Don't Overlook Vitamin D
By Editorial Staff
Why? Because it's associated with an increasingly long list of health benefits many people don't realize. That's because vitamin D has always been promoted for its role in supporting bone health, even though its research-supported benefits transcend the skeletal system. Let's look at what else vitamin D can do for you.
Prenatal health, brain function, pregnancy wellness, cancer prevention, cardiovascular health – vitamin D is important for all of the above, according to a review of previous research that concludes: "higher 25(OH)D concentrations [significantly] reduce the risks of major diseases and mortality, including pregnancy and birth outcomes." The above is based on serum levels of vitamin D above 30 ng/mL vs. below 20 ng/mL; an important point because according to the review, an estimated 25% of the U.S. population has levels below 20 ng/mL.
But ensuring your vitamin D levels are above 30 ng/mL isn't the entire story; the review authors recommend that "a daily dose between 4000 and 6000 IU of vitamin D3 to achieve serum 25(OH)D levels between 40 and 70 ng/mL would provide greater protection against many adverse health outcomes."
Your medical doctor probably won't recommend you do anything, including taking a vitamin D3 supplement, unless your blood levels of vitamin D put you in the deficient or borderline-deficient category: below 20 ng/mL (deficient) and below 30 ng/mL (insufficient). And even then, the goal will be to get you above 30 ng/mL – nothing more. Your chiropractor, on the other hand, is focused on optimizing your health; not just keeping you out of danger. And that's why you should have a conversation with your chiropractor about your vitamin D status today.
