessary for the skin to convert cholesterol into vitamin D.
Wearing high-SPF sunscreen has the same effect as staying indoors since you are decreasing your exposure to UVB rays.
Living in a highly polluted area can also affect how much sun exposure you receive due to the air pollutants blocking out and absorbing sunlight.
Having darker skin increases the risk of deficiency due to darker skin needing more sun exposure to absorb adequate amounts of vitamin D.
Gut health may play a factor in deficiency, as disorders such as Crohn’s disease decrease the intestines’ ability to properly absorb nutrients such as vitamin D.
Being overweight is a leading risk factor for deficiency due to how excess body fat affects the absorption of vitamin D.
Chronic liver or kidney disease increases the risk of deficiency due to preventing the body from being able to convert vitamin D to its usable form.
Age is another factor in deficiency. As we get older, our ability to absorb and convert UVB into vitamin D declines.

Potential Signs and Symptoms of a Vitamin D Deficiency

Many people who are vitamin D deficiency may not experience any symptoms or may go on for years before experiencing symptoms. The signs of a vitamin D deficiency are similar to the symptoms of a wide range of other illnesses, therefore, rather than self-diagnosing, it’s critically important to visit a physician to be tested for a vitamin D deficiency. Speak with your doctor if you experience any of the following:

frequent sickness or infections
a noticeably slower healing of wounds
constant feelings of fatigue, even with adequate sleep
bone loss, osteoporosis or frequent fractures
a sudden loss of hair
pain in the bones and back
feelings of depression or malaise

Gut Bacteria and Autoimmune Disease Linked

Apr 18 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Rates of autoimmune diseases are increasing in the developed world. These diseases, which include diverse illnesses such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and Crohn’s disease, can be devastating to one’s health, even causing lifelong disability or death. There are many theories about why these illnesses are increasing in prevalence. According to several new studies on gut bacteria and autoimmune disease, our internal microbiome may play an important role.

What Causes Autoimmune Disease?

Autoimmune diseases are a broad class of illness that can attack any organ in the human body. Although these diseases and their effects can vary widely, all have one key thing in common. These diseases result when our immune systems begin to see our own tissues and cells as a foreign invaders and attack them. Most people notice that the effects come in flares with periods of remission.

There are several new medications for autoimmune diseases that can help calm the immune system to extend the length of time that people are in remission. However, most people using these medications still suffer symptoms of their disease, as well as side effects from medication. In addition, suppressing the immune system leaves people at risk of developing infections.

The best treatment for autoimmune diseases, as with almost all disease, is prevention. According to several new studies, maintaining a healthy GI tract may be part of the puzzle.

New Connections Between Gut Bacteria and Autoimmune Disease

Mice also can develop autoimmune diseases similar to those of humans, making them an ideal research animal. Researchers infected mice with a common bacteria found in less balanced GI tracts of humans. This bacteria actually traveled out of the intestine and into the bloodstream, where it caused autoimmune inflammation in a variety of organ systems. Most notably, it caused inflammation in lymphoid tissue, which is where key components of our immune systems develop and mature. A sizable proportion of mice in this study developed autoimmune diseases after this.

Can this bacteria produce the same effects in humans? Although it is more ethically complicated to experiment on humans, there appear to be several links. This exact bacteria has been found in the liver of humans that suffer autoimmune disease. In addition, studies on human cells raised in labs show that it causes inflammation in our cells that is similar to that seen in mice.

Could the Right Bacteria Treat Lupus?

While some bacteria appear to cause autoimmune diseases, others have exactly the opposite effect. In another study, scientists noted that mice with lupus had lower levels of Lactobacillus, a healthy gut bacteria found in yogurt and other fermented foods. In addition, keeping healthy levels of Lactobacillus appeared to reduce the severity of symptoms in mice with this disease. Lactobacillus, a bacteria found in most probiotic foods and supplements, may soon be used to help people with autoimmune diseases to safely reduce the effects of their illness.

