Vitamin D: More Than The Sun
Vitamin D is a vitamin and a hormone that acts throughout the body in various ways. It is typically thought to be only gotten from the sun, and Vitamin D is one of the only vitamins that the human body can manufacture on its own. We can do this by absorbing UV B rays and converting it (through an extensive process) into vitamin D in the skin. Vitamin D is more than sun. There are very few places in the world you can get enough only from the sun, due to changes in the weather, latitude, sun exposure from lifestyle, clothing, and sunscreen use, and even skin color. Due to these interfering factors, I typically recommend most people take a vitamin D supplement to bolster their level after having it checked.
Vitamin D impacts every cell in the body. The main issues I see are, thyroid imbalances, insulin resistance and diabetes, chronic pain and fatigue, depression, and recurrent illness. Vitamin D’s impact is wide and here’s why, vitamin d is responsible for the ability to balance calcium and bone mineralization, insulin utilization in the cell, balance of minerals and other vitamins, it promotes balance of the hormone release in the system that stabilizes blood pressure, and it balances immune system regulation, to name a few. As you can see Vitamin D is a vital part of our functioning. The sad truth is that many providers never check this level and don’t know how to truly interpret it in regard to your health. The recommended daily allowance of vitamin D has been virtually unchanged since it was discovered in the 1920’s, despite the dramatic change in lifestyle that has occurred. The other sad truth is that the reference range most labs and providers use for “normal” levels, is far too low.
Here are some symptoms of vitamin D deficiency, they occur regardless of age: body aches (bone and muscle), chronic fatigue, brain fog, insulin resistance or diabetes, recurrent infection or illness, autoimmune disease, thyroid disease, numbness or tingling in fingers/toes, osteoporosis/osteopenia (brittle bones), irritability, anxiety, weight gain, hair loss, and many others. If you have any of these symptoms, or if you have never had your levels checked, you should have your provider check them. Here’s how to interpret your level: 0-30ng/ml severe deficiency, 30-50ng/ml mild deficiency, 50-100ng/ml- normal range. If you have a severe deficiency, I recommend taking (with approval of your health care team) taking 10,000 iu daily and repeating levels every 8 weeks while watching your calcium levels. (when vitamin D is low calcium tends to be high, increasing Vitamin d level should normalize calcium level) If you are mildly deficient, I recommend on average, taking 2,000- 5,000 iu daily and checking levels every 8 weeks. Once you are in the acceptable range of 50-100ng/ml you should NOT stop taking your supplement…. This is important, you are in the normal range BECAUSE you’re taking a supplement, if you stop, you be become low again. You may need to alter your dosage but do not stop supplementing. There are a few food sources of vitamin d like fatty fish, however with modern farming techniques and variance in manufactures they are not good sources for most people to maintain a good level, though I still encourage you to seek a balanced diet.
Vitamin D is a vital part of functioning, have your levels checked frequently, at a minimum yearly, advocate to have it checked regardless of age and health status and continue to get a balanced diet to promote optimal functioning.
Until next time, remember optimal health is not about perfection, but finding what works for you at a given time of life.
