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Vitamin D Deficiency Fuels Autoimmune Conditions, Dysregulating Immune Function

The AHA! Team — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 05:12:13 +0000

Lance D Johnson via Natural News – Autoimmune diseases have surged in lockstep with declining vitamin D levels, exposing a troubling paradox: as modern medicine advances, immune dysregulation grows more prevalent. Vitamin D transcends its common label as the “sunshine vitamin” by serving as a cornerstone of immune function and systemic health. Surprisingly, nearly one-third of Americans suffer from dangerously low levels, leaving them vulnerable to chronic illness. Recent scientific investigations highlight how this unseen deficiency exacerbates autoimmune conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis, while also amplifying systemic inflammation. Beyond individual health, this crisis reflects broader societal failures — corporate interests have vilified sun exposure, public health policies neglect nutritional education, and modern lifestyles deprive people of natural vitamin D synthesis. Far from accidental, this deficiency epidemic highlights a troubling disconnect between our biological needs and the systems shaping our daily lives. Key points: Vitamin D regulates immune function, distinguishing between healthy cells and pathogens while suppressing inflammatory markers linked to autoimmunity. Deficiency escalates autoimmune risks, with studies showing 55% of rheumatoid arthritis patients and 42% of lupus sufferers lack sufficient levels. Low vitamin D correlates with MS progression, as every 10 ng/ml drop increases neuronal damage by 15%. Women face heightened vulnerability, with hormonal imbalances and conditions like PCOS exacerbating deficiency. Daily supplementation (5,000 IU) is essential to counteract food scarcity and sun deprivation. Vitamin D as the immune system’s master regulator Vitamin D is not merely a passive nutrient; it actively trains the immune system to distinguish between healthy cells and foreign pathogens. It accomplishes this by modulating inflammatory responses and suppressing autoimmune reactions. For instance, vitamin D promotes the production of regulatory T-cells, which act as immune peacekeepers by preventing misguided attacks on the body’s own tissues. Without sufficient levels, these protective mechanisms falter, allowing inflammation to spiral unchecked. Studies demonstrate that low vitamin D correlates with elevated autoimmune risks — 55% of rheumatoid arthritis patients and 42% of lupus patients exhibit significant deficiencies. Similarly, multiple sclerosis progression accelerates with each 10 ng/ml drop in vitamin D levels, increasing neuronal damage by 15-32%. Given these findings, maintaining optimal vitamin D status is not optional — it is a critical defense against immune dysfunction. The autoimmune crisis and vitamin D’s protective role Autoimmune diseases have surged in lockstep with declining vitamin D levels, exposing a troubling paradox: as modern medicine advances, immune dysregulation grows more prevalent. Functional medicine experts, such as Dr. Jennifer Bourgeois, emphasize that vitamin D deficiency disrupts immune tolerance — an essential process that prevents the body from attacking itself. Research published in Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology confirms that rheumatoid arthritis patients disproportionately suffer from insufficient vitamin D, while lupus studies reveal similar trends. Multiple sclerosis patients with low vitamin D levels face faster disease progression and more severe brain lesions. This data underscores vitamin D’s role in quelling inflammatory cytokines — molecules that fuel autoimmune destruction. To reverse this crisis, proactive intervention is essential, starting with widespread supplementation and sunlight exposure. Corporate interests, sunlight phobia and systemic sabotage Decades of corporate messaging have falsely demonized sun exposure, branding it as inherently dangerous while ignoring its role in vitamin D synthesis. The beauty and pharmaceutical industries have profited from this fear, aggressively marketing sunscreens and indoor lifestyles that disrupt natural vitamin D production. Dr. Katie Golden highlights the consequences: Over 20 million Americans now struggle with autoimmune conditions, many linked to chronic deficiency. Compounding the issue, modern dietary trends fail to fill this gap — breast milk often lacks sufficient vitamin D, and children weaned onto nutrient-poor juices risk deficiency early in life. Even vaccinations lose efficacy in individuals with low vitamin D, illustrating its broader immunological impact. Corporate profits from cosmetics and sunscreen overshadow an inconvenient truth: many beauty products contain toxins linked to autoimmune disease, while vitamin D itself helps detoxify such harmful compounds. A roadmap to recovery: Rebuilding immunity through vitamin D Restoring vitamin D to optimal levels — ideally above 50 ng/ml — requires daily supplementation, ideally 5,000 IU or more. While nutrient-dense foods like grass-fed liver and fatty fish offer support, modern lifestyles make supplementation indispensable. For women, addressing deficiency is particularly urgent; sufficient vitamin D halves breast cancer risk and mitigates conditions like PCOS. Despite these benefits, conventional medicine often overlooks deficiency’s role in disorders ranging from autism to diabetes. Functional medicine experts stress that autoimmune disease is not inevitable — rather, it results from systemic neglect of foundational health strategies. By prioritizing vitamin D replenishment, individuals can reclaim immune resilience and break the cycle of chronic illness. The solution lies not in passive acceptance but in proactive self-advocacy, demanding better public health policies and rejecting corporate-driven misinformation about sunlight and supplementation. The vitamin D crisis is a preventable epidemic rooted in misinformation and profit-driven health policies. Autoimmune disorders, chronic inflammation, and rising disease burdens need not be inevitable — they reflect measurable nutritional gaps. Achieving widespread immune resilience requires rejecting fear-based narratives about sun exposure, embracing supplementation when necessary, and demanding transparency from industries that prioritize profits over health. Sources include: MindBodyGreen.com Pubmed.gov Pubmed.gov To read the original article, click here

