Ability of vitamin D to regulate anti-bactericidal proteins has been conserved through almost 60 million years of evolution

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Just became aware of yet another article about Vitamin D through Sixty million years of evolution says vitamin D may save your life from swine flu

It turns out that genes related to our immune defense system that are regulated by Vitamin D have existed and survived evolution for million of years in primates.

“The antimicrobial peptide that we’re studying seems to be involved not just in killing bacteria, but has other biological roles,” Gombart said. “It recruits other immune cells and sort of sounds the alarm that something is wrong. It helps promote development of blood vessels, cell growth and healing of wounds. And it seems to have important roles in barrier tissues such as skin and the digestive system. Vitamin D is very important for the health of the skin and digestive system, and putting the cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide gene under its regulation may be important in this function.”

So, do like our cavemen ancestors did and catch a few rays of sunshine to boost your immune system.

Original Source: Key feature of immune system survived in humans, other primates for 60 million years

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