Right now, as you sit at your desk or on your couch, thinking about where your next hot drink is coming from, your body is producing 25 million new cells every second, each on a mission to keep you alive and thriving.
To function optimally, these cells need vitamin D.
Known as the sunshine vitamin, our amazing bodies create vitamin D from sunlight, which is then used to regulate hundreds of different pathways in our systems.
And as we’re now getting less sun because of winter’s darkness, it’s important to fuel your body with vitamin D from other sources. Here’s why..
Benefits of Vitamin D
We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of all the benefits of vitamin D – Find out how a simple vitamin D tablet may help you boost your health.
1. It’s a Natural Antidepressant
The winter blues is a real thing, and it’s not just because you have to get up for work in the freezing cold dark, it’s because during winter, your body gets less sunshine (less vitamin D) which has been linked to a 14 percent increase in depression and a 50 percent increase in suicide rates!
2. It Reduces Asthma
Studies show that pregnant women with high vitamin D levels can reduce their child’s risk of asthma by 40 percent. Other research also suggests that vitamin D can help prevent upper-respiratory infections.
3. It’s an Autoimmune Balancer
Low levels of vitamin D are associated with autoimmune conditions such as MS, Parkinson’s, type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disorders, and autoimmune thyroid problems, proving that vitamin D is vital to your immune system.
4. It Strengthens Your Bones
Vitamin D prevents the breakdown of bones and increases the strength of your skeletal system, making it particularly important to cough, cough slightly older women.
5. It Boosts Your Brain
Vitamin D helps your memory stay intact and decreases the rate of brain conditions like Alzheimer’s.
6. It Fights Cancer
Vitamin D has proved to prevent the growth of cancer cells by up to 50 percent and to lower the risk of breast, prostate, colon, ovarian, and pancreatic cancer.
7. It Boosts Fertility
Healthy vitamin D levels are linked to healthy sperm and healthy pregnancies.
8. It Protects Your Heart
Low vitamin D levels and less exposure to sunlight can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
9. It Soothes Inflammation
Vitamin D has the unusual ability to reduce inflammation, the common denominator in many chronic health problems.
10. It Fires Up Your Metabolism
In one study, taking a vitamin D supplement helped in decreasing participants’ body fat percentage by 7 percent. Low levels are also linked to metabolic syndrome, a precursor to type 2 diabetes.
11. It Helps You Workout
Supplementing vitamin D has been linked to increased muscle strength and improved physical performance.
12. It Helps You Sleep Better
We all know that sleep is vital to living your best life. And maintaining high levels of vitamin D improves the quality of your sleep.
How Much Vitamin D Should You Have Per Day?
It’s important to note that an IU is not the same for one vitamin as it would be for another. An IU is measured by the amount of a specific substance that’s needed to have an effect in the body. These are some of the new recommended daily allowances for vitamin D:
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Children & teens: 600 IU
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Adults up to age 70: 600 IU
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Adults over age 70: 800 IU
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Pregnant or breastfeeding women: 600 IU
So there you have it, one of the most underrated vitamins around that you definitely need more of. Check out next week’s post to find out how you can start basking in the benefits of this amazing sunshine vitamin.