Vitamin D in Action

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From reports in medical journals and on the evening news, to the articles and personal accounts of health transformation circulating on the web, it seems that the impact of the vitamin D deficiency epidemic is now truly beginning to enter public awareness.

We received an enormous response to our recent article, Vitamin D: A Quick Guide to the Sunshine Vitamin, and it feels as though more than ever, people are recognizing the important role that vitamin D plays in restoring and maintaining health. We are seeing with greater frequency than ever, reports in the news media about the potential of supplemental vitamin D to combat disease. On top of these reports, we hear personal stories almost daily, from our customers, friends and acquaintances, who have experienced significant improvements in their health and overall quality of life, as a result of supplementing with vitamin D. Earlier this year, we received this stunning example of a vitamin D success story from Sheila L., a Stop Aging Now customer from Westminster, Colorado:

I have been undergoing splint and osteopathic treatments for over a year and a half for shattered bilateral temporomandibular joints. I have been progressing in a yo-yo pattern, but overall, struggling. After reading about the benefits of vitamin D for people with auto-affective disorder, I saw that a “side-effect” of taking higher doses of vitamin D was that people with TMJ symptoms had their symptoms disappear. Well, in that I am growing new bones I thought I had nothing to lose.

Within six weeks of starting liquid vitamin D daily, I am out of my splint and my doctors are amazed at my sudden upward turn. I can’t say for sure, but I certainly suspect the vitamin D turned the tide in my favor. After all, it’s the only new thing I’ve been doing!

-Sheila L.

It’s amazing that something as simple and inexpensive as taking a vitamin D supplement could create such an overwhelmingly positive change in a person’s life.

Over the weekend, Dr. John Cannell of the Vitamin D Council wrote in his Vitamin D Newsletter about the positive effects of vitamin D supplementation on athletic performance. The Chicago Blackhawks (Chicago’s professional hockey team) has apparently, been incredibly successful this season. They’re headed for the Stanley Cup finals, which means they’re in the running to win hockey’s highest honor, despite having many previous losing seasons. The secret to their success? It could quite possibly be vitamin D. Dr. Cannell writes:

According to my sources, the Chicago Blackhawk team physicians began diagnosing and treating vitamin D deficiency in all Blackhawk players about 18 months ago. Apparently, most players are on 5,000 IU per day.

After many losing seasons, last year the Blackhawks came out of nowhere to get to the Western conference finals. This year they are playing even better.

According to my sources, improved athletic performance is only one of the benefits for the Blackhawk players. The other is a reduction in the number and severity of colds and flu and a reduction in the number and severity of repetitive use injuries.

(Excerpted from the Vitamin D Newsletter, May 2010. You can read the newsletter in full here.)

I’ve actually wondered about the effects of heavy indoor practice schedules on the health of professional hockey players. From what I understand, they practice for many hours nearly every day on indoor ice rinks, with not a ray of sunlight in sight. So it doesn’t surprise me that all of the Blackhawk players were diagnosed as vitamin D deficient. According to Dr. Cannell, there have also been at least a few research studies which have shown that vitamin D supplementation can in fact enhance athletic performance.

Also over the weekend, an article written by Dr. Mark Hyman titled, Vitamin D: Why You Are Probably NOT Getting Enough and How That Makes You Sick, appeared on the popular news and opinion website, The Huffington Post, and was circulated widely on the web. It’s a fantastic article, and in it, Dr. Hyman implicates vitamin D deficiency as a “hidden cause of much suffering that is easy to treat.” He even goes as far as to say that “the economic burden due to vitamin D insufficiency in the United States is $40-$53 billion per year. This can be corrected for pennies a person per day.”

It certainly seems that the potential impact of vitamin D supplementation on the health of individuals in the U.S. and throughout the world, not to mention society as a whole, is becoming apparent to a growing number of people. Much of this increase in awareness, I think, is a direct result of the work of organizations like the Vitamin D Council and Grassroots Health. It’s encouraging to see that the vitamin D movement is building momentum. And I say, let’s act now to keep it going! There’s a lot you can do to help spread the word. Here are some ideas:

• Share vitamin D news articles and personal stories with your social circle by forwarding emails, posting on social sites like Facebook or Twitter or linking to them on your blog.

• Support organizations like the Vitamin D Council and Grassroots Health financially by making a donation or otherwise by volunteering your time. These non-profit organizations rely on financial support from individuals and corporate sponsors to help them procure the resources they need to represent the interests of the public with regards to vitamin D.

• Encourage your friends and family members to get their vitamin D levels checked next time they go to the doctor. Explain to them about how vitamin D deficiency can impact health and longevity.

• Be a living example! Get your vitamin D levels checked, supplement your diet according to your doctor’s instructions and continue to monitor your levels until they are in the optimal range. Then, be sure to tell others about your success with vitamin D.

Many of you may have already experienced major improvements in your health and wellbeing as a result of making a conscious effort to increase your vitamin D levels. If you have, please leave a comment below and share your story!

Tags: vitamin d, Vitamin D Council, vitamin d deficiency