Why vitamin D may be the super drug against the swine flu, cancer, and more

Vitamin D has been getting a lot of press in the past months about potential health benefits...and how most Americans (including children) are vitamin D deficient.

Study after study seems to demonstrate that low levels of vitamin D are associated with various health risks, from higher rates of cesarean section deliveries, increased risk of rickets in children, high blood pressure, several autoimmune diseases, heart disease, and vitamin D deficiency may even have an effect on the aging process itself.

Now there's evidence that vitamin D deficiency may also have a link to the swine flu. A study of 19,000 adults and children showed that those with low levels of vitamin D were 40% more likely to have a recent respiratory infection, placing them at higher risk for infections like the swine flu (H1N1 virus). The study is among the first to report a ‘robust’ association between vitamin D and respiratory health.

Low levels of the vitamin were linked to even higher risks in people with chronic respiratory disorders, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and emphysema.

New research is also linking low levels of vitamin D to more severe cases of melanoma skin cancer. Skin cancer patients with higher levels of vitamin D had lower rates of relapse and less severe cancer lesions.

So if vitamin D is so important, why are 75% of Americansdeficient in vitamin D levels? The vitamin is not present in high levels in most foods, and while sunshine provides lots of the vitamin, sunscreen prevents absorption of vitamin D into the skin.

In other words, people who wish to increase their vitamin D levels should get 10-15 minutes of sunshine before applying sunscreen, eat foods with vitamin D, and strongly consider supplements of 400-2000 IU a day.

Speak to your doctor about how to increase your own vitamin D levels. More information can also be found here.