Vitamin D: Most Valuable Hormone

March 16, 2011 - PRLog -- Are you getting enough vitamin D? You might be surprised by how much you really need and just how beneficial this hormone-like vitamin actually is. BodyLogicMD physicians recommend that you talk to your doctor to make sure you’re getting the vitamin D you need to keep your body strong and healthy.

“Vitamin D is a vitamin, but it acts like a hormone in your body,” explains Jacksonville bioidentical hormones expert, Dr. Jo Ann Holoka. “It helps you to maintain proper levels of calcium and phosphorus in the blood and to absorb calcium to help build strong bones. It also helps regulate the immune and neuromuscular systems.”

In addition to keeping your bones strong and helping you maintain muscle strength and balance as you age, studies have also shown that vitamin D may help to treat or reduce your risk of several conditions, including:

•Osteoporosis
•High blood pressure
•Cardiovascular disease
•Colon, prostate and breast cancer
•Chronic pain
•Several autoimmune diseases

Most people in the United States aren’t getting enough vitamin D. In fact, it’s estimated that 75 percent of Americans are vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to many health problems, including abnormalities in the bones, higher risks of developing Type 1 diabetes, depression and even weight gain.

Experts frequently recommend at least 1,000 IU of vitamin D every day for optimal health for most people. Around menopause, women may need even more — as much as 1250 IU for perimenopausal women and 1500 for postmenopausal women. You and your doctor can find out how much you’re already getting through a simple finger-stick blood test.
So where can you get the vitamin D you need? It’s often called the “sunshine vitamin” because your body produces under direct sunlight. But you generally need 30 minutes of sun exposure on your skin, without sunscreen, at least twice a week to get enough. And that can expose you to potentially cancer-causing UV radiation.

You can also get vitamin D through your diet. Many fatty or oily fish, such as salmon, tuna and sardines, contain the vitamin, as do egg yolks, liver and mushrooms. Cod liver oil is another good source. Many other foods are fortified with vitamin D, as well. Nearly all of the milk sold in the United States has vitamin D added, as do many cheeses, yogurts, breakfast cereals and orange juice brands.

“Still your best source of vitamin D is probably through pharmaceutical-grade supplements,” shares Dr. Holoka. “One Harvard study revealed that postmenopausal women who received high levels of the vitamin through diet and supplementation had a 37% lower risk of hip fracture, but women who relied on diet along didn’t see the same benefit.”

So talk to your doctor about vitamin D. Find out how much you need and how much you’re already getting. Your doctor can help you get up to optimal levels for your best possible health.

More about Dr. Holoka

Dr. Jo Ann Holoka received her undergraduate from the University of Illinois in 1974. She later earned her medical degree from RUSH Medical College in 1982. After her Internship at St. Francis Hospital, Dr. Holoka completed her Residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Lutheran General Hospital, where she served as administrative Chief Resident. She also has a Masters Degree in Public Health from the University of Illinois and is an active member of the American Academy for Anti-Aging Medicine, Fellowship for Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

More about BodyLogicMD

Founded in 2003, BodyLogicMD physician-owned practices make up the nation’s largest and fastest growing network of the most highly trained physicians specializing in natural bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. Integrated with fitness and nutrition programs, BodyLogicMD’s medically supervised programs are for men and women suffering from hormone imbalance associated with menopause and andropause. BodyLogicMD is currently featured as an expert resource on Oprah.com; Suzanne Somers’ latest bestselling books Knockout: Interviews With Doctors Who Are Curing Cancer And How To Prevent Getting It In The First Place and Breakthrough: Eight Steps to Wellness lists BodyLogicMD as an expert resource, and her book, Ageless: The Naked Truth About Bioidentical Hormones dedicates an entire chapter to BodyLogicMD. Florida Trend cover story December 2009, features BodyLogicMD as the national leaders in the growing anti-aging industry; BusinessWeek cover story March 2006, features the BodyLogicMD business start-up story.

Find bioidentical hormone doctors in your area and get more information about BodyLogicMD bioidentical hormone therapy programs.

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Founded in 2003, BodyLogicMD physician-owned practices make up the nation’s largest and fastest growing network of highly trained physicians specializing in natural bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT).