Vitmain D Lowers Cancer Risk, Assists Weight Loss

(Article first published as Vitamin D Important in Weight Loss, Cancer Risk Reduction on Technorati.)

The importance of Vitamin D in the battle to lose weight and reduce the risk from many forms of cancer has been largely misunderstood since its discovery in 1922. Researchers have been uncovering the many significant health benefits of this miracle hormone since decoding the human genome, leading to critical discoveries about the interaction of Vitamin D with our DNA and genetic structure.

Low Vitamin D Levels Linked to Cancer and Autoimmune Disorders

The fact that every cell in the human body carriers a receptor for Vitamin D provides a good indicator of just how critical this pro-hormone is to good health and life itself. Vitamin D circulates in the blood, filling the needs of all cells until a saturation level is achieved, and is then stored in fat for future use.

According to the journal Genome Research, when the genetic receptors on each cell are inadequately filled, the incidence of cancer, diabetes, and autoimmune disease such as multiple sclerosis, Chron’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis rise dramatically. It appears that when Vitamin D is locked properly in its cellular receptor, it acts as a molecular instruction manual for healthy cellular function and replication.

Vitamin D Promotes Healthy Weight Loss

Vitamin D is an important nutrient for those trying to lose weight. Information provided to The Endocrine Society confirms that people following a weight loss program supplemented with Vitamin D dropped one-half pound more per week for every 1 ng/mL increase in Vitamin D in the blood, as compared to a control group who didn’t supplement.

Vitamin D helps to lower blood sugar and reverse the effects of insulin resistance, which may explain the weight loss results with Vitamin D supplementation. Additionally, the hormone is known to reduce levels of systemic inflammation which promotes healthy weight reduction. While Vitamin D is not the only key to successful weight loss, it is a powerful tool which should be used to assist your progress, while reaping the many additional health benefits.

Most People are Vitamin D Deficient
Proper Vitamin D levels can only be determined by a simple blood test. Optimal levels run between 50 and 80 ng/mL, yet the vast majority of people test around 25, and some are dangerously low below 20. When the circulating level is low, cellular receptors are not filled and risk of disease jumps dramatically.

Younger individuals make about 20,000 units of Vitamin D from 15 minutes of sun exposure which is sufficient to raise blood levels into the normal range. After age 35, our body becomes inefficient making Vitamin D from sun exposure and supplementing is required. Most people will need to start by supplementing between 4000 and 6000 units per day. Have your blood tested after 90 days to determine if you need more or less.

Vitamin D has been on the health radar of medical researchers for the past decade. Studies regularly confirm that the hormone is essential to our well being, reducing our risk of certain cancers by as much as 78%. Important information also indicates that Vitamin D can assist those individuals trying to lose weight by stabilizing metabolism and lowering inflammation. The benefits of Vitamin D supplementation are incontrovertible, and will help you to lead a longer life with vibrant health.