Intestinal Flora and Your Immune System

Although we do not currently understand how different bacteria can interact with the immune system, one thing is clear, maintaining a healthy microbiome is important to keeping a healthy immune system as well as good whole body health. Having the right balance of gut bacteria can not just prevent autoimmune illness, but prevent serious infections as well. It also has been found to contribute to good mental health, cardiovascular health and to help maintain good health in a variety of ways.

However, this may not be good news for many modern people. The contemporary Western diet is far from ideal in many ways, but especially so in its effects on GI bacteria. Our prepared and processed foods lack not just healthy bacteria, but also the types of fiber that help to feed and sustain them.

Maintaining a Healthy Microbiome

Because our diets do not generally support a healthy GI tract, most modern people need to actively seek out foods that keep our microbiome well-balanced. Experts recommend taking a probiotic supplement or choosing foods high in healthy bacteria such as yogurt. In addition, it is best to combine these foods with soluble fiber, also known as prebiotics. Prebiotic supplements contain the types of fiber that “fertilize” healthy gut bacteria much like we fertilize a garden, providing the foods and nutrients that they need to thrive. In addition, it is important to avoid antibiotics unless they are necessary for our health, both in medical care and in the products that we use to clean our homes.

Could the rise of modern chronic diseases be partially due to our sanitized diets and lives? Although we do not understand all of the ways that our microbiome can interact with our immune systems, research suggests there is a definite connection. Maintaining the right balance of gut bacteria appears to be one of the most important, and easiest, things we can do to stay healthy.

Meal Sizing Tips for Health and Weight Loss

Apr 10 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Breakfast is often regarded as the most important meal of the day. As famed nutritionist Adelle Davis said, “breakfast gets the day’s work done.” New research on meal size and weight loss gives credence to this conventional wisdom by showing that eating a larger, high-energy breakfast aids weight loss and blood glucose control when compared to having our largest meals at the end of the day or eating smaller, more frequent meals.

After conducting a previous study that highlighted the fact that front-loading the day’s calories affects weight loss and blood sugar levels in non-diabetic individuals, researchers from Tel Aviv University set out to determine whether the same effects would be seen in patients with Type 2 diabetes. Their findings, presented in March at the ENDO 2018 conference, echo previous research and confirm that meal size and schedule positively affect glucose balance and weight regulation in obese patients with Type 2 diabetes.

The Effects of Meal Size and Scheduling on Metabolism

We’re all aware of how important a healthy diet is to maintaining weight, but more and more, the research suggests that when we eat may be more important than what or how much we consume. Data released by the American Heart Association shows that eating patterns have greatly shifted away from the traditional three-a-day approach in a change that is ultimately detrimental to our health. Evolving lifestyles and erratic schedules have left most of us eating around the clock.

According to the lead study author, Daniela Jakubowicz, M.D., professor of medicine at Tel Aviv University, “the hour of the day, when you eat and how frequently you eat, is more important than what you eat and how many calories you eat.” This is because of how our body’s metabolism shifts and changes throughout the day. “A slice of bread consumed at breakfast leads to a lower glucose response and is less fattening than an identical slice of bread consumed in the evening,” Dr. Jakubowicz explained.

Because our internal clocks are so responsive to food supply or restriction, meal timing has serious implications on the development of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Meal Timing Affects Weight Loss Efforts

The team studied a group of 29 obese men and women with an average age of 69 who had Type 2 diabetes and received insulin treatments. The participants were randomly assigned to one of two different diets that consisted of an equal number of calories but scheduled meals at different intervals of the day. The first diet group (Bdiet) ate three meals a day that consisted of a large breakfast, a medium-sized lunch and a smaller dinner. The second diet group (6Mdiet) ate a traditional diabetic diet that consisted of six small meals and three snacks spaced evenly throughout the day.

After three months, patient data was analyzed. According to the data, the oft-touted advice to eat less, more often just may be false. Researchers found that overall, the Bdiet group lost an average of 11 pounds, while the 6Mdiet group actually gained around three pounds. Mean glucose levels dropped for the Bdiet group, but not the 6Mdiet group.

