As a practicing OBGYN in Scottsdale, I know the importance of Vitamin D for bone health. It is well known that Vitamin D binds to Calcium so that Calcium can be absorbed in our body. By taking daily doses of both vitamins, as well as daily weight bearing exercise, we reduce our risk of developing osteoporosis.

New research, however, is showing that Vitamin D is much more than a bone vitamin. “It is crucial to the brain, prostate, breast, colon, heart, lung and muscle as well as our immune cells. Vitamin D controls more than 200 genes that go on to direct cellular processes such as division, growth, development, blood supply and degeneration. It can make normal cells grow and abnormal ones (cancer cells) die. It also helps immune cells destroy certain infectious agents, such as TB.” One study showed that it reduced the risk of prostate and colon cancer.

Vitamin D has also been shown to improve such things as depression, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

We are seeing a trend throughout the United States that people are chronically deficient or low in Vitamin D. The concern is that, over time, this chronic deficiency can lead to illness and disease.

What can we do to ensure that we are getting enough Vitamin D? One way is to get 10 minutes of sun exposure daily without wearing sunscreen. This gives approximately 3000 Units of Vitamin D which is stored in body fat and released over time. It is important to apply sunscreen after 10 minute to reduce one’s risk of skin cancer.

We can also get Vitamin D through food sources such as salmon, tuna, cod liver oil, fortified milk, fortified orange juice and fortified cereals. Many people also take supplements. Multivitamins will have 400 IU’s and you can purchase Vitamin D3 in various doses. Vitamin D, if taken as a supplement, should equal about 800-1000 IU’s daily.

Exerpt from Dr. Judith Reichman, Today medical contributor.

Tags: Vitamin D