75% of Women Tested by Our GYN Doctors Are Vitamin D Deficient

Vitamin D may provide protection from osteoporosis, high blood pressure, some autoimmune diseases, and several cancers including breast, colorectal, prostate and pancreatic.

As you can tell from our headline, we like vitamin D and think it’s important. There are vitamin D receptors on every cell in our body. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, helping to form and maintain strong bones. Recent research also suggests vitamin D may provide protection from high blood pressure, some autoimmune diseases, and several cancers including breast, colorectal, prostate and pancreatic.

Women with low vitamin D levels may have a higher risk of osteoarthritis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and even heart attack! Vitamin D deficiency has also been associated with muscle weakness and pain in both adults and children. Some research has reported vitamin D deficiencies in patients with low-back pain, and found that supplementation reduces pain in many patients.

Becoming vitamin D deficient

There are many ways women become vitamin D deficient, including:

• The widespread use of sunscreen to avoid skin cancer has led to an epidemic of vitamin D deficiency, as measured by a blood test. At our GYN clinic, at least 75% of the women we test are vitamin D deficient.
• In the winter, people cannot synthesize vitamin D from their skin if they live north of Atlanta due to the angle of the sun’s rays.

Good ways to get vitamin D

• Vitamin D can be synthesized by your skin. Fifteen minutes of unprotected sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. during the spring, summer and fall months can boost your vitamin D level.
• Vitamin D can be gained orally and is found in foods like vitamin D fortified milk, orange juice and other dairy products. Wild caught salmon, not farm raised, is an excellent source of vitamin D.
• There are two forms of vitamin D for oral use — vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. Vitamin D2 is given by prescription and usually taken once a week. Vitamin D3 is available over the counter with the normal recommendation being 1,000 IU/day. Our GYN doctors say up to 5,000 IU/day can be taken in the case of vitamin D deficiency.
• An interesting fact you may want to remember next flu season comes from a study that showed people who took 2,000 IU/day of vitamin D3 during flu season had a 91% decrease in respiratory infections!

If you are suffering from a GYN health issue, please contact our GYN clinic at (757) 312-8221. Our GYN doctors are here to help you.