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Fungus Breaks Down Ocean Plastic

The AHA! Team — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 08:39:26 +0000

Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research via EurekAlert! – A fungus living in the sea can break down the plastic polyethylene, provided it has first been exposed to UV radiation from sunlight. Researchers from, among others, NIOZ published their results in the scientific journal Science of the Total Environment. They expect that many more plastic degrading fungi are living in deeper parts of the ocean. The fungus Parengyodontium album lives together with other marine microbes in thin layers on plastic litter in the ocean. Marine microbiologists from the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) discovered that the fungus is capable of breaking down particles of the plastic polyethylene (PE), the most abundant of all plastics that have ended up in the ocean. The NIOZ researchers cooperated with colleagues from Utrecht University, the Ocean Cleanup Foundation and research institutes in Paris, Copenhagen and St Gallen, Switzerland. The finding allows the fungus to join a very short list of plastic-degrading marine fungi: only four species have been found to date. A larger number of bacteria was already known to be able to degrade plastic. Follow the degradation process accurately The researchers went to find the plastic degrading microbes in the hotspots of plastic pollution in the North Pacific Ocean. From the plastic litter collected, they isolated the marine fungus by growing it in the laboratory, on special plastics that contain labelled carbon. Vaksmaa: “These so-called 13C isotopes remain traceable in the food chain. It is like a tag that enables us to follow where the carbon goes. We can then trace it in the degradation products.” Vaksmaa is thrilled about the new finding: “What makes this research scientifically outstanding, is that we can quantify the degradation process.” In the laboratory, Vaksmaa and her team observed that the breakdown of PE by P. album occurs at a rate of about 0.05 per cent per day. “Our measurements also showed that the fungus doesn’t use much of the carbon coming from the PE when breaking it down. Most of the PE that P. album uses is converted into carbon dioxide, which the fungus excretes again.” AltThough CO2 is a greenhouse gas, this process is not something that might pose a new problem: the amount released by fungi is the same as the low amount humans release while breathing. Only under the influence of UV The presence of sunlight is essential for the fungus to use PE as an energy source, the researchers found. Vaksmaa: “In the lab, P. album only breaks down PE that has been exposed to UV-light at least for a short period of time. That means that in the ocean, the fungus can only degrade plastic that has been floating near the surface initially,” explains Vaksmaa. “It was already known that UV-light breaks down plastic by itself mechanically, but our results show that it also facilitates the biological plastic breakdown by marine fungi.” Other fungi out there As a large amount of different plastics sink into deeper layers before it is exposed to sunlight, P.album will not be able to break them all down. Vaksmaa expects that there are other, yet unknown, fungi out there that are degrading plastic as well, in deeper parts of the ocean. “Marine fungi can break down complex materials made of carbon. There are numerous amounts of marine fungi, so it is likely that in addition to the four species identified so far, other species also contribute to plastic degradation. There are still many questions about the dynamics of how plastic degradation takes place in deeper layers,” says Vaksmaa. Plastic soup Finding plastic-degrading organisms is urgent. Every year, humans produce more than 400 billion kilograms of plastic, and this is expected to have at least triple by the year 2060. Much of the plastic waste ends up in the sea: from the poles to the tropics, it floats around in surface waters, reaches greater depths at sea and eventually falls down on the seafloor. Lead author Annika Vaksmaa of NIOZ: “Large amounts of plastics end up in subtropical gyres, ring-shaped currents in oceans in which seawater is almost stationary. That means once the plastic has been carried there, it gets trapped there. Some 80 million kilograms of floating plastic have already accumulated in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre in the Pacific Ocean alone, which is only one of the six large gyres worldwide.” Journal Science of The Total Environment DOI 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172819 To read the original article click here.

