Medical research is proving that Vitamin D benefits the brain as well as the bones, and may be a significant factor in helping older people stay healthy and vital.
Known as the Sunshine Vitamin because exposure to sunlight triggers synthesis in the skin, it is also available through dairy foods and fatty fish such as halibut and cod.
Calcium With Vitamin D
It plays an essential role in the metabolic process, aiding in the absorption of calcium and promoting bone strength. Without adequate blood levels of this important vitamin, bones can become soft, brittle, or misshapen, and deficiency leads to devastating skeletal diseases like rickets and osteomalacia.
Research expands the list of vitamin D benefits
Medical science is discovering that building strong bones is just one of many key roles this vitamin plays in overall health. New research is uncovering more and more ways in which strengthens, protects, and enhances body functions.
* It assists the body's defense against cancer. Ongoing studies indicate that vitamin D may actually help the body protect itself against certain cancers, including colon cancer.
* It's important to brain health and cognitive ability. A January, 2009 study showed an unmistakable link between low levels of the "sunshine vitamin" and cognitive ability in older people. The study, which was conducted by the the UK's Cambridge University in conjunction with the University of Michigan, tracked 2000 people aged 65 and older. The results clearly indicated that as levels of this important vitamin went down, rates of cognitive impairment went up.
* It's critical to immune system efficiency. A recent Medical University of South Carolina report says that though it's a vitamin, it also functions as a hormone and is crucial to regulating the immune system. According to the report, long-term deficiency has been linked to immune disorders such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, type I diabetes, and cancer.
* It's essential to muscle power. A University of Manchester study of adolescent girls showed that participants with sufficient levels of this vitamin outperformed those with insufficient levels on a broad spectrum of tests designed to measure muscle force and power.
* It fights placental infection. A 2008 UCLA study showed that it induces immune responses in placental tissue by stimulating the production of antimicrobial proteins.
* It's crucial for heart health. A number of studies have linked deficiency of this vitamin to heart disease. These studies found rates of severe disease or death may be 30 to 50 percent higher among sun-deprived individuals with heart disease.