Vitamin D For Eye Health

Vitamin D is essential for eye health.  The four basic things our bodies need for survival are food, water, air and sunshine. Yes, sunshine. It isn’t toxic, will not hurt you, but is necessary for good health. Avoiding the sun “at all costs” may be costing us our vision. A reasonable amount of sunshine, about 20 minutes each day is not enough, but not enough to burn. 

The sun provides the energy necessary to sustain all life on this planet. In the years since the sun became “bad” for us, we have seen a dramatic increase in many diseases – conditions related to vitamin D deficiency; cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, autism, allergies, diabetes, ADHD, skin cancer, AMD and Retinitis Pigmentosa.

Vitamin for Eye Health  Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is characterized by high levels of amyloid beta accumulation in the retina.  Amyloid beta is the protein that accumulates in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients and the eyes of AMD sufferers, causing plaque buildup and destruction of nerve cells as well as causing deposits in blood vessels, contributing to heart disease. Vitamin D supplementation can significantly improve accumulation of these plaques as well as reduce retinal macrophage numbers, the immune cells that can cause inflammatory damage. Therefore, vitamin D may be a viable Retinitis Pigments alternative treatment and glaucoma.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble nutrient, a hormone needed for optimal health.  It is important for cell growth, neuromuscular function, immune health and reducing inflammation.  Developing bones require sufficient vitamin D, otherwise they remain soft and fragile.  High vitamin D levels are associated with high cancer survival rates.  Skin cancer cases have escalated since people began protecting themselves from the sun, even in areas of the world where there has been no change in the ozone layer – commonly thought to be the cause.  Alzheimer’s disease is associated with low levels of vitamin D as well as autism, ADD and ADHD; neurons in the brain have receptors for vitamin D, possibly enhancing important brain chemicals that help to protect the brain and foster fetal brain development.

Our bodies are essentially manufacturer’s of vitamin D – a chemical reaction between ultra violet light and the cholesterol under the skin.  Twenty minutes in the sun, full exposure, can allow you to produce up to 20,000 IU’s of this essential hormone. It is recommended that you take at least 2,000 IU’s; less than that is not enough to have an effect on the body.  Consider taking 5,000 IU’s or more each day.  Progressive Labs carries an excellent product that costs $9, contains 60 capsules at 5,000 IU’s each.