As you may know, our body can’t produce vitamin D without sun exposure, and this molecule plays a much larger role in fighting disease than we once thought.
Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with an increased risk of developing a wide variety of diseases, such as osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke, some cancers, type l diabetes, and multiple sclerosis, tuberculosis and even the flu.
Well, according to research published by the Center for Disease Control in 2011. 8% of Americans are vitamin D deficient, and 25% are considered “at risk” of a deficiency.
There are two ways to ensure you’re getting enough vitamin
- Spend 15-20 minutes in the sun every day, with at least 25% of your skin exposed
- Supplement with it
As most of us aren’t able to take mid-day tanning breaks, supplementation is the answer.
How to Use Vitamin D to Improve Health
A committee of the U.S. Endocrine Society recently convened to review the matter of vitamin D requirements, and concluded that 600-1,000 IU per day is adequate for ages 1-18, and 1,500-2,000 IU per day is adequate for ages 19+.
Furthermore, research has shown that vitamin D magnifies the muscle-building effects of leucine, which is why I take mine with my post-workout meal.