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Bringing Sunlight Indoors for Better Health

The AHA! Team — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 08:24:34 +0000

Brian Blum via Israel21c – Solight collects natural light and directs it through a series of tubes to illuminate the indoors through holes in the tube or light fixtures. “Human beings are out of sync,” says Ofer Becker, CTO of Haifa-based startup Solight. Indeed, because most of us in the Western world spend so much time indoors, we’ve lost our connection to natural sunlight. And that can lead to health problems, from a lack of healing Vitamin D to a lack of sleep-facilitating melatonin. The body’s circadian rhythm – the biological clock that regulates the sleep/wake cycle and much more – is also highly affected by sunlight exposure. Spending more time outdoors is the simple answer, but that’s not so easy when you work 9-5 in an office. That’s the issue Becker and his Solight cofounder, his brother and company CEO Dror Becker, set out to solve with Solight. The company’s technology collects natural sunlight from outdoors and directs it through a series of tubes indoors, where it can illuminate a room through holes in the tube or light fixtures attached to those openings. There are financial savings, of course – if you can light a home or office with natural sunlight, you use less electricity – but the real benefit, Becker tells ISRAEL21c, has to do with health. Stronger than a drug In one Korean research study Becker cited, natural sunlight increased the recovery time of hospital patients by an average of 30 percent. Hospitalizations were 8% shorter after orthopedic surgery, 18% less after pediatric surgery, and nearly 10% less after urological, ophthalmologic or dental surgery. Sleep is critical to healing and sunlight plays perhaps the deciding factor. “Natural sunlight is stronger than any kind of drug to cure insomnia,” Becker explains, citing data from the Good Light Group. Just 20 minutes outside in strong sunlight near the end of the day can make a huge difference. Proper lighting can also improve mood, increase concentration and, in general, synchronize one’s internal biological clock with the outside environment. Becker points to research showing that worker productivity increases up to 18% when buildings have more natural lighting. Retail sales have been shown to jump by 25% when lighting is improved. A Cornell study found that letting natural light into hospital nurses’ workstations had a measurably positive effect on alertness and mood. A 1999 study by the Heschong Mahone Group reported that “daylighting” elementary schools resulted in a 20% faster progression by students in math and 25% faster progression in reading. A periscope approach To bring natural sunlight indoors, Solight has adopted a relatively low-tech approach. Other than the solar collector, the SOLIS system has no moving parts or electronics and requires little or no maintenance. Solight’s first focus is on commercial installations — offices, factories, school and hospitals up to five stories tall. Because Solight’s process requires hands-on, third-party installation for each customer, “high-rise buildings require too many modifications,” Becker explains. While Solight has integrated its technology into some new buildings, retrofitting existing infrastructure makes up the lion’s share of the market. Upfront design and consultation can be done in less than a day, Becker adds. Solight’s components can be mixed and matched like LEGO bricks, so installation can be as quick as three hours. Solight first puts a collector on a rooftop or southern façade. The collector is then attached to a “light guide” – a reflective tube in which light travels in real time. “It’s similar to the periscope in a submarine,” Becker explains. “Light comes in the top, travels through an optical system, and leaves via the bottom. We do not store or transform the light.” Paying customers Launched in 2012, Solight devoted the first six years to perfecting its technology. Now it’s actively supplying natural sunlight solutions to clients in Israel, plus a couple of projects under development in India. Paying customers include Israel Railways, which has installed Solight’s technology in its Beersheva depot; the four-year-old Kedma hotel in Sde Boker in Israel’s Negev desert; the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and the Bazan refinery, both in Haifa; a preschool in Ramat Gan; the Arava Agri-Research Institute in Ein Yahav; the Eilat municipality’s education network; and Kfar Saba’s recycling and sustainability center. Soon, the system will be installed in 10 buildings in Tel Aviv that are being refurbished. All told, Solight has 23 systems installed in Israel, although the company is not at a mass production level yet. It currently costs around $10,000 for a Solight system to be installed for a commercial building. Becker is working to slash that figure in half. Sunshine on a cloudy day There are other companies working on channeling natural sunlight indoors – Becker cites Velux and SolaTube, both of which are “doing fantastic work. However, our system is more efficient by a factor of three for direct sunlight and a factor of four to five when there are clouds.” While other systems can cease operating when conditions are cloudy or hazy, he adds, “We remain proportional. If we have half the sunlight on a cloudy day, you still get half the sunlight inside.” On days when some artificial light is necessary, Solight suggests that customers make up the difference using dimmer switches or a smart-home system (such as those from Apple and Amazon) to add the proper amount of indoor lighting. Despite Solight’s ability to shuttle light from outside to inside, little heat is generated. At the Kedma, Becker explains, the indoor temperature rose two to three degrees, which can be easily compensated for by air conditioning. How much natural sunlight does one need? Direct sunlight has the power of 100,000 lux, Becker points out. That’s way too much for indoors, where only 500 lux is recommended by The Good Light Group. Solight uses indirect reflection towards, say, a ceiling to bring down the intensity. Dispersing the light over a wider area will also reduce its strength. Doing business during a war Solight has raised money from the Israel Innovation Authority, the European Union’s Horizon 2020 program and private investors. The Israeli ministries of the environment and energy have chipped in support, as well. Since October 7, however, the sun has not shone as brightly for Solight, which is based in the Haifa district on Tirat Hacarmel. Overseas investment in Israeli startups has plummeted since the war against Hamas in Gaza began. The money the company raised in 2021 has run out. “We had to let some people go, even though all of our recent projects have been profitable with a nice margin,” says Becker. Only the Becker brothers remain on payroll – and not even that, as Ofer has spent 120 days over the past seven months in the IDF reserves and has been called up for another two months. But meanwhile, recognition of the importance of natural sunlight is growing. The European Union has issued guidelines for how much outside lighting new buildings must support. Becker says that could reach up to 30% of all buildings in Europe by 2030. “The 20 or so installations we’ve done are just a drop in the bucket of potential,” Becker says. Even Apple has added light measuring abilities to its latest Watch. While the future may be bright, for now at least, Becker says, “We just have to survive long enough.” For more information, click here. To read the original article click here.

