Strength and Health Through Synergy

There are benefits of Vitamin D for Menopause as there are for any other stage of life. The truth is that Vitamin D is much more than a drug, a supplement, a nutrient. It is a powerful steroid hormone that is naturally produced in our bodies when we have sufficient exposure to the sun without sunscreen.

You might be thinking “what about the danger of getting skin cancer because of the exposure to the sun?” Well, you’re not supposed to spend the whole day in the sun and get sunburned. The secret here is moderation as in other many things in life. Scientific studies show that a healthy person having unprotected exposure to the sun for 10 to 15 minutes a day, 3 times a week is going to produce sufficient Vitamin D all year around.

However, there are certain circumstances that may interfere in the absorption of the sun such as skin pigment, obesity, kidney disease, age, low estrogen, and geographical location. The darker a person is the harder it is for him/her to make Vitamin D because his skin works as a sunscreen. Someone who is obese cannot make sufficient Vitamin D because this nutrient is fat soluble and gets stuck in it, not giving the person any benefit. Unfortunately, someone with kidney disease cannot naturally make any Vitamin D at all because this vitamin has to go through the kidney before it can be used by the body. As the person ages the harder it is for him/her to naturally make vitamin D. There is a connection between low levels of estrogen and Vitamin D deficiency, even though we still don’t know exactly how this sex hormone affects the synthesizing of Vitamin D. People who live above the equator or far from it cannot make Vitamin D at all during most part of the year, except for summer and perhaps, spring.

There are definite benefits of Vitamin D for menopausal women such as better absorption of calcium; renewal and building of the bones; prevention of bone diseases such as osteoporosis – frail bones or osteomalacia – soft bones; minimizing of mood swings and depression; prevention of age-related illnesses such as cardiovascular diseases, colon and breast cancers, diabetes, and obesity.

The combination of Vitamin D and calcium is translated into healthy bones and no chance for bone illnesses. With the hormonal changes in the body, menopausal women are prone to depression and mood swings which according to medical studies can be minimized with the intake of Vitamin D. Plenty of studies show that prevention of colon and breast cancer is possible for women with sufficient levels of Vitamin D in their bodies. There is connection in adequate levels of Vitamin D and better usage of insulin in the body, minimizing the start of diabetes. There is a connection between calcium and Vitamin D supplementation with prevention of weight gain in women.

It’s good to know that the whole family can benefit from great nutrient. However, the benefits of Vitamin D for menopausal women should be taken most seriously. What I mean is if you have not been supplementing up to this point in life, there is still time to remedy your situation. Supplementing with the appropriate dosages of Vitamin D and calcium will not only help you to prevent the above mentioned age-related diseases, but also allow you to age gracefully without complications.

Come now, women, don’t be like an ostrich burying your head in the sand, pretending you don’t know the truth about the benefits of Vitamin D. The earlier you start your Vitamin D and calcium intake the better.

If you would like to listen to a 10-minute free interview with Dr. Holick, please click here.

To your health!

Ligia Fleckenstein

Vitamin D and depression are like day versus night. Really, Vitamin D is the antithesis to depression. In fact a book called The Invisible Plague: The Rise of Mental Illness from 1750 to the Present shows almost three hundred years of a worsening picture and D is the antidote.

We see it in industrialized nations, and we’re on the lookout for what will surely happen in the developing nations. So far so good, but if what happened to the western world happens elsewhere there will be more than fifty per cent depression to deal with worldwide.

In essence go without enough Vitamin D and depression shows up as:

1) in children—irritability, loss of interest in school, decline in academic performance, clingy, demanding, dependent, insecure, moody

2) in adults—low mood affects relationships, preoccupation with regret, not able to enjoy previously liked activities, wake early, not be able to get back to sleep; recent onset of forgetfulness, noticeable slowing down in older adults

In ordinary depression one in five people benefit from bright light to help  slow-acting anti-depressants and get them to respond to the drug. Also, those with winter depression respond to morning light therapy, while you’d be better off with evening light therapy if you’re not particularly seasonally affected. So if you’re light deprived consider phototherapy.

Generally speaking, depression is one overall low mood. Are you bummed out? If you are you’re twice as likely to be a woman, which still leaves you half as likely to be a man. In fact Ebenezer Scrooge was a grumpy old man, and when he snapped out of it no one could recognize him at first. If you’re taking the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin D and depression is still with you, make sure it’s high quality D3 and take more!

In our society if you talk about depression and reach out you’ll be managed most likely with dope, either self-medicating or prescribed by doctors.

You know, it’s hard to get dozens of studies of the kind that we need on Vitamin D3. But we’ve known that since 1999 that 100,000 IU of Vitamin D given as a one-time oral dose improved depression scales better than light therapy in a small group of patients with seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

This might just be the key to “non-compliance”, that is: having to take a dose every single day, and remember to do it. And you’ll have to trust me on this one: you cannot overdose on Vitamin D. In fact you’d have to have it in a bowl like cereal and start eating D like granola if you are looking to come close to some kind of non-existent contraindication.

It’s just a matter of the same old song about big pharmaceutical companies not being able to patent the sun or some “magical” nutrient that is free. So sad. Speaking of SAD, a noticeable “seasonal affective disorder”, it has its own name that’s not so funny if you’re suffering from it. We talk about February being a “write-off” in that we predict that we will not be motivated no matter what we plan in the high sun months of summer. That’s in Canada but what about the rest of the world?

A Finnish study showed their people did not have a seasonal variation in their Vitamin D blood levels, which was low all year round. Somehow they just were not able to build up to a high level in the peak months of summer, to benefit them for the winter. It seems to take about five months to really get it up there, but fortunately with awareness you can build it up at any time.

Perhaps this is the draw of people to the warmer climes during winter…not only do you get your D levels up and start smiling, but you don’t have to hang out with the rest of the depressed population, especially if you’re senior and you can stay away longer.

With awareness, it’s a different story. You can get out there and get your D without any fear from the naysayers, stand your ground and be happy to boot.

Here’s the correlation that you’ll note in your research: we don’t get enough sunlight because of tall buildings, or being in buildings, pollution, driving everywhere, clothes, sunblock and fear.

The up side is my friend has attained benefits in a very short time even though on anti-depressants. So, what are you going to do with Vitamin D and depression? We’ve done the research and come to the conclusion of supplementation to augment your sun-loving self.

To hear what world renowned researcher Dr. Michael Holick has to say download his interview here

Cathy Fletcher

Causes of Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D Related Illnesses

Benefits of Vitamin D Lens