Vitamin D has major benefits beyond just strong bones. During the covid-19 pandemic, we learned that those who were vitamin D deficient may have died from the cytokine storm which was the severe reaction that hospitalized and perhaps led to many of the earlier fatalities due to the virus. Sufficient vitamin D which is considered to be about 2000 IU (international units) helped maintain telomeres, the end caps that we find on DNA strands. It has been understood that as the Telomeres shorten over time, they may indicate that your lifespan may be near its end. Adequate Vitamin D may actually reduce the shortening of the Telomeres which happens naturally over time as the cells in our bodies divide. Other early research suggests that Vitamin D may help prevent autoimmune diseases and since it also can have an anti inflammatory effect on the body, may be protective of Telomeres over time. Telomere length may be both good or bad. While maintaining Telomere length may be a good thing for our lifespan, too long a telomere may increase disease risk so mega dosing of Vitamin D may have the opposite effect and make us less healthy. More research is required however, the 2000 IU which is much higher than the recommended dosages of 600 IU for those under 70 years old, 800 IU for those older than 80 years old may be more than the current recommendations suggest. As little as 400 IU may prevent colds. The actual amount you need daily has little agreement between scientists, and those who perform functional medicine. Doctors routinely recommend a 50,000 weekly dose which may be ineffective because of its large dosage amount. Our office recommends the Integrative Therapeutics vitamin D3 chocolate flavored chewable to be taken three times a week. The vitamin is a pharmaceutical quality product and It is chewable which breaks it down and makes it easier to digest. Sunshine allows us to manufacture our own vitamin D. Since many of us have reduced our sun exposure due to sunscreens and other medical recommendations, more of us have Vitamin D deficiencies than ever before so supplementation is needed. Many of us do not drink milk as often as we have in the past as well which often had added vitamin D. Find out more in the article below Can vitamin D supplements really slow ageing, as a recent study suggests? Integrative Therapeutics vitamin D 5000 IU is available in both our chiropractic offices.