Meal Frequency Modulates Blood Glucose Levels

The Bdiet group needed considerably less insulin throughout the day, while the 6Mdiet group found they needed to increase their insulin usage. Reported feelings of hunger and cravings were decreased among the Bdiet participants but conversely increased in the 6Mdiet group.

The researchers noted a significant reduction in overall glycemia in as little as 14 days of following the Bdiet, suggesting that meal timing itself has a fast-acting beneficial effect on glucose balance. “This study shows that, in obese insulin-treated type 2 diabetes patients, a diet with three meals per day, consisting of a big breakfast, average lunch and small dinner, had many rapid and positive effects compared to the traditional diet with six small meals evenly distributed throughout the day: better weight loss, less hunger and better diabetes control while using less insulin,” Dr. Jakubowicz said.

When You Eat May Be the Key to Optimal Health

The team’s efforts are related to other findings on the critical effects of meal timing. An earlier study on prolonged delayed eating found that skipping breakfast or having the first meal of the day after noon caused weight gain, slowed metabolism, and produced an increase in cholesterol and insulin levels in participants. Both studies agree on the fact that all things considered equal, those who eat earlier in the day fare better health.

Researchers believe that matching our meals to our body clocks could be an easy dietary adjustment with great therapeutic advantage. “A diet with adequate meal timing and frequency has a pivotal role in glucose control and weight loss,” Dr. Jakubowicz said.

New Evidence Shows That Antibiotics Shorten Lifespan

Apr 05 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Due to the rising threat of antimicrobial resistance, antibiotics have received an increasing amount of attention in recent years. It is well-known that antibiotics interrupt the millions of microorganisms that make up our body’s natural gut flora. Recent research has shown that the microbiota in our gastrointestinal tract plays a crucial role in maintaining immune function, hormonal balance and even mental health. With this in mind, researchers set out to determine whether this link could mean that antibiotics shorten lifespan. According to their preliminary findings, the effects of long-term use of antibiotics by women later in life may be linked to an increased risk of death from heart disease or other causes.

Researchers Examine How Antibiotics Alter Gut Health

In collaborative efforts between Tulane and Harvard universities, researchers evaluated the link between antibiotic usage and cause-specific risk of death. Previous studies have shown that antibiotics can cause significant changes in gut microbiota, the microorganisms that live in the digestive tract. Researchers hoped to investigate whether these microbiota change in a way that can increase a person’s risk of developing cancers, heart disease, or other serious illnesses.

“Gut microbiota alterations have been associated with a variety of life-threatening disorders, such as cardiovascular diseases and certain types of cancer,” according to the lead author of the study, Dr. Lu Qi, professor of epidemiology at Tulane University in New Orleans. “Antibiotic exposure affects balance and composition of the gut microbiome, even after one stops taking antibiotics; so, it is important to better understand how taking antibiotics might impact risks for chronic diseases and death.”

One of the first observational studies to quantify how antibiotics can affect gut and heart health, the research findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Lifestyle conference.

The team followed more than 37 thousand US women who were aged 60 years and older. The women, who were free of heart disease and cancer at the study’s start, reported their antibiotic usage and were then classified based upon this frequency of use. Researchers followed the study group from 2004 until the study’s conclusion in June of 2012.

Researchers analyzed the data and took into account risk factors for heart disease, such as diet, blood pressure, the presence of diabetes and the use of medications. The study found that women who took antibiotics for two or more months in late adulthood had a 27 percent higher mortality rate than women who did not take antibiotics. Taking antibiotics for two or more months in late adulthood was associated with a 58 percent higher risk of death from cardiovascular-related issues than compared to no use of antibiotics. This association was most pronounced in women who reported having also used antibiotics between the ages of 40 and 59. No associations were found between antibiotic use and an increased risk of cancer-related death.

