Since winter weather is fully upon us here in the Great White North, I thought this would be an opportune time to discuss vitamin D. Below, I give my answers to some common questions I encounter in my practice in regards to vitamin D, and how it can affect your health. Feel free to leave comments or any other questions you have below the article.
What does vitamin D do?
One of the most well known roles of vitamin D is in relation bone health, with a lot of elderly individuals placed on a regimen that includes calcium and vitamin D. This is because vitamin D helps the absorption of calcium from the gut to the bloodstream. However, vitamin D is so much more than a sidekick to calcium. In fact, it is argued that vitamin D is actually a hormone because of the different processes it is involved in, and it can be linked to nearly every tissue in the body – affecting everything from brain and heart health to muscle and immune function.
What can vitamin D help with?
Deficiency of vitamin D is on my radar in the majority of patient cases I see because of how many conditions it’s involved in. It can affect your pain levels, your susceptibility to getting sick, and even your mood. From the “winter blues” to Major Depressive Disorder, vitamin D plays a small but very important role. In autoimmune conditions, such as Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, etc., vitamin D levels are often found to be low, further strengthening vitamin D’s association with the immune system. Skin issues such as eczema and psoriasis can also be related to a vitamin D deficiency, which is thought to be part of the reason these conditions tend to worsen in the winter. Vitamin D deficiency is also associated with weight gain and certain types of cancers (such as breast and colorectal). And the list goes on. Research is also emerging on the ability of vitamin D to aid athletic performance, so in my athletes this is one area I find myself intervening in frequently.
Are there dietary sources of Vitamin D?
Yes, food sources include fortified milk and cereals, eggs, and fish such as salmon and tuna. However, there generally isn’t enough from food sources to optimize your vitamin D levels.
Should I supplement?
In almost all cases, yes! It is especially important during the winter, but knowing your levels and basing a dosage specific to your needs is a smart and relatively inexpensive strategy. The Canadian Cancer Society gives a general recommendation of 1000IU per day during the fall and winter months. This dosage allows you to cover your bases for the most part, although specific conditions may require higher dosages. Speak to your healthcare provider for a dosing schedule that is right for you.
Which supplement is best?
Because this is a fat soluble vitamin, those that are paired with a fat, such as Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT oil) are better absorbed. It will also help absorption if you take your vitamin D with a meal containing fat. Vitamin D3 is the form you’re looking for.
What will it cost?
At the standard 1000IU per day dosage, a year’s supply of Vitamin D should be in the neighbourhood of $20, making it one of the best bang for your buck options when it comes to supplements for improving your health.
Is there such a thing as too much vitamin D?
Yes, because vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, it is stored in the body for much longer than most other vitamins. As a comparison, vitamin C is water soluble, so if you take Vitamin C in excess of what your body needs, the body has an easier time getting rid of it through your urine. Taking too much vitamin D can lead to excess calcium in the blood, causing symptoms such as lethargy, confusion, irritability, nausea, vomiting, constipation, etc.
Does my skin tone matter?
Yes, when it comes to creating vitamin D through sunlight exposure. The darker your skin, the more sun exposure that’s required to create the vitamin’s active form. Therefore, the likelihood for deficiency becomes higher if you have darker skin.
I hope you found this helpful! If you’d like to discuss your vitamin D levels in greater detail, or are looking for other ways to optimize your health, book an appointment today! BOOK NOW
