Vitamin D-3 Plays A Major Role In Your Immune Health

A clinical trial led by Dr. Mitsuyoshi Urashima and conducted by the Division of Molecular Epidemiology in the the Department of Pediatrics at the Jikei University School of Medicine Minato-ku in Tokyo found that vitamin D was extremely effective at halting influenza infections in children. The trial appears in the March, 2010 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Am J Clin Nutr (March 10, 2010). doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.29094)

DESCRIPTION:

Vitamin D, the "sunshine vitamin" is really a hormone but categorized as a vitamin.  This is because a deficiency is associated with the diseases rickets (bone deformities) in children and osteomalacia (poor bone mineralization leading to weak, painful bones) in adults.  Extensive research has found that high amounts of Vitamin D help maintain cognitive function, improve bone & muscle strength, promote cardiovascular health, support breast and colon health, and boost immunity as you age. Vitamin D3 is the natural form of Vitamin D and is more powerful than Vitamin D2. The body is able to synthesize pre-vitamin D3 in the skin when exposed to sunlight.  The pre-vitamin D3 is rapidly converted into vitamin D3.  Vitamin D3 is then transported through the blood to the liver and kidney where it is converted into the hormone calcitriol, the active form of vitamin D. Only a few foods naturally contain vitamin D including: fatty fish and cod liver oil. 

Fortified foods such as milk and cereal are the major dietary sources of vitamin D.   It is estimated that 40% of the U.S. population is vitamin D deficient, therefore supplementing the diet with extra vitamin D is essential for optimal health.  Numerous factors influence the skin's synthesis of pre-vitamin D3 including, location, climate, sun exposure, skin color, age and use of sunscreen.  When you combine all of the factors that influence vitamin D synthesis with the existing widespread deficiency, vitamin D supplementation is the most efficient and convenient way to ensure optimal vitamin D intake.*

FUNCTIONS:

Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, is a fat soluble vitamin found in some foods such as fortified milk, oily fish and in some cereals. It is also manufactured by the body when the skin is exposed to sunlight.   Despite available food sources of vitamin D and the body's ability to self-produce this nutrient from sun exposure, 70% or more of children and adults have insufficient vitamin D level (U.S. National Center for Health Statistics).  Vitamin D comes in two forms: Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3. Vitamin D3, also known as cholecalciferol, is the preferred form as it is most effective at maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D in the body.  Because of the concern of low vitamin D levels among infants and children, the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends 400 IU per day of vitamin D3 taken with food. For healthy adults, a minimum of 5,000 IU per day of vitamin D3 is recommended.  Higher doses of vitamin D may be warranted for those with vitamin D deficiency or certain health conditions. These levels should be determined by a health care professional. It is expected that the new Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI's) for vitamin D will be released in 2010, which will reflect an increase in the daily requirement for vitamin D.

Features:

• Multiple potencies based on individual requirements.
• Contains vitamin D-3 (cholecalciferol), a highly bioavailable form of Vitamin D.
• Sourced from lanolin (vegetarian source of Vitamin D).
• Easy to swallow softgel capsule
• Also available in a liquid form providing 2000 IU per drop in a base of safflower oil, olive oil and organic virgin coconut oil with added vitamin E to maintain freshness and stability.
• Gluten free

Why is Vitamin D important?

Vitamin D provides many benefits to the body, and is vital to human health. One of its key roles is in protecting your immune health. This key nutrient also provides other benefits to the body, such as:

• Supporting proper absorption of calcium for building and maintaining strong bones and teeth.
• Maintaining breast, colon and prostate health.
• Maintaining joint and muscle comfort.
• Promoting a healthy mood and brain function.
• Supporting a healthy pregnancy and baby. All infants (breast-fed and bottle-fed) should receive 400 IU of vitamin D from birth, according to new recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Benefits:

• Vitamin D is essential for calcium and phosphorus absorption and utilization.*
• Stimulates osteoblast (bone producing cell) activity which helps maintain bone density and strength.*
• Stimulates the synthesis of osteocalcin, an important protein involved in bone formation.*
• Helps maintain adequate blood calcium levels which help support cellular metabolic processes, cardiovascular and neuromuscular/neurological function.*
• Vitamin D is important for normal, healthy cell growth and function.*
• Helps support normal, healthy insulin secretion.*
• Vitamin D helps support healthy immune function.*

INDICATIONS

Vitamin D-3 5000 IU may be a useful dietary supplement for those individuals wishing to support bone health or whose requirements for vitamin D cannot be met by lower potency products.

FORMULA

1 Soft Gel Contains:

Vitamin D3 ............................................... 5000IU

SIDE EFFECTS

No adverse effects have been reported.

STORAGE

Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct light. Keep out of reach of children.

REFERENCES

Backstrom MC, Maki R, Kuusela AL, Sievanen H, Koivisto AM, Ikonen RS, Kouri T, Maki M. Randomised controlled trial of vitamin D supplementation on bone density and biochemical indices in preterm infants. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 1999 May;80(3):F161-6.Brenner S, Horwitz C.

Possible nutrient mediators in psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis. II. Nutrient mediators: essential fatty acids; vitamins A, E and D; vitamins B1, B2, B6, niacin and biotin; vitamin C selenI.U.m; zinc; iron. World Rev Nutr Diet 1988;55:165-182.

Gillespie WJ, Henry DA, O'Connell DL, Robertson J. Vitamin D and vitamin D analogues for preventing fractures associated with involutional and post-menopausal osteoporosis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2000;(2):CD000227.

Recker RR, Davies KM, Dowd RM, Heaney RP. The effect of low-dose continuous estrogen and progesterone therapy with calcium and vitamin D on bone in elderly women. A randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 1999 Jun 1;130(11):897-904.

Reid IR. The roles of calcium and vitamin D in the prevention of osteoporosis. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 1998 Jun;27(2):389-98.

Stallings VA. Calcium and bone health in children: a review. Am J Ther. 1997 Jul-Aug;4(7-8):259-73.

Swaminathan R. Nutritional factors in osteoporosis. Int J Clin Pract. 1999 Oct-Nov;53(7):540-8. 22.

 *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease..