How can vitamin D work to prevent fibroids?

So many Americans are deficient or insufficient in vitamin D. [MUSIC PLAYING]

This is a new study that intrigued me enormously as a gynecologist. It was the first time a study looked at the link or association between vitamin D levels

and the growth of fibroid tumors in women. And the majority of women will have fibroids

at some point in their life. They don't always cause problems for a woman, but sometimes they do. And sometimes the problems can be significant.

So this most recent study looked at the association between higher vitamin D levels and fibroids,

and found that women with higher blood levels of vitamin D3 actually had a 32% lower risk of developing fibroids.

So we can't say for sure at this point whether vitamin D will actually shrink existing fibroid tumors.

But the possibility is that they could prevent them from growing in the first place. And that will be an area of ongoing research.

For now, it's something that we see so many diseases or conditions that are linked or associated with vitamin

D, both high and low levels. And so many Americans are deficient or insufficient in vitamin D that I recommend that most healthy adults

and even some teenagers take 1,000 units of D3 every day. The Institute of Medicine recommends a little less,

600 units a day. Unless you've had a blood test and found to be deficient, it's always important to remember that more is not

better because high levels of vitamin D in supplement form can be linked with the risk of kidney stones.

So this is something that if you don't want to go to your doctor and get a blood test, taking 1,000 units most days of the week can probably do some benefit