Health-Related Severity May Be Linked to Vitamin D Deficiency 

Studies find that communities of color experience more health issues than other populations. But why? One reason may be chronic vitamin D deficiencies.^1,2

Darker skin requires more sunlight to convert UVB rays from the sun into pre-vitamin D on the skin. This pre-vitamin D is absorbed into the blood, liver, and kidneys to become active vitamin D₃. Active vitamin D₃ (calcitriol) plays a critical role in a healthy immune response. 

In one study, hospitalized patients were evaluated for vitamin D deficiencies. Out of 20 patients admitted to the ICU 85% of them were vitamin D₃ deficient. Strikingly, 100% of the ICU patients less than 75 years old had vitamin D deficiencies.¹ The study concluded that testing for vitamin D deficiency should be standard practice for those admitted to the hospital for any immune event.¹ 

Vitamin D is a powerful regulator of immunity and pathogen elimination.³ In addition, vitamin D₃ regulates healthy T-cell, lymphocyte, and cytokine immune responses.^{4, 5} 

Vitamin D Sufficiency Can Shorten Hospital Stay 

Dr. Ray Matthews, assistant professor of surgery at the Moorehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, has published a landmark study on the benefits of vitamin D.⁴ 

His report shows patients with optimum vitamin D levels had shorter length of stays in the hospital, decreased hospital costs, decreased readmission rates, and longer lives. Dr. Matthews reports that the mortality rate drops 42% with critically ill patients by administering vitamin D and cuts the 30-day readmission rate by at least 50%.^4,6 

He argues that the government’s current recommendation for normal levels of vitamin D at 30 ng/mL is too low, requiring all his hospital patients to be around 50 ng/mL. 

The report goes on to say that all animals in the wild have vitamin D levels around 50 ng/mL. If the animals go into to captivity, however, their vitamin D levels plummet. 

According to his research, within the first 24-48 hours of being in the hospital, vitamin D levels drop by 50%. That means if you go into the hospital with a level of 30 ng/mL, your numbers can drop to a very dangerously low level of 15 ng/mL within the first two days. There was no explanation given for this observation. 

Vitamin D has many functions, none of which is greater than its support for immunity. Immune support is critical when entering a hospital or facing any challenge to the immune system. 

We recommend "Vitamin D Science and the Top 12 Foods You Need Now": https://lifespa.com/vitamin-d-sun/

More Vitamin D Benefits at a Glance 

1. The New England Journal of Medicine finds that risk of death for intensive care patients is 45% in those with vitamin D deficiencies, while only 16% for folks with sufficient vitamin D levels.⁷  

2. As we age, risk of stroke rises.  There are roughly 7 million stroke victims a year in America or about 3% of the population.²⁰ In one study, optimal vitamin D levels were associated with a 90% return to functionality after a stroke.⁸ 

3. Deficient Vitamin D levels have been linked to accelerated death of beta (insulin-producing) cells in cases of diabetes.⁹  

4. In one study, low levels of vitamin D are associated with mood-related issues.¹⁰ Vitamin D receptors develop in the brain embryonically, suggesting that vitamin D is linked to neurological function. 

5. In a long-term study conducted over 11 years with 1,650 mother-child pairs, for every 10 ng/mL of vitamin D concentration in the mother’s blood during pregnancy, an 11% decrease in ADHD-like symptoms occurred.¹¹ 

6. In another double-blind placebo study, 218 post-menopausal women were split into two groups. The group that supplemented with 2,000 IU of vitamin D per day had 37% less inflammation compared to the group that received the placebo.¹² 

7. In a study from the Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 961 female nursing home residents over age 70 were tested for vitamin D. The group with the lowest levels had a 49% increased risk of mortality compared to the group with highest levels.¹³ 

8. Vitamin D expert Dr. John Cannell has developed a theory that some immune issues are seasonal, due to variations in sunlight. These seasonal changes cause fluctuations in vitamin D levels.¹⁴ 

9. Vitamin D activates genes that support an immune response to foreign entities in the body.¹⁵ Vitamin D has also been shown to support respiratory health.^16,17 

10. In one therapeutic study, normalization of vitamin D levels was shown to significantly improve fatigue symptoms in primary care patients.¹⁸ 

11. In a two-year trial of vitamin D supplementation with 1,500 patients, healthy sleep patterns were linked to normal vitamin D levels. The most significant changes were seen when vitamin D levels were kept between 60–80 ng/mL.¹⁹ 

What’s the takeaway? For general health, and specifically to reduce your hospital stays, make sure you have adequate vitamin D levels. If you have darker skin, you need to be particularly careful about this common deficiency. 

You can find a home test kit here and a liquid supplement here. 

We recommend "Your Vitamin D Needs Magnesium": https://lifespa.com/your-vitamin-d-needs-magnesium/