![\"Vitamin](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/anthrohealth.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Vitamin-D-pills.jpg\")
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Most individuals are aware that vitamin D is necessary for a healthy, strong skeleton. But you may not be aware that vitamin D is also necessary for a healthy brain. One way to aid in preventing dementia is to make sure that your body is optimized for vitamin D.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Vitamin D helps to regulate the immune system by suppressing inflammation.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Recent research<\/a><\/strong> <\/strong><\/a>has shown that dementia, particularly Alzheimer\u2019s Disease, is associated with an inflammatory response. That is, Alzheimer\u2019s Disease [AD] is an autoimmune disease where the immune system overreacts to normal cells by viewing those normal cells as invaders and activating the immune response to fight and destroy those cells.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This could also explain why AD is more prevalent in women than in men since women are more susceptible to many types of autoimmune diseases than are men.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As it happens, vitamin D moderates the immune system and has been shown to be effective in lowering the risk of contracting autoimmune diseases<\/a> such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and autoimmune thyroid disease.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Two different research studies (one at <\/strong>Tufts Universit<\/strong><\/a>y and the other at<\/strong> <\/strong><\/a>Brigham and Women\u2019s Hospita<\/a><\/strong>l<\/strong><\/a>) were published in 2022 that showed the vitamin D supplementation had a positive effect on brain health. Both studies showed a reduced incidence of AD in those individuals who took vitamin D supplements.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Karen Costenbader, senior author of the Brigham and Women\u2019s Hospital study, recommends that women 55 and older and men 50 and older take 2000 IU\/day of vitamin D supplementation.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Kyla Shea, an author of the Tufts\u2019 study, is much more conservative in her recommendation of 600 IU\/day up to age 70 and then 800 IU\/day for those who are older than 70.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Frankly, I think Shea\u2019s recommendations are far<\/span> too low. Only individuals who have extremely low blood levels of vitamin D will show any improvement at 600 or 800 IU\/day of vitamin D supplementation. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Extensive research has shown that supplementation up to 10,000 IU\/day is safe. <\/strong>To maintain optimal blood levels of vitamin D (25 OHD) between 40 and 60 ng\/ml (100 -150 nmol\/l), recent research<\/a> has shown that daily intake of vitamin D must be in <\/strong> excess of 5000 IU\/day. If an individual is overweight or obese, they will need at least 10,000 IU\/day.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Vitamin D receptors are present on nearly all cells in our bodies. Therefore, sub-optimal levels of vitamin D are associated with a wide variety of health problems including autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular function, cancers, musculo-skeletal issues, and, as has now been shown, dementia. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n During the summer months, I take 2000 IU\/day of supplemental vitamin D which I gradually increase to 5000 IU\/day during the winter months. But after reading these articles, and, given my age, I plan to increase my baseline intake to 5000 IU\/day rising to 7000 IU\/day during the winter months.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Vitamin D supplementation is an easy, relatively inexpensive way to optimize your health and protect your brain.<\/strong><\/p>\n