With the days rapidly shortening. You will find yourself seeing less and less day light. For some, this can mean suffering from SAD ( seasonal affective disorder ). Even if you do not suffer from SAD, many can feel low through out the winter months. The main reason for this is normally due to a lack of vitamin D.
Not only does vitamin D make you feel good but it also has other health benefits.
May Lower Your Risk of Certain Cancers
Maintaining adequate vitamin D levels may have some benefits for preventing cancer. In fact, various studies suggest that individuals with higher levels have a lower risk of certain types of cancer.
Two recent reviews report that those with adequate levels may have up to a 25 percent lower risk of developing bladder cancer. Higher vitamin D levels may also reduce the risk of dying from the disease.
In addition, some studies report that vitamin D may play a role in slowing down the progression of cancer. That said, it remains unclear whether taking vitamin D supplements provides any anti-cancer benefits.
Improves Bone Health
Vitamin D plays an important role in the health of your bones. This is because it increases the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from your diet—two nutrients important for bone health.
Studies show that individuals with low blood levels tend to suffer from more bone loss. In addition, research shows that individuals taking vitamin D supplements may benefit from a 23–33 percent lower risk of bone fractures.
Moreover, recent studies report that taking vitamin D supplements may help improve fracture healing, especially in people with low levels.
Reduce Symptoms of Depression
Researchers are now discovering that vitamin D may also have an effect on depression.The vitamin’s exact role in the development of depression is not fully understood. One theory suggests it increases the amount of serotonin in the brain, which is a known contributor to feelings of well-being and happiness.
Accordingly, a recent review reports that low vitamin D levels may increase the likelihood of depression by up to 131 percent. Vitamin D supplements seem most effective at reducing symptoms in individuals with strong symptoms of depression, but less effective in those with moderate or light symptoms
Increases Muscle Strength
Recent studies show a link between vitamin D, muscle growth and strength, in both adults and the elderly.
A recent review looked at the effects of vitamin D on athletic and non-athletic adults.It found that those given vitamin D supplements increased their upper and lower body strength slightly more than those given no supplements. Similarly, several studies examined how vitamin D affects muscle strength, the risk of falls and frailty in the elderly. A large majority found that supplementing led to better increases in muscle strength and fewer falls than a placebo