In recent years Vitamin D has been getting a lot of attention in all different types of media; and for good reasons. It has many health benefits and it’s deficiency has been linked to many health problems.
Vitamin D is necessary in all stages of life, right from development in the womb.
Sufficient vitamin D levels is very important for mother and child. Women that are planning to become pregnant should check and optimize their vitamin D levels because it plays an important role during pregnancy, in development of the fetus and in early childhood development. It’s been shown that vitamin D deficiency is associated with Pre-eclampsia, a very serious complication in pregnancy. Also, since vitamin D is crucial in muscle functioning, it serves an important role in the birthing process. Women with sufficient vitamin D levels at time of giving birth showed a great reduction in requiring a C-section.
During child development, this deficiency is more likely to cause asthma and other breathing disorders in young children and more likely for them to develop type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease later in life.
Vitamin D maintains a healthy immune system. Children and adults with adequate levels of vitamin D are less likely to come down with the flu or common cold.
Vitamin D plays an important role in dental health. It has been shown that children born to mothers with vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy were more likely to have cavities as compared to children whose mothers had adequate vitamin D levels.
Exposure to sunlight is the most natural way our body produces and maintains healthy levels of vitamin D. Sometimes that is not an option and so vitamin D supplements help reach those healthy levels.
There are some things to consider before taking a vitamin D supplement. Vitamin D is part of many biological functions, but it doesn’t act alone. It has a close synergistic relationship with Vitamin K2, magnesium and calcium. When taking a vitamin D supplement, be sure to optimize your vitamin K2, magnesium and calcium levels along with it. If you take high doses of vitamin D you may throw off the synergistic balance between these four nutrients and cause more problems than the benefits you were expecting.
Taking high doses of vitamin D without sufficient amounts of vitamin K2 and magnesium can lead to vitamin D toxicity and magnesium deficiency symptoms. Magnesium is important because it’s involved in activating muscles and nerves and creating energy in the body. Vitamin K2 keeps calcium in its appropriate place. If you’re vitamin K2 deficient it can cause calcium to accumulate in the wrong places; a heart disease problem .
Vitamin D is so important that its deficiency is associated with skeletal disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammation, infection, depression, allergies, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, sleep apnea, dental cavities and many other health problems.
Be proactive and get your D levels checked by a professional. Be happy, healthy and optimize your vitamin D levels.
