Insufficient Vitamin D Can Increase Your Risk for Death

A recent review in The Archives of Internal Medicine regarding the Third National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) by M. Melamind and fellows revealed that a signficiant number of individuals suffer from Vitamin D deficiencies throughout the United States.

Most startling is the finding that Vitamin D deficiencies have been linked to a 26 percent increase in death across the United States (cause of death resulting from a variety of reasons). Out of the 13,331 healthy men and women tested, 41 percent of the female subjects and 53 of the male subjects showed Vitamin D readings significantly below what is considered acceptable (optimal levels reading at 30ng/ml or above).

In a follow-up study over the course of 8.7 years, researchers documented a total of 1,806 deaths. Of these deaths, nearly 700 were associated with some form of heart disease, and of those 700, nearly 400 had a significant deficiency of Vitamin D.

The following breakdown is taken from the The Archives of Internal Medicine study,  which stresses the importance of maintaining healthy Vitamin D levels throughout a lifetime.

  How Does Vitamin D Keep Me Healthy?

The Archives of Internal Medicine Study adds more support to the existing theory that having adequate levels of Vitamin D can reduce the risk of developing cancer by slowing down the rate by which our cells divide. It’s important that cells don’t divide too quickly. When  they do, there is increased accumulation of genetic errors which often will lead to the creation of cancer cells.

Vitamin D also promotes the full maturation (development or growth) of cells as they replace themselves from one generation to the next; the more fully-developed (mature-looking) cells are less prone to cancerous changes.

Vitamin D can also influence immune function in a positive way, possibly accounting for the lower rates of multiple sclerosis we are seeing in individuals with sufficient levels of Vitamin D.

 Will I Live Longer if I Take Vitamin D?

Vitamin D decreases your risk for premature death. A number of scientific studies have shown that individuals with blood Vitamin D levels (above 85nmol/L) have significantly lower rates of multiple sclerosis, breast, prostate and colon cancer. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study showed us that adults who take Vitamin D supplements (consisting of 1000 IU a day) experienced a 50 to 60% reduction in the incidence of cancer, compared to individuals not taking Vitamin D.

How Much Vitamin D Do I Need?

 Many experts suggest that we take a supplement between 800IU to 200IU of Vitamin D every day.  Here is a quick outline of how I’ve best found to accomplish this.

It’s what I do every day, and I’ve found it the easiest way to get the Vitamin D that I need:

Take (1) high-potency multiple vitamin (consisting of 1000 IU of Vitamin D), daily, along with . . .

(2) caplets of a well-designed bone support supplement (consisting of 400 IU of Vitamin D).

This is a part of my overall supplement regime that I follow, and given the results of these studies and trials, I suggest that you follow it, too.

 What Foods are High in Vitamin D?

 Unfortunately, there are very few good sources of Vitamin D we can get from our food, but I have provided for you a list that can bring additional Vitamin D into your diet. (And notice how sardines and mackerel are the run-a-way winners in this department!)