For Cleveland Browns fans, the holidays came a little early this year when the team acquired wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. After a win/loss record of 1/31 over two years, the addition of quarterback Baker Mayfield and now Beckham Jr. to the team puts all the other NFL franchises on alert. Their D-fenses may not be able to do their job against this new powerhouse.
You see, it takes just the right amount of D to ward off defeat-from cardio disease, immune system problems, weak bones and cognition lapses. Too little of the sunshine vitamin and you're D-ficient.
But you also can have too much vitamin D-and that can put you off balance. Researchers from Rutgers University have published a study in which they found that women age 50-70 who took up to 2,000 IU daily of vitamin D-3 had improved learning and memory. But those who took a higher dosage (4,000 IU) didn't see greater cognitive improvements and had slower physical reaction times, putting them at risk for falls and injuries. Annually, falls are reported by one-third of all people over the age of 65-more often women than men-and they lead to prolonged hospital stays and even fatalities.
The conclusion: If you take D supplements, ask your doc for a blood test of your level. You want to get it above 35 mg/dL. Supplements can help ease deficiencies, but we also think it is important to avoid taking too much. Maybe you just need to get out into the delightful sunlight more.
Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of "The Dr. Oz Show," and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune into "The Dr. Oz Show" or visit sharecare.com.
(c)2019 Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.