I have been doing a great deal of research on Vitamin D lately….mostly because of the Swine flu freak out. I am not getting the shot, so I searched for other options. Do you know 40-50% of the population is Vitamin D deficient…..83% of pregnant women are deficient!

Not only do adequate levels improve your immune system, fight colds/flu (including the swine flu), but check out the rest of the benefits it provides:

• Regulates ovulation/menstrual cycles
• Reduces preeclampsia, pre-term birth
• Improves breast health (has been shown to prevent breast cancer!)

Adequate levels of Vitamin D also prevents:

• Respiratory illnesses (in addition to colds, and flu’s)
• Cancer
• Heart disease and stroke (EXTREMELY important for us!!)
• Hypertension
• Autoimmune diseases
• Depression
• Chronic pain
• Osteoarthritis, osteoporosis
• Birth defects…..and more!

One of the most beneficial benefits for women with PCOS is Vitamin D has been shown to improve insulin resistance: http://www.emaxhealth.com/1275/23/34254/vitamin-d-supplements-improve-risk-factors-diabetes.html

There are a few ways to get your daily dose of Vitamin D.

1. Sunlight – Exposing yourself to direct, midday sun for 10-15 minutes will give your body the daily amount of Vitamin D it needs. No need to stay out longer, getting a sunburn will NOT help you. But 10-15 minutes of exposure does not hurt….it helps! The good thing is your body stops producing the Vitamin D it gets from sunlight when the adequate amount has been reached.
2. Supplementation – The recommended dose for adults is 5,000IU daily. Keep in mind, if you’re overweight you may need more….extra weight prevents your body from absorbing Vitamin D. Supplementation may be necessary depending on your geographical location.

Now, a lot of what you’ll read insists you have to be careful about taking too much Vitamin D, as it is toxic in high doses….however, toxic is not the correct word. Some people will experience some side affects if you take too high of a dose for too long. The best thing to do is get your Vitamin B levels tested (25-hydroxyvitamin D test) prior to taking supplements.

If your doctor refuses to test you (you know how most doctors are about “natural treatments”) like mine did — Yes, my OB refused to test me saying I had no idea what I was talking about….Vitamin D doesn’t prevent flu, etc. (what a moron!) then here’s a home test option: http://www.zrtlab.com/vitamindcouncil/

Here are some additional sites regarding the benefits of Vitamin D:

http://www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/news15-pcos-acne.html#sec1
http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/
http://www.womens-health.co.uk/vitamin-d-deficiency-and-pcos.html