It’s still winter although spring is coming. Most of us have been indoors all winter with little exposure to the sun. I know I’m starting to feel like a mushroom myself. Because of this, your vitamin D levels may have dropped significantly. I encourage you to get yourself tested as appropriate vitamin D levels are vital for optimal health. Currently there is an epidemic of vitamin D deficiency in the U.S.
Why is vitamin D important? “In a paper published in the August issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Anthony Norman, an international expert on vitamin D, identifies vitamin D's potential for contributions to good health in the adaptive and innate immune systems, the secretion and regulation of insulin by the pancreas, the heart and blood pressure regulation, muscle strength and brain activity.” Healthy vitamin D levels are also associated with decreasing the risk of cancer of all areas of the body, Parkinson’s disease, Autism, and osteoporosis.
Currently the RDA for vitamin D is 400 IU which I believe to be severely inadequate in ensuring healthy vitamin D levels. My research has shown that 2000-5000 IU daily are necessary for most adults to maintain healthy levels. But many people are so vitamin D deficient that they need higher doses for 1-3 months before going on a maintenance dose.
There are many ways to get your vitamin D levels tested but it should be a blood test. You can contact your general practioner to run the test for you but you can also order your own test through www.directlabs.com. The correct test to order is 25(OH)D, also called 25-hydroxyvitamin D, which is the better marker of overall D status. Lastly, http://www.grassrootshealth.
For more information on vitamin D, I recommend you visit the Vitamin D Council at www.vitamindcouncil.org/ and as well as www.mercola.com.
