Have you wondered if Vitamin D is important for your health?

A lot of recent research shows that vitamin D (D2 and D3) is important for strengthening and balancing a healthy immune system.

The key role vitamin D plays in immune function is regulating and controlling different immune system cells. In other words, it helps to create specialized immune cells like killer T-cells which actually detect and destroy foreign pathogens — like viruses.

Certain B cells and T cells, which are white blood cells have vitamin D receptors.  Phagocytes, another type of white blood cell, helps control inflammation and may communicate with T and B cells through Vitamin D.

Why is vitamin D important? 

Many of us believe that Vitamin D is necessary to grow and maintain our bones. True, and the importance of this article is how the immune system is affected by Vitamin D.

A physician at Parsley Health in Los Angeles, Jacyln Tolentino has been doing extensive research on Vitamin D and says it plays a crucial role in immunity.

More research presented by the team at Ask the Scientists says, “Receptors for Vitamin D are found on most types of immune cells. When vitamin D binds to cellular receptors, it sends messages to help support many different natural responses that can help keep you healthy. Sometimes, those responses can include turning on production of even more active vitamin D to increase levels right where and when it’s needed.”

So, the bottom line is, Vitamin D helps maintain healthy immune cells which create a stronger immune system.

Where can you get Vitamin D? The skin synthesizes Vitamin D from the sun, however, we don’t usually get enough from the sun alone. We fear skin cancer and tend to lather up with sunscreen or wear long-sleeves, hats, long pants, and use umbrellas before going outside. Also those who live at high latitudes may be at risk because of less direct sunlight. If you like to eat, Vitamin D naturally occurs in egg yolks, beef liver, fatty fish oils like salmon, tuna, swordfish or sardines. Vitamin D isn’t naturally occurring in a lot of foods and is added to some foods like cereals and milk. Unfortunately we can’t get even RDA levels of Vitamin D from our foods. Realistically, how much beef liver, sardines, and milk are you eating every day?

Vitamin D supplement

Because it’s hard to get enough vitamin D from food and you may be spending most of your time inside, many people need to supplement to get optimal levels of Vitamin D.

“Vitamin D supplementation may be the most practical solution for many people, especially if you live in the northern half of the country,” says Tolentino. You can find Vitamin D in many different types of supplements, including multivitamins and Vitamin D tablets. “Vitamin D supplements generally come in two forms — D3 and D2. D2 is a form derived from plants and is the form often found in fortified foods. D3 is the vitamin D naturally produced by our bodies and is the type found in animal sources,” Tolentino says.

I recommend that you take Vitamin D3 with Vitamin K2. They work synergistically or better together.  Research from Harvard shows that Vitamin D3 — the type of Vitamin D that is naturally produced in the human body – tends to raise blood concentrations more, and maintain those levels for a longer period of time. 

How can you be sure you are getting the best Vitamin D supplement?

Click here to view the top two medical grade Vitamin D3 and Vitamin K2 supplements that really work.

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