Benefits During The Winter
Vitamin D Benefits for Winter Blues
During winter, where the day is almost always gray and the sun rarely shines, you might be unable to get your daily-recommended dose of vitamin D through sunshine exposure. However, you should not let this kind of problem stop you from acquiring adequate amounts of the precious vitamin as it is during these times where you need it the most.
Vitamin D, Depression and Mood Management
Deficiency in vitamin D is strongly connected with depression as well as other mood-related problems that cause mood swings and other cognitive and psychological problems. This might be the reason why winter is seen as gloomy and depressing. Keeping your vitamin D levels high during the winter is very important, particularly for people aged 60 years old and above as their ability to produce this vitamin has already reduced greatly.
Dutch researchers conducted a study in 2008, which presented a group consisting of 1,000 participants who are 65 years old and above. They were suffering from certain mood disorders and depression and they also had significantly low levels of vitamin D compared to those who were not suffering from depression. This particular study strengthens other many studies made, which have suggested that moderate to serious mood problems were closely related to the low levels of vitamin D.
However, older people are not the only ones who need to monitor their vitamin D levels and keep it at a healthy high. It has also been found that the use of vitamin D supplements to ensure adequate amounts of the vitamin are acquired daily can help control mood-related symptoms caused by pre-menstrual syndrome.
Vitamin D and Your Immune System in The Winter
A 2009 study made by in Tokyo at the Jikei University School if Medicine, as well as other international researches, have indicated that acquiring adequate vitamin D levels is the most effective means to preventing the onset of the flu. The study done in Tokyo were done with several hundred children aged 6 – 15 years old, half of which were only given placebos while the other half were provided with 1200 IUs of vitamin daily.
It was then found that the children who only took placebos were twice likely to acquire flu infection as compared to the children who took the vitamin D supplements. The study made note of the unavailability of flu vaccines, as well as commonly prescribed anti-virals, that are as effective as vitamin D supplements when it comes to preventing the acquisition of flu infection.
Vitamin D has been recognized as a crucial factor that supports the immune system, which allows the body to fight off flus, colds, and other respiratory system infections that are a common occurrence during the winter season.
Alertness, Strength, and Well Being
Medical studies have already proven and have stressed out how important it is to have adequate amounts of vitamin D on a daily basis. This particular vitamin helps the body fight off diseases and also increases mental awareness. With sufficient amounts of vitamin D in the body, the heart becomes healthy, the muscles develop well, and the bones remain strong and healthy even as you age. Improved cognitive function as well is another benefit people over 50 can acquire through making sure that they are getting their daily-recommended vitamin D levels.
