Most of us know that vitamin D is produced when sunlight hits our skin.  However, many of us don’t know just how important vitamin D is to our health.  Here are some interesting facts:

• Flu season happens during the months when sunlight exposure is minimal and vitamin D levels are low.  Given vitamin D’s immune modulating effects, it’s hard to imagine this is just coincidence!
• Maintaining adequate vitamin D levels protects against lymphoma, prostate cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, and – surprisingly – skin cancer. 
  Chronic pain syndromes such as fibromyalgia and arthritis have been linked to low vitamin D levels.
• Without sufficient vitamin D, your body cannot absorb calcium through your intestines.  This is why so many calcium supplements also contain vitamin D.
• Sunscreen (even weak sunscreens) impair the skin’s ability to synthesize vitamin D, which is why it is recommended to spend at least a few minutes each day in the sun without sunscreen.
• Chronic low vitamin D levels may cause an imbalance of melatonin in the body, leading to sleep disturbance.
• It is estimated that 40% of the US population is vitamin D deficient.
• Your levels of vitamin D can be checked with a simple blood test ordered by your family doctor (be sure to ask for “serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 level” which checks the level of activated vitamin D in your body).

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the importance of vitamin D.  For more information on the subject as well as links to research studies, please visit the Vitamin D Council’s website.

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3. Vitamin D and Depression
4. Vitamin C and Your Healthy Heart
5. Aging, Antioxidants, and Sun Exposure