Protect Your Heart with This Overlooked Vitamin

Health Alert 257

Dear Subscriber:

Ads tout calcium as the cure-all for stronger bones. Even if you didn’t want extra calcium, it’s almost impossible to avoid it these days. There’s calcium in toothpaste, in antacids, in juice drinks, cereals, waffles, snack foods, candy, water, and dairy foods.

Yet today I have more evidence that a commonly overlooked vitamin, not more calcium will make your bones stronger and your heart too. Take a closer look at this vitamin, and the many ways it can help you stay healthy and active.

* Mom Was Right! *

Calcium alone won’t give you stronger bones. Two recent studies show that people also need vitamin D working alongside calcium. In fact, studies show vitamin D helps prevent osteoporosis. And it prevents aches and pains in healthy people that can impact normal daily activities.

What’s more, vitamin D may prevent a host of other diseases. Studies show a link between vitamin D deficiency and diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, high blood pressure, and colon, prostate and breast cancer. One study found 40% to 60% of fibromyalgia cases were related to low vitamin D.1

A recent study at the University of California, San Francisco, discovered that vitamin D slashed heart disease risk in older women by 31 percent. For years, mainstream medicine has been telling us that you don’t need to supplement with vitamin D. They say you can get enough from modern homogenized, pasteurized fortified dairy products. But this study proves them wrong.2

* How to Make Sure You Get Enough *

I recommend you start with your food. Then supplement as needed.

  1. Look for good organic sources of milk, butter, yogurt, and eggs. That way you’ll avoid the hormones and toxins that find their way into products from standard dairies.

  2. As far as sunshine goes, I mentioned back in Health Alert #205 that despite the bad rap it often gets, sunshine is good for you. Just take a few precautions. If you are only out for a few minutes, you don’t need any protection. For longer times, use common sense and avoid burning. Protect your skin with a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher as needed. Wear UV sunglasses to protect your eyes and the delicate skin around your eyes. If you are fair skinned, wear a hat.3

  3. You can also get vitamin D from food sources like salmon, sardines, or even good old cod liver oil.

  4. Have your doctor test your vitamin D levels before you begin supplementing. This is done with the 25(OH) D, also called 25-hydroxyvitamin D test.4

If a supplement is in order, I usually recommend 400 IU per day.5 But after testing, your doctor may recommend more or less depending on your blood levels

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears MD

Sources:

1. Peck, Peggy; Vitamin D Often Overlooked When Treating Osteoporosis; Medscape Medical News, Oct 5, 2004

2. D’s Day; Health Sciences Institute; 4/30/2002

3. Sears A. Dr.; Sunny Days Ahead, HA #205

4. Mercola, Joseph Dr.; Test Values and Treatment for Vitamin D Deficiency; mercola.com

5. Sears, A Dr.; Skip This Popular Pill; Health Alert 193