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Study Shows Adequate Sunlight Exposure May Protect Against Autoimmune Disease

AHA Publisher — Mon, 23 May 2022 07:00:23 +0000

Patrick Tims via NaturalHealth365 – According to a recent study done at the University of California – San Francisco, exposure to the sun can protect youngsters and young adults against multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune diseases. The scientists found that exposure to the sun’s UV rays increases vitamin D and might help prevent autoimmune diseases. Though parents have certainly been warned about subjecting their little ones to too much sun, the truth is the sun has its benefits. Not to mention that slathering on commercial sunscreens with potentially harmful chemicals poses a danger, now there is even more reason to let kids, tweens, teens, and adults enjoy the sun without excessive worry. Sunlight May Reduce Risk of MS, Research Suggests MS, short for multiple sclerosis, might be less likely to develop in individuals subjected to sunlight in considerable amounts at a relatively young age. The study referenced above indicates an association between heightened exposure to ultraviolet light and a reduction in the chances of developing MS. However, it must also be noted that significant exposure to sunlight without protection has the potential to heighten the chances of skin cancer. The study pertained to slightly more than 330 individuals between the ages of 3 and 22. The study participants had MS for an average period of seven months. As revealed in the web-based issue of Neurology, the result of the study was officially made available to the public in December of 2021. Responses to study inquiries showed that about 20% spent less than half an hour outdoors one summer ago. Only 6% of those without MS spent less than half an hour outside during the summer. The study showed that those who averaged half an hour to a full hour outside had a 52% less risk for developing MS when compared to individuals who spent less than half an hour outdoors on summer days. Sun Exposure Is More Important Than Most Think The key takeaway from the study is that the sun has meaningful benefits. Exposure to sunlight enhances vitamin levels, stimulates the skin’s immune cells that help protect against MS, and possibly even alters the functionality of immune cells to help guard against autoimmune diseases and maintain optimum health. It is interesting to note that some MS patients show symptoms during their childhood though the disease usually doesn’t fully manifest until the adult years of 20 to 50. Here Is Why Geography Is Important in the Context of MS The researchers also pointed out that those involved in the study who live in Florida were more than 20% less likely to develop MS than those living in New York state. The reduced chance of developing MS is likely the result of the heightened sunlight intensity in Florida. The study also revealed that exposure to the sun provides benefits dependent on the dose. In other words, the more time that one spends exposed to the sun, the lower the risk is for MS and other autoimmune disorders. It is also interesting to note that the study reveals exposure to the sun’s rays in the initial year of life also played an important role in protecting against the development of MS. One final warning, if you’re concerned about MS, do everything you can to avoid the consumption of artificial sweeteners. Click here for more information about the dangers of artificial sweeteners. Sources for this article include: ScienceDaily.com

