Published on February 23rd, 2009 in the Archives of Internal Medicine, a very large study with 18,000 participants found that the people with lowest serum vitamin D levels (based on 25-OH Vitamin D testing as mentioned in the last post) were 36% more likely to get an upper respiratory tract infection than people with the highest (but safe) levels of serum vitamin D.
Another similar study from August of 2008 published in the same journal showed a 26% reduced risk of death (all-cause mortality) in people with the highest (but safe) vitamin D levels when compared to people with the lowest vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D deficiency is epidemic in northern latitudes, with 50% of some populations being clinically deficient.
Vitamin D acts like a hormone in the body – it regulates calcium metabolism (addressing osteoporosis), affects blood pressure (lowering effect), improves mood (likely by increasing levels of important neurotransmitters), and affects immune function (useful for colds, prevention of allergies in newborns, and possibly auto-immune disease).
Click HERE to get the best available vitamin D or go to my Holistic Pharmacy to find the best nutrients, herbs and supplements available.
Be Well,
Richard