Vitamin D - Are you getting enough?

As many of you know I am in the process of finishing a book on infertility. I have recently done a lot of reading on the role vitamin D plays on our fertility. While doing this I also learned some interesting information for all to know and wanted to pass it along.

First off, there are not hardly enough studies out there investigating vitamin D deficiency and infertility. However, I was able to find Dr. Lubna Pal of Yale University School of Medicine, who has studied the effects of Vitamin D deficiency in regards to fertility.

She discovered a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and ovulation irregularities. After conducting a study showing this correlation Dr. Pal said, “Given the pandemic of vitamin D insufficiency, if indeed our observations are substantiated, aggressive repletion with vitamin D may emerge as an alternative approach to facilitate ovulation resumption.” Although her study was small it did prove the fact that more studies do need to be done on the role vitamin D plays in fertility.

Besides infertility, I also learned how vitamin D deficiency can cause other health issues for every man, woman and child. Here is what I learned from the Vitamin D Council web site; "Current research has implicated vitamin D deficiency as a major factor in the pathology of at least 17 varieties of cancer as well as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth defects, periodontal disease, and more."

Ironic how staying OUT of the sun can cause cancer. In today's society so many people sit at a desk all day and when they head outside they put sunscreen on or cover-up. People do not hear much about vitamin D deficiency and therefore do not know how important it is to get the proper amount of vitamin D.

The Vitamin D Council recommends the following in order to get enough vitamin D:

1. Regularly receive midday sun exposure in the late spring, summer, and early fall, exposing as much of the skin as possible.

2. Regularly (once a week) use a sun bed (avoiding sunburn) during the colder months.

3. Take 5,000 IU per day for three months, then obtain a 25-hydroxyvitamin D test. Adjust your dosage so that blood levels are between 50–80 ng/mL (or 125–200 nM/L) year-round.

(Source: http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/)

Spring is on it's way. Once Spring arrives, consider taking a break during lunch and step outside. Take off your shoes and socks, roll up your sleeves, don't worry about sunscreen and soak in some sun.

Happy tanning,
Alicia