I recently received a letter from a woman who had heard me on the Discoveries in Health radio show. Here is her question regarding Vitamin D and my response to her.  It’s a very important subject that has resonated with a lot of people.

Dear Dr. Pinkus -
I recently heard you on a radio program. You had mentioned Dr. Newton’s Naturals so I thought I would contact you through them with a concern of mine. I am a strong believer in natural supplements and I liked what you had to say about Vitamin D. My question is unrelated but I am hoping you can still help me.

I’m 43 years old and over the past four years. I’ve been gaining about 5 lbs. each year. The troublesome thing is that I eat healthy, and I walk four or five times a week. The only other change during this period is that I now have trouble sleeping. Actually staying asleep is my problem. I keep waking up around 3:00 a.m. It’s driving me crazy and I’m tired! I went to my doctor and he didn’t find anything physically wrong with me. Do you have any clue what may be causing my somewhat sudden sleep and weight issues?

Thank you!

Karen H, Seneca Falls, NY

Dear Karen,

When I was a child, I used to play the game cold-warm-hot, a variation of hide-and-seek. Did you do this? As I got closer to the hidden item, my friends would scream “warmer, warmer,” until I was “hot”, or right on top of it.

When I read your email today, it made me think of this game because you are certainly “getting warmer” with your question. In fact, you almost answered it yourself!

The latest research on Vitamin D shows that your problems may indeed be due to a deficiency in this nutrient. In your specific case, it appears that your low levels of Vitamin D are affecting your nerves and metabolism.

To clarify, Vitamin D is actually a hormone. For decades, research has shown that deficiencies in this nutrient often lead to weakened and soft bones. Today, we know our need for Vitamin D goes well beyond bone health. Research continues to reveal more about its significance and impact on our overall well-being. In fact, Vitamin D regulates over 2,000 genes in your body- including those associated with sleep and food metabolism.

To my point, Vitamin D regulates glucose in the body. When one has a deficiency, it can cause slow and stubborn weight gain. You are not alone: millions of Americans suffer from blood sugar issues or the pre-diabetic condition known as Metabolic Syndrome. Studies show that when Vitamin D levels in your blood increase from 10 to 30 (10 is dangerously low, 30 is at the very low end of normal, and 60-70 is ideal) that there is a 60% improvement in insulin sensitivity. This means with proper Vitamin D levels, your metabolism improves dramatically. In contrast, one popular diabetic prescription drug only improves insulin sensitivity by 13%.

Vitamin D can also affect your nervous system. If you suffer from a hormonal imbalance, you may often feel tired during the day, and at the same time, experience difficulty sleeping at night. Vitamin D acts to balance this issue.

You can see that I am a strong advocate of Vitamin D and urge everyone to take it daily. My new Sublingual D-3 formula provides you with the most effective form of Vitamin D, along with the correct dosage and the best delivery system (absorbs under the tongue). I think it’s definitely worth your while to give it a try. I have a feeling that it’s going to help you significantly. Please drop me a note at DrP@drnewtons.com and let me know how it is working for you.

Yours in health,

Dr. Pinkus