I just came across more evidence on the importance of vitamin D to our health.
On his web site, one of my favorite health writers (J F McCaffrey MD), recently wrote about yet another study confirming that vitamin D is associated with lower risks of colds and other respiratory infections.
The study in the journal reviewed information collected as part of a national health survey of nearly 20,000 participants. The researchers measured the vitamin D levels in specimens collected during the survey. They then compared that information with which people experienced upper respiratory infections or colds during the study period.
The researchers found that someone with low levels of vitamin D were much more likely to develop respiratory infections. The risk was even greater in those who had asthma or chronic lung disease.
Ever conservative, the researchers are quick to say that their report doesn’t test whether or not supplementing with vitamin D reduces your risk of coming down with a cold. That’s true, it doesn’t. Two things happening one after the other doesn’t prove the first caused the second. In this case maybe healthy people are outside more and therefore have higher vitamin D levels than people already too sick to be out and about.
That may be true, but it’s also true that no such explanation was identified when they reviewed the surveys. It’s also a fact that a lot of other studies show the importance of vitamin D in many different aspects of health. Low levels of vitamin D are associated with increased risks of a wide range of health problems, including cancer and heart disease.
So while strictly speaking it’s true that “controlled trials are warranted” to prove for sure that supplementing withvitamin D protects you from respiratory infections, it may not be prudent to wait. It will be years, if not decades before those studies are completed, if they ever get done. Vitamin D is safe and everyone should make sure they’re getting adequate amounts.
If you live in a sunny area, you can get adequate vitamin D with only 15 minutes of so of sun exposure to most of your body a day. But not everyone can get out in the sun or enjoys it. Taking a supplement is a good idea. 2000 units a day is reasonable.
Vitamin D has a lot of benefits besides strengthening your immune system. Find out about Vitamin D and Heart Attacks at that link.
And again, to get the information you need to be your healthiest, I highly recommend going to:
Be sure to get the free report on the Surprising Power of the Heart while you’re there. It has some pretty amazing information in it you can use right now.
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