Researchers caution that despite the strong correlation between long-term antibiotic usage and an increased risk of death, more research is needed to determine if the link is causal and what the triggers may be. According to the team, “although we observed a notable association between long-term antibiotic use and risk of death, it isn’t yet clear whether long-term antibiotic use is the specific cause of the association. For example, women who reported antibiotic use might be sicker in other unmeasured ways.” They concluded, “these results, however, contribute to a better understanding of risk factors for all-cause and cardiovascular death. We now have good evidence that people who take antibiotics for long periods during adulthood may be a high-risk group to target for risk-factor modification to prevent heart disease and death.”

Why Gut Health Is so Critical to Overall Health

There are over 100 trillion bacteria in the human body, and most of them reside in your gastrointestinal tract. These beneficial bacteria play an important role in our well-being by aiding digestion, vitamin and mineral absorption, hormone regulation and immune response.

Along with these microbes, the human gut is home to millions of neurons that are embedded along the walls of the gastrointestinal tract, which communicate directly with our brain to control well-being. This “second brain,” the enteric nervous system, fires off of the same neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, as our brain and is responsible for the majority of our immune function and mood balance.

How the Gut Microbiome Can Negatively Affect Your Health

The complex communication link between the gut and the brain is a bidirectional feedback loop. Any microbial imbalance of the gut, a condition known as dysbiosis, will wreak havoc upon our brains and our bodies. Gut microbiome imbalance has been associated with health issues such as:

Intestinal diseases like irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease and ulcerative colitis
High cholesterol and an increased risk for heart disease
Blood glucose imbalance and an increased risk of diabetes
Neuropsychological disorders such as schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder
Depression, anxiety and insomnia
Inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis

Ways You Can Improve Your Gut Microbiome

There are a number of different measures you can take to promote a healthy gut. Here are just a few:

Limit usage of antibiotics unless absolutely necessary. Antibiotics kill both the good and bad bacteria in the gut and can have an effect on gut balance for up to a year.
Eat a varied whole-foods based diet that is full of fruits and vegetables and high in fiber and whole grains. High-fiber foods such as legumes, whole grains and oats contain beneficial fiber that promotes healthy bacterial growth
Eat plenty of probiotic- and prebiotic-rich foods. Fermented foods such as kefir, sauerkraut, and yogurt are good sources of healthy bacteria like Lactobacilli, while foods such as apples, artichokes, oats and bananas are rich in prebiotic fiber that stimulates the growth of these healthy bacteria.
Take prebiotic and probiotic supplements. Probiotic supplements contain live strains of the beneficial bacteria that help to restore gastrointestinal stasis. Prebiotics help the good bacteria do their job.
Limit your intake of highly-processed foods, sugars and artificial sweeteners. These are well-known to feed the bad bacteria in our guts.

Weight Loss Efforts Are Contagious, Says New Study

Mar 30 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

While it may not be entirely fair to blame an expanding waistline on our partners, there is growing evidence suggesting that our lifestyle choices have a domino effect on those who we share our lives with. With this in mind, a group of researchers asked themselves, “are weight loss efforts contagious in couples outside of highly-structured clinical settings?” The results of their study, recently published in the medical journal Obesity, add further supporting evidence to the idea that our diets have a ripple effect on those closest to us.

According to the lead author of the study, Professor Amy Gorin of the University of Connecticut, “how we change our eating and exercise habits can affect others in both positive and negative ways. On the positive side, spouses might emulate their partner’s behaviors and join them in counting calories, weighing themselves more often, and eating lower-fat foods.”

Study Finds Weight Loss Efforts Contagious in Couples

Mounting evidence points to the fact that our weight may be tied to the people we surround ourselves with, but much of this supporting research was conducted within highly clinical settings or is based upon second-hand self-reporting. Seeking to conduct a more controlled trial in a real-world setting, researchers from the University of Connecticut, in partnership with Weight Watchers International, recently set out to study the viral nature of dieting among couples.

130 couples were divided into two groups and studied for six months. In the first group, one partner from each couple joined a weight loss program with access to counseling and online tools. In the second group, one partner from each couple was given a handout that contained advice about healthy diet, exercise, and weight management strategies. The aim of the study was to examine whether an individual’s participation in a weight management program had a ripple effect on untreated spouses.

