There is a lot of talk about vitamin D3, what it is, how to get it and if we are getting enough. In this article I would like to take a few minutes to break it down in a simple form so that you are empowered with the right information to make decisions for yourself.
“Because vitamin D is so cheap and so clearly reduces all-cause mortality, I can say this with great certainty: Vitamin D represents the single most cost effective medical intervention in the United States.” ~Dr. Greg Plotnikoff, Medical Director at Penny George Institute for Health and Healing in Minneapolis
What is Vitamin D3?
Vitamin D3 is a fat-soluble vitamin that is produced in the skin after exposure to ultraviolet B light either from the sun or from artificial sources and occurs naturally in some foods. Vitamin D exists in several forms, each with a different activity. Some forms are relatively inactive in the body and have limited ability to function as a vitamin. The liver and kidney help convert vitamin D to its active hormone form.
The major biologic function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, helping to form and maintain strong bones. It promotes bone mineralization in concert with a number of other vitamins, minerals, and hormones.
Without vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle, soft, or misshapen. Vitamin D prevents rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, which are skeletal diseases that result in defects that weaken bones. (1)
It used to be thought that Vitamin D was only good for prevention of weakened bones and rickets but as more research is being done the connection between Vitamin D3 and the body is wide ranging. In the side image you can see all the different ways that Vitamin D3 interacts with the body and how the lack of can produce disease states.
So the questions becomes: what do obesity, heart disease, depression, diabetes, and fibromyalgia have in common? Vitamin D deficiency. More than 200 million Americans lack this essential vitamin and as a result suffer from a host of daily annoyances, chronic conditions, the flu and even life-threatening illnesses. (3)
How do we get Vitamin D3?
Vitamin D3 is known as the sunshine vitamin because when we are exposed to sunlight our body creates vitamin D from ultraviolet B rays. We can also receive vitamin D through foods and supplementation. The caution here is that not all supplements or foods provide the same value as others. Most Vitamin D supplements are in the form of Vitamin D2, however the body is 500 percent (4) faster at converting vitamin D3 into its active hormonal form and therefore more productive in the body then D2. Some of the best food sources for Vitamin D are liver, egg yolks, cod liver oil, and fish. Many foods are being fortified with Vitamin D and are one of the biggest contributors to vitamin D in our diet.
How much Vitamin D3 should we be getting?
The data is being updated regularly and the RDA values are significantly out of date based on new research. This table is a good average to begin with, but please note the warning below. This chart does not give specifics for your individual needs.
| Vitamin D Dose Recommendations | |
| Age | Dosage |
| Below 5 | 35 units per pound per day |
| Age 5 – 10 | 2500 units |
| Adults | 5000 units |
| Pregnant Women | 5000 units |
| WARNING: There is no way to know if the above recommendations are correct. The ONLY way to know is to test your blood. You might need 4-5 times the amount recommended above. Ideally your blood level of 25 OH D should be 60ng/ml. |
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IF you feel you are not getting enough vitamin D or would like to know more, please contact me so we can assess your specific needs together and find the best solution for you.
For more information on vitamin D check out this link:
http://www.mercola.com/article/vitamin-d-resources.htm
References:
(1) http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/02/23/vitamin-d-part-five.aspx
(2) image: http://vitamind.ucr.edu/disease.html
(3) http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-04/pgu-tvd040110.php