8 Benefits of Vitamin D for Women
Vitamin D is an essential fat-soluble vitamin. Essential means that our body can not make it on its own. Fat-soluble means that we need to consume adequate fat in the diet to optimize the absorption of the vitamin. Vitamin D can be consumed through the diet from salmon and fortified milk, but it is much more abundant and bioavailable when sourced from 15 minutes of direct sunlight. For those who do not live in sunny climates, vitamin D deficiency is more common and supplementation becomes necessary. Here we will talk about all of the benefits of vitamin D for women.
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Here are 8 benefits of vitamin D for women:
1. Stress relief
One of the benefits of vitamin D for women is that it aids in stress relief. Inflammation and high amounts of free radicals in the body elicit an inflammatory response, resulting in more cortisol released and more stress. Vitamin D defends against these factors by having anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Additionally, this vitamin has neurotrophic factors, which are small proteins that aid in the brain functioning by regulating neurons. This is because the hypothalamus, among other regions, had lots of vitamin D receptors. These are areas where vitamin D is supposed to be supplied and activated. The hypothalamus has an impact on stress because this region of the brain regulates heartbeat, blood pressure, breathing, and other sympathetic nervous system attributes. Studies have found that high levels of stress were associated with lower vitamin D levels.
2. Anxiety Regulation
In addition to stress relief, another one of the benefits of vitamin D for women is anxiety regulation. Since vitamin D can help with reducing stress, it can also help with anxiety because they are closely related. Anxiety often results in an uncontrolled response to stress or stressors, which evolves into panic attacks and anxiety-like symptoms, including extreme nervousness, sweating, and brain fog. Research also shows that vitamin D supplementation can increase serotonin in the brain which offsets anxiety. Vitamin D can not eliminate anxiety on its own, but it can aid in regulating symptoms.
3. Fertility
Another one of the benefits of vitamin D for women is that it can improve fertility and egg quality. During the preconception stage of pregnancy, women are advised to take the recommended 4000 IU of vitamin D daily. Vitamin D can help improve the development of the ovarian follicles which hold the egg for ovulation. The research has found that vitamin D can interrupt the estrogen system and reduce AMH production (anti-mullerian hormone). This hormone is made by developing follicles and too much can be a sign of PCOS.
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4. Regulating PCOS
Regulating PCOS is another one of the benefits of vitamin D for women. PCOS stands for polycystic ovarian syndrome where a patient is diagnosed when they have 2 out of 3 diagnostic criteria polycystic ovaries on ultrasound, elevated androgen levels, or irregular periods. Vitamin D is beneficial for PCOS because it aids in reducing high testosterone levels in women. Vitamin D paired with evening primrose rose oil can help to regulate your menstrual cycle and help promote ovulation. Since vitamin D also helps with fertility, as mentioned before, this indicates that vitamin D helps with PCOS because infertility is a common issue in those patients.
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5. Hair
Hair loss is a compilation in women with PCOS due to high androgen levels. Luckily, one of the benefits of vitamin D for women is that it can improve hair health and can reduce hair loss. Testosterone and DHEA, two androgens, combine in a reaction to form DHT. This androgen acts on hair follicles and makes them smaller, with too much DHT the follicle will shrink to the point where the hair strand falls out, creating hair loss. Since vitamin D can reduce overall androgen levels, this will regulate how much DHT is produced and will help with hair loss.
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6. Reducing PMS
Reducing PMS is another one of the benefits of vitamin D for women. PMS stands for premenstrual syndrome and is very common for women to experience the week to a few days before their period starts. Though PMS is common it should not be regarded as normal, as these painful symptoms are a sign that there may be an imbalance in your body. In a study of 900 adolescent women, PMS prevalence went from 14% down to 4% after supplementation of vitamin D after 9 weeks. The supplementation was associated with a reduction in the incidence of several symptoms such as backache, tendency to cry easily, and menstrual pain severity dysmenorrhea.
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7. Reducing Depression
Reducing depression is another one of the benefits of vitamin D for women. Studies have found that serum Vitamin D levels are inversely associated with clinical depression. Many cases of clinical depression are caused by an imbalance of glutamate and GABA in the brain. Glutamate is a stimulating neurotransmitter causing arousal and excitement, and GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that causes us to relax and chill out. Too much GABA and not enough glutamate can create these feelings of low motivation, feeling numb, and hopelessness. Vitamin D can have an impact on this imbalance by raising glutamate and decreasing GABA levels.
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8. Reducing Acne
Lastly, acne reduction is another one of the benefits of vitamin D for women. When too many dead skin cells or excessive oil are produced on the skin, this irritates the sebaceous gland and creates a clog. The body will send antibodies to the location creating inflammation to fight the infection and thus a pimple is formed. DHT can not only create hair loss, but it also has a role in creating acne from stimulating excessive oil production. Since DHT is created from high androgen levels, this causes acne in women with PCOS. Vitamin D can counteract the high androgen levels and thus reduce acne.