Researchers found that the partners from each group who were not participating in a weight loss program or who had not been given weight management literature lost weight alongside their significant others. It was discovered that the partners lost weight at about the same rate despite which of the two groups they fell into. These findings remained consistent throughout the study. Also noted was that their weight loss was interdependent upon their significant other, meaning that if the direct participant was struggling with their weight loss goals, the partner of that participant was also affected.

Numerous studies have found weight within couples to be highly interdependent, and the team’s findings seem to echo those of previous studies. The results may help to shed light on related research regarding weight as a social contagion that suggests these effects may even be as far-reaching as our surrounding communities.

Helpful Tips For Maintaining a Healthy Weight

The viral nature of both our good and bad habits means that our journey to health is not a solo one but one shared by our loved ones and our community. Our individual choices have the power to be far-reaching, therefore, we should be mindful of the domino effect those choices have. Here are a few changes you can make to your lifestyle to promote healthier lives for you and your family.

Be Mindful of Your Eating Habits

Instead of blindly counting calories or following the latest fad diet, take steps to actually learn about nutrition and understand why the things on your plate matter. Pay attention that you’re getting proper portions of the right foods. Fruits and vegetables should always make up the majority of your plate, but a well-rounded diet will also include adequate amounts of complex carbohydrates, lean protein and healthy fats.

The science has shown that antioxidants and omega fatty acids play an important role combating fatigue, supporting adrenal function, and repairing the effects of stress on the body, so, be sure to include plenty of antioxidant- and omega-rich foods into your diet. It may also be helpful to supplement a healthy diet and exercise with a natural supplement that supports healthy metabolism.

Be Mindful of When You Eat As Well

According to research, when we eat is as important as what we eat. Our body’s internal circadian rhythms directly influence hormonal secretions and metabolic processes such as appetite, digestion, blood glucose levels, and the metabolism of fat. Evidence suggests that eating more calories later in the day is associated with obesity and points to the notion that there is an optimal ratio of evening-to-morning caloric intake.

Keep Stress Under Control

Many scientists agree that the obesity epidemic in America is largely related to stress and stress-caused overeating. Stress directly impacts our body’s hormonal levels. It’s well-known that hormones such as cortisol and insulin boost the desire for high-fat, highly-sugared or salted foods. Meditation and aromatherapy using essential oils such as bergamot and frankincense are proven methods of reducing anxiety and stress while incorporating adaptogenic herbs into the diet has been shown to repair and prevent the effects of stress upon the body.

Make Sure You’re Properly Hydrated and Well-Rested

It may seem like common sense advice, but it’s all too easy to underestimate the importance of proper amounts of water and sleep to one’s health. The vast majority of the body’s regeneration is done at night while asleep, making adequate sleep critical to metabolic function. Likewise, hydration is just as crucial. The body is comprised mostly of water and every single cell uses water to maintain proper function. Drinking water regularly throughout the day is known to increase metabolism. In fact, upping your water intake to eight glasses a day could possibly help burn up to 20,000 calories per year alone.

Vitamin D and Cancer: Can a Deficiency Increase Your Risk?

Mar 26 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

A recent study led by a team of Japanese researchers and published in the British Medical Journal adds to mounting evidence that adequate levels of vitamin D may provide protection against cancer. The research was conducted by a team from the National Cancer Center in Tokyo and was the first study to investigate the link between vitamin D and cancer within an Asian population.

Vitamin D and Cancer: Is There a Correlation?

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that our bodies require for bone health and immune function. While some experimental evidence exists suggesting an association between vitamin D and cancer risk, the majority of the research has been carried out on American and European populations. Evidence regarding Asian populations is still limited.

According to the researchers, “given that vitamin D concentrations and metabolism vary substantially by race/ethnicity, whether similar associations would also be observed in non-Caucasian populations remains to be clarified.” What that in mind, researchers aimed to evaluate the association between vitamin D levels and the risks of cancers in an Asian population.

Large Study Examines Association Between Vitamin D and Cancer Risk.

