The Overlooked Impact of Vitamin D To Overall Health – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 230
Many people think of Vitamin D simply for bone health without really understanding all it does to maintain our overall health and wellness.
Tag: vitamin D
New Study: Positive COVID-19 Rates Associated with Low Vitamin D Levels
A new study performed by Quest Diagnostics and Boston University suggests that individuals with insufficient levels of Vitamin D are more likely to test positive for SARS-CoV-2, which is the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
New Study: Vitamin D Deficiency May Raise Risk of Getting COVID-19
Researchers at the University of Medicine in a study titled, “Association of Vitamin D Status and Other Clinical Characteristics With COVID-19 Test Results”, published on September 3, 2020 in JAMA Network Open found an association between vitamin D deficiency and the likelihood of becoming infected with the Coronavirus.
David Meltzer, MD, Ph.D., Chief of Hospital Medicine at UChicago Medicine and lead author of the study reports, “Vitamin D is important to the function of the immune system and vitamin D supplement have previously been shown to lower the risk of viral respiratory tract infections. Our statistical analysis suggests this may be true for the COVID-19 infection.”
The research team studied 489 patients at UChicago Medicine whose vitamin D levels were measured within a year before being tested for COVID-19. Patients who had a vitamin D deficiency (< 20ng/ml) that was not treated were almost twice as likely to test positive for the COVID019 coronavirus compared to patients who had sufficient levels of the vitamin.
About Vitamin D Deficiency
Half of the US population are deficient in Vitamin D. Chief Scientific Officer and Pharmacist at Invite Health, Jerry Hickey, Ph, commonly discusses the importance of Vitamin D supplementation for immunity. In a recent podcast titled, ‘Update: Vitamin D, Lung Health & The Coronavirus‘, Jerry recommends a specific form of vitamin D, called Vitamin D3.
“The issue is that right now, you cannot depend on the sun to bring your Vitamin D levels up to normal. You need to take a supplement and that is extremely important. Make sure it’s Vitamin D3, which has been shown to work better than Vitamin D2 according to several studies. And do not get it in one or two huge doses. You have to take it either weekly or every day to get that support for your lungs and your immune system.”
Jerry continues, “If you have not been taking Vitamin D all winter, you need to raise your levels right now. Chances are they are very low; too low to protect you from infection or to protect your lungs. You want to get your Vitamin D levels above 35. I would recommend taking about 6,000 units every day with food for seven days. After that, you can go down to 3,000 units a day. This should get you up to a nice sweet level pretty quickly.”
For more information, speak with your doctor or one of our healthcare professionals today. You can email a degreed healthcare professional from Invite Health at [email protected] or visit www.invitehealth.com to live chat with us without leaving your home!
Feeling Dizzy? Recent Studies Say Vitamin D May Help! – Invite Health Podcast, Episode 165
Feeling dizzy or have vertigo? You’re not alone! There are more than 200,000 cases reported each year in United States. Recent clinical studies are reporting low levels of Vitamin D may be the cause!
The Importance of Vitamin D for Strength and Mobility – Invite Health Podcast, Episode 158
Can Vitamin D improve strength in younger people and help keep you mobile when you are older? There are numerous studies that say Vitamin D is perfect for supporting strength and mobility.
Immune Benefits of Vitamin C, Zinc & Vitamin D – Invite Health Podcast, Episode 118
Invite Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Amanda Williams, MPH
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We are still in the midst of a pandemic and your health should be a priority. It is extremely important to turn to the fundamentals in order to keep your immune system working properly. The three major essentials for a healthy immune system? Vitamin C, Vitamin D and Zinc. Here’s why.
A Healthy Immune System
Your immune system is highly reliant on specific vitamins and minerals in order to keep it functioning properly. This includes both your innate and adaptive immune systems. If you missed my previous episode that explains the immune system more in depth, click here to listen now. Vitamins and minerals are quick to be dismissed but research says different. Today, there is a study being sponsored by the Cleveland Clinic that is studying Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and Zinc and their impact on decreasing the prevalence of symptoms seen in new patients with COVID-19. The study results are not yet available, as the study is in its very beginning stages. But this proves that certain vitamins and minerals are important enough to study for overall healthy immunity.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C provides antioxidant protection and support for connective tissue and blood vessel health. It is a water-soluble vitamin, meaning that your body does not store it. You must obtain this powerful antioxidant from food, including citrus fruits, broccoli, and tomatoes or a Vitamin C supplement on a daily basis. It is required to convert protein in Collagen, to protect your heart and lungs, and to support a healthy immune system.†
Zinc
Zinc is an essential mineral required by the body on a daily basis. A sufficient amount of zinc is necessary for proper immune system function and numerous other vital body processes. Common food sources of zinc include oysters, oats, pumpkin seeds, eggs, nuts, meat and peas. According to several university research studies, zinc supplementation may be highly beneficial to boost immunity and support formation of healthy tissue.†
Vitamin D
Vitamin D has become one of the most highly recommended dietary supplements over the last few years by healthcare professionals. Vitamin D is not technically an essential vitamin, since the body naturally synthesizes the “sunshine vitamin” through a chemical reaction between the sun’s UV rays and the cholesterol on your skin. Nevertheless, it has been estimated that approximately 70% of North Americans have Vitamin D deficiencies. This is due to a combination of factors – low levels of sunlight for most of the year, obesity, sun avoidance, and low consumption of foods high in Vitamin D such as fatty fish (salmon, tuna, sardines). Given the high prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency, this could be the most essential of all the conditionally essential vitamins.†
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