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Benefits of Vitamin D |
Vitamin D is descriptively referred to as the “sunshine
vitamin” because it is produced as a natural response to sunlight coming in
contact with the skin. Vitamin D is of great importance to our health in many
ways. Certain foods and supplements also increase Vitamin D levels in our
blood. The functions and benefits of vitamin D are numerous for both physical
and mental health:
Below are 8 vitamin D benefits you should know:
Vitamin D Strengthens
Your Bones
One of the most well-known benefits of Vitamin D is its
bone-building and strengthening capabilities. Vitamin D enhances the absorption
of calcium in the gut. Without it, calcium cannot benefit your health by building,
strengthening, growing and preventing your bones from becoming brittle, misshapen
or thin.
Vitamin D Strengthens
Muscles
Vitamin D also helps in strengthening your muscles. With
little or no Vitamin D, your body runs the risk of having weak muscles, hence
an increased risk of falls, says Lana Nasrallah, MPH, RD, Clinical Dietician at
UNC Health, U.S.A. This affects the elderly more. No wonder disability and
death from falls are common among older people.
Vitamin D Supports
the Immune System
Vitamin D can also help support the immune system in combating
harmful bacteria and viruses. This contributes in possibly preventing inflammation
and infections such as the COVID-19 pandemic which is of critical concern this
time. Research indicates that both low vitamin D, increased influenza and other
respiratory illnesses are risk factors in high latitudes and the winter season.
However, more research to establish if the link is causal or merely a
correlation still needs to be done.
Vitamin D Reduces
Depression
According to research, vitamin D can help in regulating your mood and reduce
depression.
In one study, scientist gave vitamin D supplements to people with depression
and noticed an improvement in the symptoms.
In yet another study involving people with fibromyalgia, researchers discovered
that vitamin D deficiency was more common in people suffering from anxiety and
depression.
Vitamin D Boosts Weight Loss
Are you trying to lose weight? Consider adding vitamin D supplements to your
diet. It can lower the risk of heart diseases as well. Extra calcium and
vitamin D suppress appetite and lowers your desire to eat frequently. In a 2009
study in the British Journal of Nutrition, overweight or obese women with low
calcium levels were divided into two. The group that took a daily dose of
calcium paired with vitamin D lost weight significantly unlike that which took a
placebo supplement. The reason was the “appetite-suppressing effect” of the
combination.
Vitamin D Can
Help Strengthen Oral Health
The ability of vitamin D to help our body absorb calcium also
contributes immensely in supporting oral health. This reduces the risk of tooth
decay and gum infection. As per a research review published in The Journal of
the Tennessee Dental Association in 2011, there's an "emerging
hypothesis" that vitamin D benefits oral health because it functions as a
bone metabolism, anti-inflammatory and stimulating effect on the production of
anti-microbial peptides.
Vitamin D Can
Also Help Prevent Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes
Though studies are yet to be conclusive, vitamin D may be a
safe way to prevent both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. According to a 2006 study,
vitamin D can effectively lower the risk of type 2 diabetes when combined with
a daily intake of >1,200 mg calcium.
Vitamin D Can
Help Treat Hypertension
Vitamin D benefits also include the treatment of high blood
pressure which is among the markers of cardiovascular diseases. It is true that
even short-term vitamin D deficiency can also be the reason your high blood
pressure level is going up in addition to promoting target organ damage. Researchers
have considered the high correlation between vitamin D and hypertension as an
indication that vitamin D supplementation therapy may become the new treatment
of BP.
Now that you have known some of the essential benefits of Vitamin D, read our next article to learn more about the vitamin, its
food sources and more. Feel free to comment or ask me any question in the
comments’ section below.
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