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We have evolved into a generation where our lives are constantly busy – business meetings, reports that need to get done, the kids need to be dropped off at school and then picked up again, food needs to be prepared – these are only a few examples of tasks many people need to accomplish every single day.
During our busy lives, we often fail to consume healthy foods and in many cases opt for unhealthy food choices when we are too busy to prepare a healthy meal for the family – or grab a packet of potato crisps during lunch, and that packet is packed with unsaturated fats and other unhealthy ingredients.
Luckily, there are some little known “secrets” to better health that we can utilize that can help us maintain a healthy body – even when time does not allow us to prepare the healthiest of meals during the day.
Today, we want to focus on one particular health hack that many people fail to realize – this is the fact that vitamin D3 supplements can be used to provide the body with a large number of benefits – ranging from a better mood to bones that are not brittle or weak, here we are going to look at the many health benefits of taking vitamin D3.
How To Obtain Vitamin D?
Before we look at what vitamin D3 can do for you, let’s first take a quick look at how you can obtain vitamin D. Vitamin D3 actually refers to a form of this vitamin that can be obtained through supplements. This is an excellent form of vitamin D that is easily absorbed by the body; thus offering numerous benefits to the human body. Sunlight is also an effective sourced vitamin D.
In addition to taking supplements, there are also numerous food sources that offer a decent amount of vitamin D. Including these in your daily diet can also help you obtain an adequate supply of this vitamin daily.
According to Dr. Axe, high vitamin D foods include cod liver oil, sardines, mackerel, salmon, caviar, raw milk, and tuna [1].
What Does Vitamin D3 Do For Your Health?
Now that you know about the best ways to obtain an adequate supply of vitamin D every single day, let’s look at the numerous health benefits of vitamin D for your body. We are going to look at nine of the most important benefits that this vitamin has for your body.
1. Anti-Inflammatory
Let’s start by discussing how vitamin D is effective in acting as an anti-inflammatory substance in the human body. It is important to realize that inflammation has been linked to the development of numerous diseases and health conditions.
Cancer might be one of the most severe conditions that can be caused by chronic inflammation. A report that was published on Science Daily explains that a recent study found that adequate levels of vitamin D inhibit the body’s inflammatory response; thus reducing the risk of chronic inflammatory conditions and thereby also lowering the risk of developing diseases that may be caused by inflammation [2].
2. Skin Care
If you have ever asked the question “Is Vitamin D3 good for your skin?” – then this section is for you. Clear Skin Forever explains that vitamin D has numerous benefits for the skin [3]. Firstly, it acts as an anti-aging regimen by reducing the appearance of wrinkles and also making the skin stronger and softer at the same time. Since vitamin D has anti-inflammatory properties, it is also beneficial for reducing acne.
3. Testosterone
This particular section refers to a benefit of vitamin D3 for men. There has been a significant amount of studies performed to determine the benefits that this particular vitamin has for men, and it is often found that a low level of vitamin D is usually associated with a low testosterone level in men.
For this reason, when vitamin D and testosterone levels are low, the supplementation of vitamin D3 may assist with increasing testosterone synthesis. According to Anabolic Men, testosterone can be boosted by as much as 25% with proper supplementation of vitamin D [4].
4. Beats The Flu
Each year, up to 20% of the entire American population gets the flu at least once. Flu also causes as much as 200,000 hospitalizations every year and as much as 49,000 people may die [5] from a condition that is flu-related each year, as reported by WebMD. According to Independent UK, a recent study has found that taking a daily supplement of vitamin D can help people fight off the development of flu, as well as other types of respiratory infections [6].
5. Treats Depression
Depression affects millions of people and can lead to symptoms such as low self-esteem, detachment from friends and social gatherings, and more. In severe cases, depression may even lead to suicide.
With the side-effects of depression treatments in mind, it is great news that new evidence suggests vitamin D to be a potentially effective natural treatment option for depression, according to Research Article.
It is, however, important to note that it seems like this vitamin is only effective when a depressed individual has a vitamin D deficiency [7].
6. Improves Calcium Absorption
Calcium is one of the most important nutrients to be found in the body and is classified as a mineral. Approximately 99% of all calcium is found within the teeth and bones in the body.
Calcium assists by supporting both the function and structure of bones. The National Institutes of Health explains that the remaining 1% of calcium assists with vasodilation, nerve transmission, hormone secretion, intracellular signaling and muscle function [8].
Vitamin D is known to be essential for calcium absorption as this vitamin helps the body better absorb calcium so that it can be distributed throughout the body and toward the bones.
7. Relieves Muscle Cramps
While we have already discussed the fact that vitamin D helps the body with calcium absorption and prevent bone pain, we should also mention the fact that vitamin D deficiency may cause muscle weakness and muscle cramps.
According to Livestrong, a low level of vitamin D may also cause tingling sensations and numbness, as well as muscle twitching [9].
8. Improves Heart Health
Heart health should be one of the most important parts of the body for every person. When heart health is not properly addressed, life-threatening diseases like heart failure can develop.
The American College of Cardiology reports that recent studies found vitamin D to be essential in patients who have been diagnosed with heart failure as the vitamin helps to improve overall cardiac function in these patients [10].
9. Controls Insulin Response
Type 2 diabetes affects millions of people around the world and can cause deadly symptoms to develop. This disease can lead to the early death of a patient and can significantly reduce their quality of life.
Fortunately, scientific studies have found that adequate intake of vitamin D can assist with improving the way the body controls its insulin response and is also able to assist with glucose regulation.
This, in turn, reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and, should it be diagnosed already, it may help to keep the disease under control.
Vitamin D3 Supplement – Conclusion
When life starts to get out of hand and your schedule seems to be too busy to attend to your own wellbeing, it is important to remember the numerous health hacks that can be utilized to support a healthy body even when on a busy schedule.
Taking one of the best vitamin D3 supplement is a perfect example of how you can improve your wellbeing, even when you are rushing to get things done.
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[2] How vitamin D inhibits inflammation: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120223103920.htm
[3] Vitamin D and the skin: Focus on a complex relationship: A review: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4642156/
[4] Vitamin D and Testosterone: 3332IU for 25% More Androgens: https://anabolicmen.com/vitamin-d-testosterone/
[5] What Are Your Odds of Getting the Flu?: https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/flu-statistics
[6] Vitamin D supplements 'the key to beating colds and flu', study finds: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/health-vitamin-d-supplements-cold-virus-influenza-flu-respiratory-infections-bones-muscle-a7582791.html
[7] Vitamin D and Depression: Where is all the Sunshine?: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2908269/#!po=1.78571
[8] Calcium: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/
[9] Nutrition Basics: https://www.livestrong.com/article/28601-vitamin-d-deficiency-cause-muscle/
[10] Vitamin D Supplements May Improve Cardiac Function in Heart Failure Patients: https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2016/03/23/18/25/mon-2pm-vindicate-vitamin-d-supplementation-improves-cardiac-function-in-patients-with-chronic-hf-acc-2016