Vitamin D3 5000IU
The Improved Sunshine Vitamin
HIGHLIGHTS
Sustainably sourced from organic lichen
Improves calcium absorption and reduces the risk of osteoporosis
Supports immunity and mood balance
Maintains optimal health
Softgel, Vegan formula
WHY DO WE NEED VITAMIN D3?
Vitamin D is best known for its role in aiding the absorption of calcium from the digestive system and promoting bone formation, but it has many other actions including balancing immune function and supporting mood. Vitamin D is synthesized by the skin following exposure to ultraviolet rays from sunlight, but in view of the known dangers of excessive sun exposure and occupational trends, many people do not get enough sun exposure to maintain adequate levels of vitamin D.
How Much Sun Exposure is Enough or Too Much
As a dermatologist I see the damaging effects of excessive sun exposure and the benefits of adequate sun protection every day. However, while there is no doubt that excessive sun exposure is strongly associated with skin cancer and premature aging of the skin, too little vitamin D synthesis also has its own unique health problems. In my view, optimal vitamin D supplementation is a safer and more reliable way of ensuring adequate vitamin D levels than a guessing game of how much sun exposure is enough and how much is too much.
The key issue is that there vitamin D deficiency is fairly widespread and it is critically important that it is addressed for the maintenance of health and wellness. Supplementing with vitamin D can have a positive impact on the ability of the body to fight against illness; it may also benefit mood, healthy cellular growth, chronic pain, autoimmune disorders and many other health conditions. Studies also suggest that vitamin D has important immunological and antibacterial effects, and may be important for preventing infections and even the common cold.
THE DANGERS OF VITAMIN D3 DEFICIENCY
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to numerous health conditions including osteoporosis, rickets, increased auto-immune disorders, diabetes, blood pressure disturbances, cancer, SAD (seasonal affective disorder), chronic pain, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), mood disturbances, frequent infections and even an increased risk of mortality by all causes.
ALL AGE GROUPS ARE POTENTIALLY AT RISK
Most physicians recognize that the elderly population is at risk, however it is less appreciated that children, young adults and middle age groups may also have vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D supplementation is also important during pregnancy and at very young ages, as inadequate vitamin D levels early in life have been associated with an increased risk of autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis, breathing disorders and metabolic disorders later in life. There may also be a link between vitamin D and autism, as autism is much more prevalent in areas of low sunlight. Vitamin D has also been shown to play a role in immunity, and may help to prevent placental infections during pregnancy.
BONE HEALTH IN CHILDREN
The most well-known role of vitamin D is its involvement in maintaining healthy bones. In children, vitamin D is essential for the proper growth and development of bones, and deficiency can result in rickets. Vitamin D is critical for bone health because it is required for the efficient utilization of dietary calcium. If vitamin D levels are too low, the body will begin to break down the bones to access calcium stores. Research has shown that vitamin D supplementation early in life leads to higher bone mineral density (BMD) at 7-9 years of age, and that adolescents with low vitamin D levels have lower BMD.
BONE HEALTH IN ADULTS
Vitamin D is responsible for not only the bone development and growth in children and maintenance of bone in adults, but also for the prevention of osteoporosis and fractures in the elderly. In adults, supplementation with 800 IU of vitamin D has been linked to a 26% reduction of hip fractures and a 23% reduction in non-vertebral fractures. In adults and older individuals, vitamin D deficiency results in osteomalacia (a softening of the bones), a condition characterized by inadequate bone mineralization. Vitamin D is essential for the efficient utilization of dietary calcium. Blood calcium levels are tightly regulated. In a vitamin D deficient state, the amount of calcium absorbed is inadequate to satisfy the body’s requirement, this causes the body to release the hormone PTH (parathyroid hormone) which activates the cells (osteoclasts) to breakdown the bone to get the much needed calcium. This results in osteopenia and osteoporosis.
Additionally, PTH causes the kidneys to excrete phosphate and the overall net result is a decrease in calcium phosphate, the major mineral required for mineralizing bone. The bone building cells-osteoblasts continue to deposit collagen matrix, resulting in rubbery matrix which expands upon hydration and causes pressure and a low grade unrelenting pain often misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia.
VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY & PAIN
One study found low levels of vitamin D in one in four patients who suffer from chronic pain. Patients with inadequate levels of vitamin D required nearly twice the dose of morphine that was used by patients with normal levels, and the vitamin D deficiency group used morphine for an average of 71.1 months compared to 43.8 months for non-deficient patients. These results led the researchers to hypothesize that while vitamin D deficiency is not the principle cause of chronic pain, it may be a contributing factor, and one that can be alleviated by supplementation.
MUSCULAR FUNCTION
Vitamin D is also important in the function of muscles. Research has shown that young girls (12-14 years old) with higher vitamin D levels demonstrate greater muscle power than those with lower levels. Muscle weakness, pain and changes in gait have been described in vitamin D insufficiency. This may be the reason that the elderly have more falls and consequently increased fracture rates.
THE AOR ADVANTAGE
AOR’s vegan Vitamin D3 is rapidly converted in the body to the active hormone 1,25- dihydroxycholecalciferol and is formulated using AOR’s patent pending VSoftgel technology for superior absorption.
Vitamin D3 is the most effective form of supplemental vitamin D (compared to D2, a less absorbable form). Most Vitamin D fortified food products actually provide vitamin D2 which is a far less effective form of vitamin D. AOR’s Vitamin D3 is naturally and ethically sourced from lichen, a vegan source. Up to 1000 IU is considered safe for people of all ages from infants to seniors. This formula contains 5000IU and is designed for those found to be deficient in vitamin D. Talk to your healthcare provider about taking higher doses.
References
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