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Study Suggests Natural UV Radiation Protects Against Coronavirus

AHA Publisher — Fri, 10 Jul 2020 07:00:55 +0000

Dr. Liji Thomas, MD via News-Medical Net – A new study by scientists at the University of Edinburgh and published on the preprint server medRxiv* in July 2020 suggests an interesting link between ultraviolet A radiation and deaths due to COVID-19. While this is an observational study, which means that direct inferences cannot be drawn from this finding, it does, however, suggest better strategies for reducing the death rate due to COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic is still spreading throughout many countries, and scientists are exploring its risk factors as part of the effort to contain the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Among the variables being considered are seasonal variations, temperature and humidity conditions, and ultraviolet irradiation. These are known to play a role in several infectious diseases already, such as influenza. Ultraviolet, Sunlight and COVID-19 Since the current pandemic has not yet completed one cycle of seasons, all these factors cannot be thoroughly evaluated. However, the level of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation in the atmosphere can be studied in relation to COVID-19 death rates. Previous research by the same team showed that sunlight can reduce blood pressure via nitric acid production, independent of vitamin D levels. Population-wide studies show that increased UV levels are related to lower blood pressure and decreased heart attack rates. This could also cause diabetes and metabolic syndrome incidence rates to fall. The Study: UV and COVID-19 in 3 Countries Since COVID-19 disease appears to have greater severity among people with these conditions, the current study explores the association between ambient UV and COVID-19 deaths in three countries, namely, the USA, England, and Italy. It looks at over 11,000 counties and areas in these countries in three independent data sets, using only those counties where the UV level was below the threshold known to induce significant vitamin D3 biosynthesis in the skin. This threshold corresponds to a monthly mean vitamin D effective UV (UVvitd) of under 165 KJ/m2. This period is termed the UV vitamin D winter and covered the months from January to April 30, 2020. The daily UV irradiance was derived from satellite data, after accounting for atmospheric absorption by water vapor and ozone. The researchers found that the daily mean UVA levels hovered between 450 to 1,000 KJ/m2 across these countries. After adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, susceptibility, and long-term environmental variables, the researchers arrived at a multivariate analysis outcome. These include the percentage of older people, ethnic composition, low income and poverty indicators, air pollution indicators such as PM2.5, which reflects fine particulate matter in the air, and the susceptibility to infection. The latter was calculated from various factors such as the population density coupled with the percentage of positive tests and exposure in various ways, as by public transport. UVA Reduces COVID-19 Mortality The model shows that UVA levels are inversely related to COVID-19 mortality. The mortality risk ratio (MRR) is 0.73, which reflects a 27% reduction in risk with an increase of 100KJ/m2 in UVA irradiation in the USA. In England and Italy, it is 0.51 and 0.81 respectively, which means a reduction in deaths by 49% and 19% respectively. Overall, therefore, the MRR was 0.68. This effect is independent of both cold temperatures and of whether the UVA ambient levels crossed the threshold for vitamin D synthesis. An interesting finding is that the higher UVA levels produced more significant reductions in mortality risk in countries with a lower average UVA level, namely, England, compared to the USA or Italy, which have higher average ambient UVA. Mechanisms of Action The researchers suggest that UVA may act via several mechanisms. For one, the irradiation may inactivate the virus in airborne droplets and fomites, reducing the rates of spread and the size of the inoculating dose in those coming into contact with infectious material. This would lead to less severe infection. Secondly, UVA induces the release of nitric oxide from the skin, which then enters the bloodstream, causing blood vessels to dilate and reducing the blood pressure. This, in turn, promotes cardiovascular and metabolic health. This produces a reduction in the risk of death from COVID-19 since heart disease, vascular conditions, and metabolic syndrome are high-risk factors. Thirdly, UVA may reduce the replication of the virus. In SARS-CoV, it acts by s-nitrosating the spike protein, which means it cannot bind with its receptor, the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) 2. Both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 have homologous spike proteins, and hence this action could be present in the latter as well. Fourthly, endothelial damage, and impaired endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity could be the underlying reason for extensive organ damage in severe COVID-19. UVA could reduce this as well, by promoting the photochemical reaction that produces more nitric oxide. Future Research and Conclusion The study concludes, “Our analysis, replicated in 3 independent national datasets, suggests ambient UVA exposure is associated with lower COVID-19 specific mortality.” The next step would be to confirm that this is a causal association. If so, this could be an easy way to reduce the mortality from the pandemic by advising optimal sun exposure. Moreover, the independent mechanisms could be replicated therapeutically, especially those involving circulating nitric oxide. *Important Notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. To read the original article click here.

