Vitamin D Does Your Body Good

Vitamin D Does Your Body Good

If you want to give your health a boost, a proper diet and workout are key. Beyond that, certain supplements can offer a powerful punch to help get you to the next level.

One such supplement that everyone should consider using is vitamin D. The reason vitamin D is so powerful is that most of us aren’t getting enough through our diet plan, as it’s found in so few foods. Your body can make vitamin D naturally if you’re exposed to natural sunlight for a longer period, however, this should be restricted due to the potential for skin cancer.

Where does that leave us? Many fall into a chronic state of deficiency. Supplementation will resolve this deficiency in a hurry and help you reap the benefits vitamin D has to offer.

So, what are those benefits? How can vitamin D help? Let’s go over a few different ways.

Improved Immune System Response 

The first key benefit that vitamin D brings is a stronger immune system. Your immune system is likely taking a beating every day with all of the activities and stressors you’re placing on yourself.

Getting vitamin D in the picture can help you build resiliency, so you’ll stand a better chance of being protected when that common cold and flu bug comes around, and it ensures that you’ll be able to bounce back faster than normal. 

Stronger Bones 

Perhaps the most important benefit of getting more vitamin D into your day is the fact that it’s necessary to build a strong skeletal system. When most people think about building strong bones, they tend to immediately think about calcium as the best bone-building nutrient.

And while there’s no question that calcium is certainly important, we must not overlook the benefits of vitamin D. Vitamin D works in conjunction with calcium, ensuring the calcium is best utilized by the bones to build that stronger bone matrix.

Those who aren’t getting sufficient levels of vitamin D daily are going to be at a higher risk for developing osteoporosis as well as osteomalacia.

Lower Risk Factor for Disease

Another benefit of vitamin D that many overlook or simply just don’t know about is the fact that it can help fight off disease.

When you’re getting enough vitamin D in your daily diet plan, you’ll have a lower risk factor for conditions such as multiple sclerosis as well as heart disease. As heart disease is one of the main diseases that we see people suffering from today, doing all that you can to avoid it will be helpful.

Improved Cognitive Health 

Bet you never thought that vitamin D could potentially improve your cognitive health? It can. Those who are taking vitamin D will have a lower risk factor of suffering from depression, which can be serious enough to require medical intervention.

Depression is far more common than most people think and while many don’t have a very severe form of depression, it’s not that difficult for depression to snowball out of control if you don’t monitor it. The great news is that simply taking vitamin D provides an extra layer of protection so that you keep your moods more stable (ref. 1).

Those who take vitamin D regularly may also note that they are less likely to experience anxiety as well, so if that’s a concern of yours, vitamin D may help

Accelerated Rates of Weight Loss

Weight loss is something that just about everyone is interested in these days, with the vast majority of our population being overweight. But, when it comes to weight loss, as you probably already know, there is no shortage of gimmicks out there. Supplement stores are lined with products promising fast fat loss and it’s hard to know what works and what doesn’t.

As a general rule, the more basic, the better. Certain supplements may even put your health at risk by increasing your heart rate or being linked to anxiety, so you want to be extra careful with your choices.

Vitamin D is a profound fat burner. While it may not give you the immediately noticeable effects like a fat-burner that contains copious amounts of caffeine, taken over a longer period, vitamin D appears to help support weight loss as it can suppress your appetite, making it easier to stick to your reduced calorie intake.

Since calories in versus calories out are the single biggest determinant of whether or not you’ll be seeing weight loss results, it only stands to reason that vitamin D will provide you with a nice boost right where you need it.

Optimized Hormone Levels

Finally, vitamin D can help to maintain optimal hormone levels, especially for men who are looking to help reduce the risk of suppressed testosterone levels. Testosterone is a critical hormone to the male body and when it’s not balanced, you’ll notice you feel “off” almost immediately.

Many men suffer from lower than normal levels of testosterone, often due to the lifestyle choices they’re making (diet and exercise), so taking vitamin D may help them get back to where they should be (ref. 2). While it won’t work miracles and give you super high testosterone levels, it can make a difference.

So, there are the main reasons to consider getting a vitamin D supplement in your life. If you are not currently supplementing, you’ll want to look into one that supplies you with a high-quality vitamin D and has an excellent absorption ratio. Do note that vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin however, meaning it can be stored in the body, so for this reason, do be careful about taking extra large doses. You want to get enough vitamin D to make a difference, but not so much that your body begins to reach toxic levels or you may do yourself more harm than good.

References:

1. Anglin, Rebecca ES, et al. "Vitamin D deficiency and depression in adults: systematic review and meta-analysis." The British journal of psychiatry 202.2 (2013): 100-107.

2. Pilz, S., et al. "Effect of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men." Hormone and Metabolic Research 43.03 (2011): 223-225.

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