Vitamin D may become the most talked-about and written-about supplement of the decade. A huge part of the population is deficient in this essential nutrient.
Every tissue in your body, including your brain, heart, muscles and immune system, has receptors for vitamin D, meaning that this nutrient is needed at proper levels for these tissues to function well.
According to the New York Times:
“Studies indicate that the effects of a vitamin D deficiency include an elevated risk of developing (and dying from) cancers of the colon, breast and prostate; high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease; osteoarthritis; and immune-system abnormalities that can result in infections and autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.”
Low levels of vitamin D could account for the high incidence of several chronic diseases in the U.S. For example, he said, in the Northeast, where sun exposure is reduced and vitamin D levels consequently are lower, cancer rates are higher than in the South.