Fads come and go. The medical profession is no different. With new research daily, it is easy to get on the bandwagon of the latest and greatest of diet, exercise, vitamin supplementation, or hormone balancing techniques. There are some topics, though, that gain traction through the test of time and become increasingly more relevant to our health.
Vitamin D’s relevance was initially identified in the early 2000’s. Since that time, research has sky-rocketed in regards to the wide-ranging health benefits that this important nutrient confers. People are unknowingly affected by Vitamin D deficiency at a staggering prevalence, even in sunny states such as Texas. Leading researchers estimate that as much as 50 percent of the population is at risk of Vitamin D deficiency, which places this health problem at pandemic proportions!
Technological advances now allow Vitamin D levels to be measured inexpensively. Although no optimal range has been fully defined, there is general consensus in the medical world that there are indeed risks to being too low. Current research has consistently supported moving the target range upward and as a general rule, a range between 40-60 ng/mL has been deemed as a safe and effective regimen.
Proper Vitamin D balances have been shown to reduce risks of hypertension, coronary heart disease, and strokes. Vitamin D is also an immune system booster and influences how your body fights infections, such as colds and the flu. In terms of autoimmune disorders, many illnesses such as psoriasis, Multiple Sclerosis, and inflammatory bowel diseases are improved clinically with simply getting the Vitamin D levels to target goals.
Newer research has consistently validated an increasing awareness that Vitamin D affects proper DNA repair and metabolic processes which have significant implications for aging and cancer concerns. In fact, a recently released report indicated that women with proper Vitamin D levels reduced their risk of developing breast cancer by as much as 50%! Many times achiness and fatigue can be related to low Vitamin D levels, and osteomalacia resulting from Vitamin D deficiency can be confused with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Reassuringly, Vitamin D is typically easy to correct and maintain with focused attempts on “Sensible Sun Exposure” and on oral supplementation.
The list of conditions affected by Vitamin D deficiency seems to be growing and there is a definite momentum for Vitamin D awareness. Vitamin D deficiency is moving out of the fad phase and into the medical mainstream focus as much as cholesterol, blood pressure, and diabetes. As always, I encourage you have a candid discussion with your primary care provider about your overall health, including the significance of Vitamin D.