There have been two big stories about vitamin D in the news this week. And besides for magnesium–which plays a huge role in vitamin D production, function and use–Vitamin D may be the most overlooked nutrient. Seventy-five percent of American adults and teenagers don’t get enough of it. I believe that people take it for granted that they get enough sunlight when they actually don’t. (Our ancestors probably spent a lot more time outdoors than modern man).
The first story came from a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism and it found that children and teens who didn’t get enough vitamin D were at greater risk as adults (25 years later) for atherosclerosis, an affliction where plaque builds up in the arteries and may cause heart attack, stroke, etc. Vitamin D deficiency is a common problem among children worldwide.
The second story comes from the American Stroke Association’s Conference. At that event, doctors presented a paper that showed that people who suffered a stroke were more likely to have more severe strokes later if they had low vitamin D levels. (30 nanograms per milliliter or lower).
Other findings included:
1. Patients with low Vit D levels had twice the dead tissue from blood supply obstruction than those who had sufficient amounts.
2. The findings were similar for both lacunar and non-lacunar strokes.
For each 10 ng/mL reduction in vitamin D level, the chance for healthy recovery in the three months following stroke decreased by almost half, regardless of the patient’s age or initial stroke severity.
Vitamin D seems to be a good predictor of future health. We have it in two forms.
Citrus-flavored CalciAIM supplement and in convenient, mushroom-sourced Veggie D caplets.
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