Scientists evaluatedthe effects of vitamin D on the mental health of 80 elderly patients, half ofwhom were stricken with
a mild case of Alzheimer's disease and the rest of whomhad no problems with dementia. The patients were evaluated using a battery ofstandard tests. Those with the lowest levels of vitamin D were 11 times moreprone to be depressed than those who received healthy doses. Moreover, 58percent of patients had abnormally lower vitamin D levels than the mean.Vitamin Ddeficiency is common in older adults, and has previously beenimplicated in both psychiatric and neurological disorders.According to the AAD, theinformation "endangers America'shealth," using the logic that once people hear that a little bit of sunmay be healthy, they will use it as an excuse to be in the sun excessively.The AAD's campaign to keepAmericans out of the sun to avoid skin cancer has been a huge success, withmany Americans now avoiding the sun or using sunblock regularly. Holick,however, says the advice is too extreme and has led to vitamin D deficiency inmillions of Americans.According to the AAD, theinformation "endangers America'shealth," using the logic that once people hear that a little bit of sunmay be healthy, they will use it as an excuse to be in the sun excessively.The AAD's campaign to keepAmericans out of the sun to avoid skin cancer has been a huge success, withmany Americans now avoiding the sun or using sunblock regularly. Holick,however, says the advice is too extreme and has led to vitamin D deficiency inmillions of Americans.Vitamin D is veryimportant, and sun exposure is indeed the best source. "I knew my skin had become healthier, so I put it tothe testthis year. "Idid not lay out in the sun, as I do not believe that to be wise, but I swam,walked, and played in the sun with no ill effects. The AmericanAcademy of Dermatology isone deluded group of irresponsible physicians. You can start to reap thebenefits of commonsense exposure to regular doses of sunshine and radicallydecrease your risk of cancer and other illnesses.Now you might be wonderingby now whatsome of thediseases are that vitamin D helps to prevent.