It seems like there is a constant stream of new studies touting the benefits of vitamin D. Could this naturally occurring substance play a much bigger role in our health and well-being than we could imagine? Are we sabotaging our own health by spending so much time indoors, and always wearing sunscreen? Can we achieve a happy medium; protecting our skin and naturally absorbing the vitamin D we need from the sun’s rays? Or is supplementation the best, and safest way to go?
These are all important questions that we must answer for ourselves….
A small study that tested vitamin D against a placebo in patients with chronic lung disease found that those getting the vitamin D could breathe better and exercise more than those on the dummy pills.
The 50 study participants were patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who were part of a three-month pulmonary rehabilitation program in Belgium. Via http://www.webmd.com/lung/copd/news/20110516/vitamin-d-may-improve-breathing-for-copd-patients