Eight common diseases linked to vitamin D

deficiency

(NaturalNews) The cure for some of the most common and debilitating health conditions today

may be as elemental as simply correcting a nutrient deficiency that plagues millions of

Westerners: Vitamin D deficiency. Here are eight common diseases that have been scientifically

linked to a chronic lack of vitamin D:

1) Asthma. Though a definitive cause of asthma is still up for debate, recent science points to

vitamin D, and particularly a lack thereof, as a major factor in its prevalence. Especially in

children, vitamin D has been shown to help reduce the severity and prevalence of asthma

symptoms, and may help quell the inflammation responsible for restricting airways and making it

difficult for asthmatics to breathe (http://science.naturalnews.com).

2) Hypertension. A study recently published in the Journal of Investigative Medicine found that

patients with hypertension fared better when their vitamin D levels were boosted. High blood

serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), a marker of vitamin D, were found to help

modulate vascular inflammation and other indicators of high blood pressure

(http://www.vitasearch.com).

3) Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Numerous studies conducted in Europe, India, and the

United States have identified a link between low vitamin D levels and higher rates of Crohn's

disease, ulcerative colitis, and other forms of IBD. Based on this cohort of research, populations

where natural sunlight exposure is limited tend to have higher rates of IBD, and vice versa

(http://www.vitamindcouncil.org).

4) Influenza. It has long been known that influenza rates are highest during the wintertime when

the sun is at its lowest tilt, and exposure to ultraviolet B rays is minimal. This, combined with

research, shows that vitamin D helps boost the immune system, and science is only just

beginning to recognize the flu-fighting potential of maintaining optimal vitamin D levels

(http://www.vitamindcouncil.org).

5) Type-2 Diabetes. A 2011 study published in the journal, AIDS, found that vitamin D

deficiency can exacerbate the symptoms of metabolic syndrome in patients with HIV. But in the

process of learning this, the research team also found that maintaining high vitamin D levels

through sunlight exposure or supplementation can actually help reduce the risk of developing

type-2 diabetes in general (http://science.naturalnews.com).

6) Dental cavities. It has been suspected since at least the mid-1800s that a lack of natural

sunlight exposure is a major cause of poor health. But in recent years, scientists have pinned

specific conditions, including poor dental health, to a lack of vitamin D. Numerous recent studies

have found that optimal levels of vitamin D promote the healthy calcification of teeth, while a

lack of this important nutrient can lead to higher rates of dental cavities

(http://www.vitamindcouncil.org).

7) Rheumatoid arthritis. If you or someone you know suffers from rheumatoid arthritis (RA),

you may want to have your vitamin D levels checked. A recent study out of Canada found a

"considerably strong association" between vitamin D deficiency and RA. In fact, those with the

lowest blood plasma levels of 25(OH)D were found to be up to five times more susceptible to

RA-related diseases than others (http://www.vitasearch.com).

8) Cancer. Whether it is breast, prostate, cervical, colorectal, esophageal, gastric, endometrial,

ovarian, pancreatic, or renal, cancers of all types have been shown to be more prominent among

people with inadequate levels of vitamin D. Conversely, those with the highest levels of vitamin

D, or what are considered "optimal" levels, tend to be the least prone to developing cancer

(http://www.vitamindcouncil.org).

To learn more about vitamin D and the many scientific studies that have been conducted on it in

relation to disease, be sure to check out this categorical listing on the new

Science.NaturalNews.com:

http://science.naturalnews.com

You can also learn more about vitamin D by visiting the Vitamin D Council:

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org

Learn more:

http://www.naturalnews.com/041420_vitamin_D_deficiency_asthma.html#ixzz2aj28oG9l