Vitamin D is often overlooked and an under-consumed nutrient that can play a huge role in your overall performance and health, whether it be to improve your fitness levels or help you lose weight. Read on to discover the top five benefits of vitamin D and how it can improve your health for the better.
Stronger Bones
When thinking about strong bones, the first thing that usually comes to mind is Calcium. Calcium is a major factor when it comes to increasing your bone health and mineral density, however, make sure you don’t overlook how important vitamin D is for your health. Research has indicated that vitamin D is a high stimulator of calcium deposits in the bones, helping make them healthier and stronger. If you are not receiving enough vitamin D, your body will start to slow down or stop depositing calcium into your bones, which results in the calcium leaving your bones and seeping back into your bloodstream. Over a period of time, this frequent cycle of deposit and withdrawal will leave your bones weak and at high risk of getting a fracture.
Improving Muscle Function
Vitamin D can also be great for improving muscle function. For those who are into their health and fitness, you will want your body and mind to be working at the best of their ability. With that in mind, it’s essential that you receive the right vitamins for your body, helping you feel stronger and healthier. There are various health problems that are linked to vitamin D deficiency, such as muscle weakness and atrophy. If you skip out vitamin D, you may be doing more harm than good for your health and fitness.
Reducing the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
The main function of vitamin D is to increase your absorption of calcium to help keep your bone health well maintained. However, you may not know that vitamin D has a protective effect on your heart. Research has shown that those who are deficient in vitamin D are at a higher risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, heart failure or even sudden cardiac death. While the exact benefits are unclear at present, it appears to show that vitamin D can help improve vascular compliance, help lower blood pressure, and improve glycemic control.
Decreasing the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes can cause long-term complications such as heart disease, eye damage, vision loss, kidney failure, and nerve damage. Recent research indicates that Vitamin D may help reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, especially for those who are already at a higher risk of getting this potentially fatal disease. There have been various observational studies that show improvements in insulin sensitivity and beta cell function in those who have higher levels of vitamin D.
Reducing Your Risk of Cancer
There has also been research to suggest those who have enough vitamin D levels as adults are at a reduced risk of getting several types of cancer such as prostate, ovarian, breast, and colon. Vitamin D may also help reduce the risk of cancer by increasing cell differentiation and calcium absorption while decreasing metastasis (which spreads cancer from one organ to another).
Best Sources of Vitamin D
There are many types of ways that you can get vitamin D in your system such as by getting out in the sun. When skin is exposed to UVB radiation, pre-vitamin D is created before being absorbed into the bloodstream. Another way to get your daily allotment of vitamin D is by changing your diet. Foods such as trout and salmon and dairy products like eggs and plants all contain different amounts of vitamin D. To combat those with vitamin deficiencies, there are all sorts of foods that now include vitamin D such as cereals, bread, and milk. Making small changes to your diet and incorporating foods full of vitamin D can only be beneficial in the long run.
Supplements
If you aren’t sure what foods to include in your diet, another great way to get vitamin D in your body is by taking supplements and multivitamins such as MD Logic D3 5000. Visiting vitamin websites can give you more information on the product, which includes a wide range of benefits such as supporting proper cellular function and promoting healthy calcium absorption. If a blood test indicates that your vitamin D levels are low, you can take this supplement to help manage your levels and keeping them in a healthy range. Helping to strengthen your bones, improve muscle function, protect you from cardiovascular disease, not to forget reducing your risk of cancer, there are so many health benefits that you can receive when getting the right amount of vitamin D. There are all sorts of ways on how you can get vitamin in your system, whether it be by going out in the sun or taking supplements.
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