If You Take 1 Vitamin Daily, Make It This
From sex drive to strong bones, this vitamin is essential for all-round health. So, what is it?
What if we told you 1 vitamin can enhance cognitive function, strengthen bones and muscles, improve libido, regulate hormones, support sleep and boost mood?
Well, it’s true.
And around 1 billion people around the world are deficient in it.
This overachieving vitamin is… Vitamin D.
Your Dose of Sunshine
Vitamin D is often called ‘the sunshine vitamin’ because it’s produced under UVB rays from the sun. This means that vitamin D is not naturally found in many foods, which is why most people have insufficient levels of it in their bodies.
There are 2 main forms of vitamin D. Vitamin D2, which is produced in plants and fungi, and vitamin D3, which is produced in animals and humans.
When skin is exposed to the sun, a chemical reaction occurs to produce vitamin D. From there, it journeys through to the liver and kidneys, where it is processed and eventually transformed into calcitriol, a steroid hormone.
5 Reasons Why You Should Take Vitamin D ASAP
1. Boosts Mood + Brain Power
Some studies say vitamin D is key to regulating the brain’s synaptic plasticity - the process the brain uses to adjust how our neurons speak to each other. This multitasking vitamin is also essential for creating serotonin, a.k.a. the ‘happy hormone’, which is why some people suffer with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) in the winter months when there’s less sunshine.
2. Improves Your Sex Life
Vitamin D stimulates testosterone and oestrogen production, a.k.a. the sex hormones for men and women responsible for libido. But a recent study suggests that vitamin D is not just responsible for sexual function. It can improve pleasure too, contributing to higher sexual desire, increased performance and achieving orgasm. *Stockpiles vitamin D spray asap*
3. Builds Strong Muscles + Bones
Did you know? Your body can only make calcium when it has enough vitamin D. Once the body absorbs it, the vitamin is processed and transformed into the steroid hormone, calcitriol. This clever process allows the gut to absorb more calcium and stops the kidneys from losing any, so the body has enough to support bone, muscle and nerve function, which equals a healthy body.
4. Regulates Hormones + Mood
Vitamin D really gets around - it has receptors in the same part of the brain that’s linked with mood and behaviour. Our body needs levels to be topped up so it can synthesise serotonin and dopamine, both of which are essential for regulating mood. To cover all bases, MOOD features 100% of your daily dose of vitamin D, plus key B vitamins to balance hormones.
5. Shields Illness-Causing Bacteria
When the body has enough vitamin D, this keeps the immune system strong and healthy by enhancing the function of immune cells. It plays an important part in the innate antimicrobial response, protecting the body from pathogens (illness-causing bacteria). By bolstering our immunity, this builds the body’s defences to stop us from catching whatever’s going around.
Your Vitamin D Shopping List
As vitamin D isn’t found naturally in many foods, which is why it’s important to supplement so the body can make enough calcium and carry out its regenerative processes. But, if you are looking to incorporate more of this multi-tasking vitamin into your diet, here are some of the foods to add to your basket next time you’re shopping.
Oily fish like salmon and mackerel
Red meat
Egg yolks
Spinach
Mushrooms
Fortified cereals
Fortified tofu
Fortified milk and fruit juice
Looking for other ways to support all-round health? Here’s what PREBIOTIC + PROBIOTIC can do in 24 hours.