Vitamin D

Vitamin D deficiency is now recognized as a pandemic, affecting an estimated 1 billion of the world’s population.

Most of us know the importance of vitamin D intake for strong, healthy bones. Even so, a resurgence of rickets, the childhood bone-weakening disease, has been seen in industrialized countries in recent years.

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, Vitamin D deficiency is of great concern because research conducted over the last decade, suggests that vitamin D plays a much broader disease-fighting role as was once thought.

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in very few foods. There are two different supplemental forms of vitamin D: D2 and D3.

D2, also known as ergocalciferol, is the form made by mushrooms from exposure to sunlight, while D3, also known as cholecalciferol, is the type that’s made in your skin from the sun or from fish consumption. Both D2 & D3 must be converted, ‘activated’ to the hormone calcitriol before they can be used by the body.

Both forms can be manufactured for supplements; although the D3 is the one more commonly used.

Why is it important?

Vitamin D is one of the most important vitamins for overall health; yet it’s most important, signature role is that of maintaining bone health (osteopenia & osteoporosis) and preventing childhood rickets.

Vitamin D, especially taken with vitamin K, has also been found to enhance immune system response, and improve cardiovascular health and increase bone density, especially in postmenopausal women.

Beyond bone building

The crucial link between strong, healthy bones and vitamin D was made many years ago; however recent research suggests its importance in many other conditions, such as: colon cancer, cardiovascular disease, the flu, multiple sclerosis and type I diabetes to name just a few.

Who is at risk for Vitamin D deficiency?

The following groups of people are at increased risk for vitamin D deficiency –

• People with naturally, dark skin, the melanin in their skin adversely affects UV penetration

• People with little or no sun exposure

• Breast-fed babies, as breast milk contains little Vitamin D

• People suffering from: Celiac’s Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, inflammatory bowel disease, liver disease, obesity and Renal Disease

• Older adults in nursing and retirement homes

• Vegans (soy-based products fortified with vitamin D are possible options)

How much do I need?

According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines, the amount is dependent on a person’s age. Following is an RDA and an upper-limit range:

• Infants – Parents should consult with a pediatrician.

• Children (1-3 years) 600-2500 IU daily

• Children (4-8 years) 600-3000 IU daily

• Persons (9-70 years) 600-4000 IU daily

• Persons (70+) 800-4000 IU daily

NOTE: The very best way to determine your individual vitamin D needs is to have your doctor check your levels with a simple blood test.

When should I take my Vitamin D supplements?

There is no scientific evidence that taking Vitamin D several times a day as opposed to once a day is advantageous. However, Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, and as such is better absorbed when taken with a meal containing fat. For most people that would be the largest meal of the day.

A study conducted by the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, found that by taking your vitamin D3 with the largest meal of the day, absorption was significantly improved with results showing about a 50% increase in serum levels.

Where should I get my Vitamin D from?

We get our Vitamin D from three places:

The sun: five to thirty minutes of sun on the arms and legs, twice weekly is often all a person requires for proper Vitamin D production. However, this is only applicable to certain times of the year, at certain latitudes, under certain conditions.

and….

Our Food Sources

Sources include: Fish liver oils, fatty fish (mackerel, salmon, sardines and tuna (wild caught NOT farm raised – this may be due to the fact that vitamin D is readily available in the food chain, for wild-caught fish, but not available in the pellet diet fed to farmed fish), cheese, egg yolks, beef and liver contain small amounts, fortified foods, such as: breakfast cereals, orange juice and milk.

Supplementation

Sources of vitamin D are not so plentiful and it is recommended that you consider vitamin D supplementation. Here are a couple of top brands for your review: Thorne Vitamin D’s and Metagenics Vit D’s . Here is a link to our complete selection of Vitamin D supplements.