Vitamin D – The Disease Fighter
Vitamin D has become one of the most celebrated nutritional supplements in recent years. Many connections have been made between the vitamin and disease prevention that it’s hard to overlook. Often we hear about calcium and its role in bone health. However, we would not be able to absorb and use that calcium without the presence of the D vitamin, which also promotes phosphorus use. Additionally, this vitamin strengthens the immune system, presides over cell growth and differentiation, and is used in the prevention and treatment for osteoporosis.
For the best sources of the D vitamin, try a tablespoon of cod liver oil (for 340% of your daily value), 3.5 ounces of cooked mackerel or salmon (for 90% of your daily value), 3 ounces of tuna canned in oil (50% DV), 2 ounces of sardines canned in oil (70% DV) or a cup of vitamin D fortified milk (25% DV). Other sources include eel, catfish, margarine, pudding, fortified ready-to-eat cereals, egg yolks, liver and Swiss cheese. Of course, taking calcium supplements combined with this vitamin will ensure that you get the best of both worlds for a strong, healthy body.
Recent studied indicate that vitamin D plays a role in cancer prevention. In a 2000-2005 study conducted by Creighton University School of Medicine, researchers found that a Vitamin D3 calcium supplement decreased Cancer risk in senior citizens by 60%! Another long-term study by Northwestern and Harvard universities determined that people who took the daily recommended allowance of the D vitamin (400 IU/day) reduced their risk of developing pancreatic cancer by 43%. By contrast, those who consumed less than 150 IUs per day had a 22% reduced cancer risk. According to University of Rochester Medical Center researchers, the D vitamin may also inhibit the spread of prostate cancer cells by limiting two of their enzymes, namely matrix metalloproteinase and cathepsin. And researchers at the Moores Cancer Center at University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine concluded that there is an established link between the vitamin and breast cancer prevention as well.
Without vitamin D, calcium absorption would be impossible. The vitamin also stimulates the expression of proteins which carry calcium from the intestines to the blood. Due to its vital role in bone health, doctors say a D vitamin/calcium supplement should be part of a daily diet. Dairy products are the best source of this vitamin and calcium, including milk, yogurt, cheese and pudding. People with darker skin tones and obese individuals may need a D Vitamin supplement to ensure they get their proper allowance. Given more research, the links between this vitamin and disease prevention will likely be more clearly defined.