Vitamin D Tied to Remarkable Health Outcomes

Health experts recommend a daily dose of vitamin D to reap a multitude of benefits but urge caution on dosage.

Vitamin D plays various essential roles in numerous organs and processes. It directly affects genetic pathways, regulates the parathyroid hormones that control calcium levels, and interacts with immune cells, neurons, pancreatic cells, and other bodily functions.

Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to an array of adverse health outcomes. These range from cardiovascular diseases — a leading cause of death in Dallas County amid soaring obesity levels — to allergies.

There has been a great deal of promising research into the benefits of vitamin D beyond just maintaining good health.

Deficient levels of vitamin D have been linked to a higher likelihood of developing several neurological disorders, including anxiety, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and autism.

Vitamin D acts as a regulator of chemicals that support the functions of two very important parts of the brain: the cortex and hippocampus. These two are accountable for memory and cognitive processes, among others.

As such, Dr. Ana Mihalcea, an internist and integrative physician, noted, per The Epoch Times, a correlation between patients experiencing brain fog and vitamin D deficiency.

Dr. John J. Cannell, a psychiatrist, even found that a heightened dose of vitamin D significantly improved symptoms of nearly 80% of children with autism in his study.

Vitamin D has also been linked to the treatment of incurable diseases, including autoimmune disorders and cancer.

In 2019, Dr. Patrick McCullough, a board-certified internist, documented the health improvements experienced by three patients who had been taking high daily doses of vitamin D for several years.

One of his patients with asthma saw attacks decline from five or six severe attacks per year to only one serious attack from 2011 to 2019. Another patient’s ulcerated hand lesion shrank after taking high doses of vitamin D, and one patient with extensive psoriasis saw a dramatic improvement in his condition.

William Grant, an expert on vitamin D, told The Epoch Times that vitamin D acts more like a hormone than a typical vitamin since it directly contributes to establishing health pathways. Because of this, Grant’s research showed that it could actually reduce the incidence of cancer. It blocks the pathways that promote cancer growth and metastasis.

Previous research demonstrating a link between vitamin D deficiency and a higher risk for cancer supports Grant’s claims.

For instance, a 2016 report revealed that women who maintained vitamin D levels above 40 ng/ml had over a 65% lower risk of cancer incidence. Additionally, a 2019 study discovered that colon cancer patients in the end-stage phase exhibited a slower worsening of their symptoms after increasing their vitamin D levels.

It remains uncertain whether vitamin D is beneficial for all types of cancer, as the reason behind patients’ ailments varies from case to case. However, some cases have reported cancer remission after high-dose vitamin D intake, although other factors may also play a role in patients’ recovery.

Vitamin D can be obtained through sun exposure, although this may be challenging for individuals residing in urban areas and spending most of their day indoors. Eating foods like fish, egg yolk, or liver can help introduce more vitamin D to your diet.

Supplements are a practical route for ensuring adequate vitamin D levels are reached. Some supplements include plant-based vitamin D2 or animal-based vitamin D3. While doctors tend to prescribe D2 as it is more accessible on the market, D3 is the preferred option. Scientists have found that the body absorbs it more efficiently, and it remains in the body for an extended period.

Taking vitamin D with K2 and magnesium is also advised, as it will help to prevent vitamin D toxicity.

So, what’s the ideal daily dosage for vitamin D? Well, here is where expert opinion varies.

First, it is important to note that the clinical observations of the studies mentioned involved higher doses of vitamin D than what is considered safe by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

The NIH recommends a daily dose of 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D supplements. Higher doses could result in toxicity and be dangerous.

But several experts argue that these recommendations are inadequate for optimal health. Dr. McCullough, for instance, suggested that the appropriate physiologic dose is 10,000 IUs per day.

This suggestion was echoed by Dr. Mihalcea, per The Epoch Times. However, she noted that patients should speak to their doctors about getting their serum vitamin D levels tested to find the ideal dosage. This is because some health conditions might hinder the absorption of vitamin D by the body. These include inflammation, stress, obesity, and poor gut health.