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BENEFITS OF VITAMIN D
It is a well known fact that
vitamin D is useful to maintain healthy bones. It has been shown
to reduce the incidence of osteoporosis and hip fractures. In
fact, many doctors recommend vitamin D supplements to treat a number of
other conditions. These include the following:
Psoriasis:
This disorder causes red, scaly patches to occur on the skin. It
is treated with oral and topical prescription medications that contain
vitamin D.
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High Blood Pressure: There are
mixed results regarding the effects of increased vitamin D on blood
pressure. In some cases, increased exposure to ultraviolet
radiation
has helped reduce blood pressure. Vitamin D supplements have
shown
some benefit in some studies, but not in others.
Cancer:
Increased vitamin D
has been associated with lower risk of developing some cancers,
including breast cancer and colorectal cancer. However, excessive
sun
exposure is the leading cause of skin cancer, which is the most common
form of cancer. So it is not known how much exposure to the sun
is too
much and how much is just right.
Multiple Sclerosis:
Some
studies have shown a link between the use of vitamin D supplements and
a lower incidence of multiple sclerosis. However, it is still
early in
the research stage and at this time no recommendation can be made for
using vitamin D in this manner.
Other
Conditions: Scientists
are continuing to examine the use of vitamin D for treatment and
prevention of diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. Some studies
suggest
that women who take a combination of calcium and vitamin D supplements
may gain less weight aft menopause.
Another study has shown that people with higher levels of vitamin D in
their blood have a reduced risk of developing the early stages of
age-related macular disease, the most common cause of blindness in
older adults.
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