Vitamin D for colds and flu protection?

"Vitamin D" is more important than most people realize for protection against colds and flu and is an influential preventative for a wide assortment of diseases like cancer, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, heart disease and depression. Research in recent decades shows the deficit of "Vitamin D" in the body has more far reaching effects than most people realized.

In the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Dr. John Cannel and his team report that T-cells that the body generates to fight infection are more efficient and active when bound with Vitamin D. Vitamin D is an integral part of the body's defense system. Through a series of hormonal signaling dendrite cells, macrophages and finally T-lymphocytes are released.

This activating signal stimulates the VDR gene to produce a DVR protein, which causes Vitamin D to attach to the T-cell. Without Vitamin D, the T-cells are less active and stimulated by infective agents.

Vitamin D is not all created equal. Obviously, Vitamin D from the sun is the most effective and natural. The form of Vitamin D generated in your body from sun exposure, particularly UV-B rays in sunlight, performs like a pro-hormone in the skin, converting quickly into 25-hydroxyvitamin D, or Vitamin D3. According to studies, an ideal year-round Vitamin D3 level is 50-65 mg/ml.

Evidence continues to mount validating the critical nature of Vitamin D to human health.

Our body is very sensitive to Vitamin D circulating in the blood, with insufficient levels leading to poor immune system response and disease. Scientists have discovered that Vitamin D activates white blood cell components of our innate immune system known as T-cells, which are responsible for tagging an intruder pathogen for destruction. When the vitamin is deficient, there is no detection and the pathogen or rogue cancer cell are permitted to flourish and multiply.

When sufficient blood levels of Vitamin D are present, the active receptors on each cell in the body are filled, providing a metabolic instruction manual for cellular replication.
Monitor blood levels of vitamin D through regular blood testing to ensure a level above 50 mg/ml.