In a recent study, researchers aimed to evaluate the association between vitamin D levels and the risks of cancers using a final cohort of 33,736 participants who were between the ages of 40 and 69. At the beginning of the study, the participants provided detailed information on their lifestyle and medical history. Blood samples were assessed for vitamin D levels, and the participants were split into four groups, ranging from lowest to highest vitamin D levels. The participants were monitored for around 15 years while researchers examined the likelihood of cancer diagnosis. The team adjusted for certain risk factors such as age, body mass index and physical activity as well as cigarette, alcohol and dietary intake. After analyzing the data, researchers discovered that those with the highest levels of vitamin D had a 22 percent lower chance of being diagnosed with cancer.

When looking at individual cancers, there was no statistically significant evidence of lower cancer rates, with the exception of liver cancer. “People with the highest vitamin D levels were 55 percent less likely to be diagnosed with liver cancer than those with the lowest,” according to the study. There was some evidence to suggest that vitamin D levels may affect breast cancer occurrence before menopause, but the researchers state that “although of interest, this hypothesis should be viewed with caution and needs further confirmatory evidence.”

While the results seem to support the hypothesis that higher vitamin D levels may protect against cancer, the researchers noted that “the lower risk associated with higher circulating vitamin D concentration seemed to show a ceiling effect,” which suggests that above a certain level of vitamin D, there are no additional benefits. “Future studies are needed to clarify the dose-response pattern and the optimal concentrations for cancer prevention,” they concluded.

Understanding the Fundamentals of Vitamin D

Vitamin D is one of the micronutrients that are critical to human survival. It is a fat-soluble vitamin that differs from most other vitamins in that our bodies are able to produce most of what we need with regular exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D functions as a pro-hormone: It modulates hormonal balance and immune response regulation in the body. Vitamin D serves several important functions in the body. It’s essential for bone maintenance. Because vitamin D promotes calcium absorption and enables the mineralization of bone, it’s vital for bone growth and regeneration.

Outside of its essential functions in bone, heart, and immune health, vitamin D boasts a few other surprising benefits:

regulates hormones and influences mood
helps modulate blood sugar levels and may protect against diabetes
supports heart health and helps protect against heart disease
improves concentration, learning and memory functions

Vitamin D Deficiency

According to data from 2011, approximately 40 percent of adults in the US are deficient in vitamin D. People with darker skin, those who regularly wear sun protection, people who limit their outdoor activity or those who live in areas prone to heavy air pollution are most at-risk for a vitamin D deficiency. Age, weight, diet and certain disorders also play a contributing role.

A vitamin D deficiency can result in a loss of bone density that contributes to osteoporosis and stress fractures. Because vitamin D aids in cell replication, a deficiency may play an important role in the development of certain autoimmune conditions. A severe vitamin D deficiency can lead to other diseases such as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.

The symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency can be hard to distinguish because of their sometimes subtle nature. Some of the more notable symptoms include:

bone pain and muscle weakness
unusual fatigue, achiness and a general sense of malaise
an increase in illnesses or infections
weak bones (osteopenia) more prone to fractures

Sources of Vitamin D

Often referred to as the sunshine vitamin, the body’s main source of vitamin D is sunlight. Our bodies naturally produce it from cholesterol when our skin is exposed to sunlight. Few foods naturally contain significant amounts of vitamin D, but there are a handful of vitamin D-rich food sources available. Some fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, and cod liver oil, naturally contain high amounts of vitamin D, while other products, such as cereals, milk, yogurt and juices, are fortified with added vitamin D.

It can be difficult to get a sufficient amount of vitamin D each day through sun exposure and food intake alone, so it’s generally recommended to take a supplement that contains vitamin D. The recommended daily allowance of vitamin D is between 400 to 800 IU/day for adults, however, research suggests that this level may be too low to see the therapeutic or preventative benefits of its usage. Clinical trials have indicated that the lowest effective dose range is 1,000-2,000 IU/day. The safe upper limit in Canada and the United States is 4,000 IU/day.