Vitamin D
Question. In the last year, how many have had your Vitamin D levels checked? Before a few years ago, does anyone remember anyone caring what their Vitamin D levels were? Didn’t think so. First, let’s get into what Vitamin D is and why it’s important. Vitamin D is a fat soluble (soluble in fat solvents and are absorbed with dietary fats. They are not normally excreted in the urine and tend to be stored in the body in moderate amounts) vitamin that was first recognized as the component of “good fats” that cured rickets (a disease of infants and young animals {there’s a difference?!?!?} characterized by impaired mineralization of growing bone caused by deficiencies of vitamin D, calcium or phosphorus). It is also sometimes referred to as the “sunshine vitamin”.
The main functions of Vitamin D are that it:
• regulates absorption and use of calcium and phosphorus for development of bones and teeth
• Aids in maintenance of healthy nervous and muscular systems by regulating blood calcium levels
• Aids in calcium absorption from intestines and deposition of calcium in bones/teeth
• Prevents excessive urinary loss of calcium and phosphorus
• Stimulates maturation of cells and proper formation of skeleton
• Helps with maintenance of bones in ears for hearing
• Essential for mineral homeostasis
You may hear about Vitamin D2 vs Vitamin D3 in the news. What that all means is:
Vitamin D2 is the supplemental form (what you get at the pharmacy); Vitamin D3 is the naturally occurring form that you get from foods or exposure to sunlight. Dietary sources of Vitamin D include: Fortified milk, Cheese, Cream, Butter and margarine, Oysters, salmon, and tuna, Fortified cereal, Liver, Cod-liver oil and Eggs. Persons with limited exposure to sunlight may require a vitamin D supplement, however, toxicity cannot occur from too much exposure to the sun. As fabulous as sunscreen is, that is one (of many) of the reasons that people are not synthesizing as much Vitamin D3 as we used to. However, it is still very, very important to use your sunscreen. It has been suggested by some vitamin D researchers that approximately 5–30 minutes of sun exposure between 10 AM and 3 PM at least twice a week to the face, arms, legs, or back without sunscreen usually lead to sufficient vitamin D synthesis. People with darker skin tones may need more. It’s kind of a conundrum because you need sun to synthesize Vitamin D, but we are constantly told (and rightfully so!) to wear sunscreen and use it properly!
As with any supplement, make sure your physician knows that you are taking it. Vitamin D supplementation may interfere with some medications and other vitamin/mineral/herbal supplements. Recommended Daily Intakes will differ between the sexes, age groups, w/pregnancy, etc. so it’s best to talk to your physician to find out, based on your blood levels, what the best amount of a supplement would be. Sometimes they need to prescribe (what may seem like) large doses to get you’re levels up to the recommendations and then you can continue on with a maintenance supplement.
Hopefully this gives you some good information about why Vitamin D is important and sources. I’m thinking of having a contest. What vitamin/mineral/herb do you think will be next in the spotlight?!?!?! Have a great weekend!!!
