Just D Facts

Here are a few interesting tidbits from the book Power of Vitamin D by Sarfraz Zaidi, M.D.:

• Not technically a vitamin, vitamin D is actually a hormone that affects almost every organ system in the body.

• Vitamin D deficiency is a true disease. It can affect every organ in the body and result in various life-threatening diseases.

• Vitamin D deficiency is linked to high blood pressure, kidney failure, fibromyalgia, aches and pains, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, lupus, thyroid diseases, dental problems, problems during pregnancy, problems in newborns, sense of well-being, immune-system disorders and cardiovascular disease.

• A simple blood test will determine whether someone is vitamin-D deficient. The proper blood test is commonly called either the 25-hydroxyvitamin D test or simply 25 (OH) vitamin D.

• Most people don’t know how to tap into the incredible health benefits of vitamin D without risking toxicity. Based on his extensive experience with patients, Zaidi says that the optimal daily dose of vitamin D for most people ranges from 2,000 to 10,000 international units—compared to the 400 I.U. usually found in multivitamins and calcium supplements.