In this week’s edition of The Longevity Newsletter, we will be discovering the Sunshine Vitamin, better known as Vitamin D. Before we learn what it does and why you should care about it, we need to first specify which type of Vitamin D we are talking about, because there are different types and they have not been created equal. We are talking about Vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, which is the type that is best for your body and for use as a supplement. Vitamin D3 is an essential vitamin for sustaining life, building bones, and modulating the immune system.
Let us first talk a little about the effects of Vitamin D supplementation. As we age, our bones naturally decrease in size and density. Supplementation with Vitamin D3 can help slow and prevent this process. In fact, supplementation has been strongly correlated with a lower risk of fractures. Vitamin D3 deficiency, which is common, has been linked to a number of health conditions including: heart disease, depression, back pain, cancer, insulin resistance, and impaired immunity. In a recent animal study published in Cancer Research, the supplementation of Vitamin D3 led to lower rates of colon cancer. These benefits are numerous and varied.
All of the above reasons should be enough to convince anyone to take Vitamin D3. But there is an even more convincing reason you should be taking it. You probably do not get enough Vitamin D3. As we all know, the name “The Sunshine Vitamin” comes from the fact that our bodies produce Vitamin D after exposure to sunlight and while we can get enough from sun exposure alone, hardly anyone in the developed world does. Think about it. On your average workday, how much sunlight do you get? A few seconds on the way to your car? During lunch break? What about if it is winter time?
Besides all of the previously mentioned benefits, higher intakes of Vitamin D3 is strongly correlated with longer lifespans. As such, taking this supplement is truly a no brainer.
Many experts now recommend a daily intake of approximately 1000 IU’s per day.