?Jeremy's views and opinions don’t necessarily agree with those of the newspaper or The Daily.
Students, especially those living in residence halls, have an elevated risk of contracting the flu due to the heavy population density of campus. An often overlooked and controversial means of prevention is taking vitamin D supplements.
Research on vitamin D’s effect on the common cold is hotly debated, with National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey studies from 2010 suggesting that it does help and more recent studies in 2011 from the University of Otago Christchurch in New Zealand suggesting that the vitamin is ineffective.
Nonetheless, vitamin D is generally accepted to boost the immune system, activating T-cells in the human body that fight off infection, according to the Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology.
Vitamin D deficiency is often associated with the winter, as the body’s means of producing it is through the skin via sunlight, which people get significantly less of during the winter months. Seasonal depression may also be a result of vitamin D deficiency alongside psychological factors.
The Harvard School of Public Health recommends taking a daily multivitamin and encourages the consideration of additional vitamin D supplement. It cites the vitamin’s link to heart health, bone and muscle strength, cancer prevention and increased immune function as a justification to ingest about 1,000 international units daily, also known as one vitamin D3 tablet.
While a well-balanced diet should be able to provide for all of people’s nutritional needs, The Harvard School of Public Health suggests the use of multi-vitamins as a “nutrition insurance policy.”
Recent studies have correlated multivitamin use with a reduction in cancer risk by 8 percent, according to the National Cancer Institute. However, vitamin overdose is a serious problem as well, with symptoms including peeling skin, stomach discomfort, paleness, constipation, diarrhea and in extreme circumstances, death, according to the Livestrong Foundation. Those eating healthy, nutrient-rich diets may experience these adverse health effects if they take supplements.
Harvard couples its recommendation of taking multivitamins with precautionary measures. The best option for people seeking proper nutrition is to earth a healthy diet, one “rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and healthy oils.” This should negate the need to take supplemental nutrients.
It also warns against taking “mega” vitamins or taking more than the daily recommended dosage of traditional multivitamins, as this can cause one to easily and excessively exceed their nutritional needs.
People who maintain healthy habits will live healthier lives, whether their lives are free of something as simple as the sniffles or as serious as cancer. University students may be at a more elevated risk for contagious diseases than they may be back home, but they also have a greater opportunities to learn about their health, more resources to do something about it, and are at a point in their lives where the habits they make can last a lifetime.