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How Much Do Vitamin D Supplements Affect Lifespan?

AHA Publisher — Sat, 28 Sep 2019 03:03:56 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – Researchers have documented correlations between higher vitamin D levels and all sorts of positive outcomes like decreases in cardiovascular disease, weight gain, infectious diseases, and declining cognitive function… In 1822, a Polish physician was the first to publish that sunlight could cure the vitamin D deficiency disease rickets. His work was ignored by mainstream medicine for a century, not coming into widespread use until the 20th century, when wire cages were actually affixed to tenement buildings so babies could benefit from the sun. In my video Will You Live Longer If You Take Vitamin D Supplements?, I explore whether we’re in a similar situation now, where the medical profession has just not caught up with the science. Researchers have documented correlations between higher vitamin D levels and all sorts of positive outcomes like decreases in cardiovascular disease, weight gain, infectious diseases, and declining cognitive function, and even tested whether vitamin D supplementation might reduce the adverse effects of earthquakes. It seems to help with everything else, so why not? It’s actually not as silly as it sounds because traumatic events like natural disasters can have a significant psychological impact that might be affected by vitamin D status. But when researchers put supplements to the test, the purported links often didn’t pan out. This lack of effect may exist in part because low vitamin D levels may just be a marker for things like aging, obesity, smoking, and inactivity. Or, maybe low vitamin D didn’t lead to disease, but disease led to low vitamin D, because inflammation can drop D levels within the body. So, just because low D levels and disease seem to be correlated, it doesn’t mean that vitamin D deficiency is the cause. While the majority of observational studies may show a link, where you simply measure vitamin D levels and disease rates, in only a handful of conditions have interventional studies—where you give people D supplements or placebos then see what happens—proven vitamin D to be effective. One of the conditions for which vitamin D supplements appear to genuinely work, however, is helping to prevent premature death. Fifty-six randomized clinical trials involving nearly 100,000 people (mostly women) between the ages of 18 and 107 were randomized to four years of vitamin D supplements or sugar pills. Putting all the studies together showed those given vitamin D supplements lived longer and specifically had a lower risk of dying from cancer. This effect appeared limited to vitamin D3, though, which is the type derived from plants and animals, not vitamin D2, which is the type derived from yeast and mushrooms. How large an effect was it? It would take 150 people taking vitamin D supplements for five years to save one life. If we were talking about a drug, we’d need to weigh that against the cost and side effects of dosing so many people. But when we’re talking about something as safe and cheap as vitamin D supplements, it seems like a bargain to me. A similar analysis pegged the benefit at 11 percent in terms of reduction of total mortality, which is pretty substantial, potentially offering a life extension benefit on par with exercise. Though, no, it does not seem to reduce the adverse impacts of earthquakes. The only concern is that it may give people license to order an extra doughnut or something. We still have to eat healthfully because any longevity benefit from vitamin D would just be a small adjunct to a healthy lifestyle. But, for those of us who want all the help we can get, the question then becomes how much should we take? I address that in my videos How Much Vitamin D Should You Take? and The Optimal Dose of Vitamin D Based on Natural Levels. This article has been modified. To read the original article click here. For more articles by Dr. Greger click here.

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