Vitamin D is Essential This Time of Year.
Vitamin D the “Sunshine Vitamin.”
Hello!
I’ve written about the importance of vitamin D before and felt it was time to revisit it, especially because it is hard to get enough of this essential vitamin this time of year. I also realized that I ran out of my vitamin D supplement a few months ago, which might be the cause of my fatigue.
Vitamin D deficiency has been on the rise in recent years. An increase in the tendency for individuals to work and live indoors, unhealthy diets and concerns about too much sun exposure have been contributing factors.
What is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D functions like a hormone our bodies make when our skin is exposed to the sun. It is also a nutrient found in certain foods. Vitamin D helps the body absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus, critical for building bone. Laboratory studies show that vitamin D can also reduce cancer cell growth, help control infections, and reduce inflammation. Many of the body’s organs and tissues have receptors for vitamin D, so its benefits go beyond bone health.
Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency
· Fatigue.
· General sense of not feeling well.
· Frequently sick and taking a long time to recover.
· Pain in your joints and bones.
· Wounds that take a long time to heal.
Prolonged Vitamin D Deficiency may cause:
· Increase risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
· Cognitive impairment in older adults.
· Severe asthma in children.
· Cancer.
What is the difference between D2 and D3?
The two forms of vitamin D differ depending on their food sources.
Sources of Vitamin D2
· Mushrooms (grown in UV light)
· Fortified foods- cow’s milk, soy milk, orange juice, cereal and oatmeal
· Dietary supplements
Sources of Vitamin D3
· Oily fish and fish oil
· Liver
· Egg yolk
· Butter
· Dietary supplements
Vitamin D Supplement
Obtaining the amount of vitamin D required for optimal health from food sources and exposure to the sun is very challenging, and it is recommended that you take a supplement. This supplement should contain vitamins D and K because it will help the body use calcium properly to build bone instead of depositing it dangerously in arteries and soft tissue. Vitamin K has a protective effect on arteries, preventing buildup and therefore protecting against cardiovascular disease.
A general guideline is to take 1000-2000 IU’s per day. Suppose your vitamin D levels are low, or you are dealing with serious health challenges. In that case, you may need to take more under the supervision of your family doctor, integrative MD or naturopath.
It’s best to get tested before starting a supplement to determine if you are deficient in vitamin D. Ask your doctor to check your 25 OHD levels. An ideal test result should be between 40 and 80. In Ontario, OHIP will only cover the costs of vitamin D testing for specific medical conditions, and your family doctor will not order it as part of your annual blood work. Occasionally my doctor has ordered the test, but I had to pay for it, and when he was reluctant, I asked my naturopath to order the test. The test costs less than $50.
If you are healthy, the amount you take will change depending on the time of year. I take 1000 IU’s daily in the summer and double the amount during winter.
If you have never taken a vitamin D supplement before or, like me, are returning to taking it, you need to start with a low dosage to allow your body to adjust to gradual absorption. Start with a few 100 IU’s daily for a week, then gradually increase it every week by a few 100 IU’s, or obtain a schedule from your health practitioner. Avoid starting at a high dosage of over 4000 IU’s, or you risk vitamin D toxicity.
The best form of vitamin D is produced when your skin is exposed to the sun for 20 minutes thrice a week. Your skin needs to be bare without any sunscreen or clothing for this benefit, and this is where it gets tricky. Some exposure to the sun without sunscreen has many health benefits, yet too much sun puts us at risk of skin cancer. Taking a supplement removes the guesswork and ensures you reap the health benefits.
If you haven’t been feeling your best, you may want to have your vitamin D levels checked and consider taking a supplement.
Be well.
Anita
Resources
2. Harvard School of Public Health
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