Vitamin D seems to be the new cure-all for many health problems today. The reality is many of us are low on vitamin D, and with people just now figuring that out, it seems to be fixing many problems.
Low vitamin D levels have been shown to contribute to many diseases including but not limited to cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and most recently, severe covid-19.
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Despite the correlation some have found between vitamin D levels and disease, other studies have found no health benefits to taking a vitamin D supplement.
A new study may explain the reason for this. Scientists at the University of California have found a link between gut health and vitamin D.
When measuring how much active vitamin D older males had in their blood, the UC San Diego researchers found that its levels correlated with the diversity of the community of bacteria living in their gut, or gut microbiome.
Gut bacteria and vitamin D: What is the link?
The results, published in Nature Communications, show that the body’s ability to convert inactive vitamin D into active vitamin D may make all the difference. Having healthy gut bacteria that are able to metabolize vitamin D is more important than having high levels of vitamin D.