Vitamin D is an essential thing we need to maintain overall good health. It’s crucial for many things including strong bones, brain health, and strengthening your immune system. According to the Mayo Clinic, “the recommended daily amount of vitamin D is 400 international units (IU) for children up to age 12 months, 600 IU for people ages 1 to 70 years, and 800 IU for people over 70 years.” If you can’t get a few minutes of sun every day, which is a good source of vitamin D, there are plenty of other ways. Dr. Naheed A. Ali, MD, Ph.D. with USA RX tells us, “The good news is that vitamin D is available in a number of forms — both supplements and fortified foods.” He adds, “Everyone needs vitamin D to stay healthy…It helps your body absorb calcium and phosphate, two minerals that are important for healthy bones and teeth. It also helps your body absorb some vitamin K, a crucial vitamin for blood clotting.
Why Vitamin D is Important
Dr. Jacob Hascalovici states, “Vitamin D matters because it assists with calcium and phosphorus intake and retention, which is important for healthy bones. We are still learning other ways vitamin D helps, though initial studies indicate that it could be involved with managing inflammation and restricting cancer cell growth.”
Dr. Suzanna Wong. a licensed Doctor of Chiropractic and health expert says, “Vitamin D works like a hormone – it has receptors in every cell in the body – which makes it one of the most important vitamins you can take. It helps with the following: forming strong bones, muscle strength, immune function, brain health (anxiety and depression especially), some cancers, diabetes, and weight loss and preventing osteomalacia.”
Gita Castallian, MPH Public Health Analyst at The California Center for Functional Medicine explains, “Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that helps us to absorb calcium and promote bone growth. Vitamin D additionally regulates many cellular functions of the body. It is an anti-inflammatory antioxidant with neuroprotective properties that support muscle function, brain cell function and immune health. As we saw during the COVID pandemic, an individual’s Vitamin D level was very important for determining whether they might be more susceptible and more likely to experience serious symptoms with COVID-19.”
What Happens When You Lack Vitamin D and How to Avoid a Deficiency
Dr. Hascalovici shares, “Vitamin D deficiency can lead to brittle bones (osteoporosis) and more frequent fractures. Tiredness, weakness, depression, and pain can be other signs of vitamin D imbalances.”
Dr. Wong adds, “When you lack Vitamin D you probably won’t notice to start with – around 50% of the population are deficient. A blood test is needed to see what your levels are – but with children you start to see bowed legs form (rickets) and in adults all of the above areas can start to present when your levels are low. The easiest way to avoid deficiency is to take a supplement (4000iu a day) and spend as much time outdoors in the sun as possible.”
Dr. Ali shares, “The amount of vitamin D you should take will vary depending on your age, weight, and health. Most people should take vitamin D3 or D5 supplements. If you are over 50 years old, you may wish to consider taking a vitamin D2 or a vitamin K2 supplement. If you are a child or an adult with a good diet, you do not need to take high amounts of vitamin D. Adolescents and teens with a poor diet can get by with low amounts of vitamin D.”
Best Ways to Get Vitamin D
Dr. Hascalovici says, “Many of us can get vitamin D through (limited) exposure to sunlight. Though using sunscreen is important and is normally recommended, many of us can get enough vitamin D by spending 15 to 30 minutes in sunlight, often around midday. The amount of sunlight you need will depend on factors such as your skin pigmentation, where you live, and whether you are predisposed to skin cancer. Food is another source of vitamin D, including tuna, egg yolks, yogurt, dairy milk, fortified cereals, raw mushrooms, or orange juice. A supplement can also help, though it may not be the only answer.”
Castallian and Megan Anderson, APN Nurse Practitioner at The California Center for Functional Medicine add, “You can get Vitamin D in many ways, including the foods you eat, nutritional supplements, and sun exposure. While there is no uniform consensus of how much vitamin D people require, at the California Center for Functional Medicine, “we recommend that our patients have their Vitamin D levels checked at least twice per year, and we consider an optimal range to be between 40-70 for immune system health and cancer prevention. We find that it is very challenging to maintain adequate Vitamin D levels without regular sun exposure and also combined with adequate supplementation. To be honest, many people live far enough from the equator that supplementation is necessary for most people. This is based on our own assessment of our patients’ Vitamin D levels when they are not supplementing.
What to Know Before Taking Vitamin D Supplements
According to Dr. Hascalovici, “Whatever combination of vitamin D sources you choose, know that for most adults, between 600 and 1,000 IU per day is around the right amount. Everyone’s intake can vary depending on their skin, where they live, and how long they spend outdoors, so a physician or nutritionist can provide more specific guidance.”
Anderson says, “Before starting on a Vitamin D supplement, it’s important to know what your level is without supplementation. By knowing that, your healthcare provider can make a more targeted recommendation. If your level is below 30, we normally recommend starting with 5000 IU of Vitamin D3/K2 per day and then retesting in 90 days. If your level is below 20, we might recommend a higher dosage of 10,000 IU per day for 30-45 days and then dropping down to 5000 IU daily after that. It honestly is such an individual dance of testing and then supplementing and then re-testing again to figure out what each person’s needs might be. I recommend testing at least twice per year – once after winter when sun exposure has likely been less and then again after summer. By knowing those two levels at different times of the year, you can supplement appropriately.”
Pros of Taking a Vitamin D Supplement
Dr. Hascalovici explains, “The benefits of vitamin D intake include protecting your bones, potentially helping stabilize your mood, and possibly fighting cancer. It’s clear that vitamin D is essential and that the body suffers if you do not get enough of it.”
Dr. Wong shares, “The benefits include a stronger immune system, protecting bone and muscle health, protecting against anxiety and depression, better blood sugar management – meaning less risk of diabetes, helps with some cancers.”
Cons of Taking Vitamin D
Dr. Hascalovici reminds us, “It’s important not to exceed 4,000 IU per day, as too much vitamin D can contribute to nausea, vomiting, kidney stones, heart damage, and cancer. In rare cases, vitamin D build up over time can lead to calcium-related toxicity.”
According to Castallian and Anderson, “As a whole, appropriate amounts of Vitamin D are highly recommended. However, if you are taking too much Vitamin D in supplement form, some negative effects can arise, including:
Poor appetite and weight loss
Weakness
Constipation
Kidney stones/kidney damage
Confusion and disorientation
Heart rhythm problems
Nausea and vomiting
In general, once levels get above 80, it’s time to back off supplementation. This is not the case where more is always better.”
Experts Insight About Vitamin D
Dr. Hascalovici says, “Vitamin D helps with many functions throughout the body, and it’s important to get the minimum recommended amount per day. It’s worth strategizing the best way to make that happen for you personally, particularly if you have dark skin, live far from the equator, or have concerns about your calcium intake.”
Dr. Ali states, “One of the best things about vitamin D is that it is not only a nutrient but also a natural compound. Getting the recommended amount of vitamin D is easy, and it does not seem to cause any side effects. Getting the amount you need may not be necessary, especially if you are adequately nourished. In fact, people who are underfed and under housed are at risk of vitamin D deficiency. And this can be a precursor to other problems such as rickets, osteoporosis, and diabetes.”
Post time: May-07-2022