Research and Revelation
Just recently, the
New York Times published an article on the secrets of healthy ageing, both physical and cognitive. This article covered very basic health suggestions that most people already know, including exercise and diet for our physical health and dealing with complex facts and data for our cognitive health. However, something very surprising was also revealed; people who had better health and longer life spans also had higher levels of vitamin D. These people had “better physical health with faster walking speeds and greater mobility.”
For many years, experts in natural health touted the benefits of vitamin D. People such as Dr. Oz include vitamin D on his “
Ultimate Supplement Checklist”. However, it wasn’t until the recent pandemic that research on vitamin D revealed its amazing value. Even renowned conventional health experts, who wouldn’t know vitamin A from vitamin C, started recommending that everyone supplement their diets with vitamin D.
The Value of Vitamin D
Why is vitamin D so valuable? First, it is known as the sunshine vitamin. It gets absorbed when you are exposed to the sun, by your skin receptors. These receptor cells absorb the sunlight which starts a chain reaction of converting cholesterol in the skin to vitamin D. It can also be absorbed by supplementing your diet with foods that are high in vitamin D, such as egg yolks, beef, tuna, salmon and mackerel. Or you can simply take a vitamin D supplement in pill or gummy form. By having healthy levels of vitamin D, you are helping the body’s ability to absorb calcium from the intestines. This calcium is necessary to help strengthen your bones.
There is also a growing body of evidence suggesting that vitamin D’s ability to affect your mood may also be a great value. First, it inhibits certain proteins/cytokines, which are chemical messengers the body uses to communicate with itself. These inhibited proteins are known to be associated with emotional issues. Next, vitamin D helps to promote healthy serotonin levels. Serotonin is known as the body’s “feel good” chemical that helps to regulate sleep, mood, appetite, memory, etc., but low levels of serotonin also has a relation to depression.
Do You Have Enough Vitamin D?
How do you know if you have enough vitamin D? According to research on vitamin D, if you fit into one of the following categories, you have a higher chance of having low vitamin D:
- People who live in colder climates
- People who don’t often expose their skin to sunlight
- Older people whose ability to absorb natural vitamin D has diminished
- Overweight or obese people
- People with darker skin
- People who have had gastric bypass surgery
- People who get abnormally high number of muscle cramps
- People who suffer from irregular fatigue
If you are concerned about low vitamin D levels, your doctor can order a blood test, such as a 25-hydroxyvitamin D, also known as 25(OH)D for short. This test requires taking blood, but it’s the most accurate to find out if you have enough vitamin D in your body. Vitamin D is one of the most important and cost-effective solutions available for maintaining good health. Keep in mind that if you choose to supplement with vitamin D, it is available in two forms: D2 and D3. Vitamin D2 is found in plant-based sources whereas vitamin D3 is found in animal-based sources. Both are equally effective and well-absorbed.
