Vitamin D the Sunshine Vitamin: Part 1
Sunlight does more for us than just grow plants and tan our skin.
DIRECT SUNLIGHT ON OUR SKIN IT IS THE MAIN WAY OUR BODY ABSORBS AN THE ESSENTIAL VITAMIN D.
After doing a deep dive into benefit claims of Vitamin D, I found one common theme. Having a Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency is a common occurrence in many individuals with chronic disease and mental illness, having a deficiency may even result in poorer rehabilitation in these conditions.
Low levels of Vitamin D are usually due to insufficient dietary intake or little outdoor exposure to sunshine.
So How do I know if I’m getting enough?
Best bet is to contact you doctor and have your Vitamin D level checks with a simple blood test.
Vitamin D concentration is assessed by blood serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH D) levels:
with optimal levels at or above 30 nq/mL
insufficient levels at less than 30 ng/mL
deficient levels at less than 20 ng/mL
intoxication levels at greater than 150 nq/mL
How to we get Vitamin D ?
Most people in the world meet at least some of their vitamin D needs through exposure to sunlight.
Experts suggest, that approximately 5–30 minutes of sun exposure, particularly between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., either daily or at least twice a week to the face, arms, hands, and legs without sunscreen usually leads to sufficient vitamin D synthesis.
Vitamin D is found in some foods, such as fortified milk, fortified cereal, eggs, some mushrooms and fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines.
Vitamin D Supplements when prescribed by a medical professional.
Can I take too much Vitamin D?
Sure- there can be too much of a good thing.
That’s why it is important to get your base line Vitamin D levels checked by a medical professional then decided on a regimen that’s best for you.
You can not get too much Vitamin D from prolonger natural sun exposure, however tanning beds that emit artificial UV radiation can in fact bump your levels over the normal range! So be sure to let your doc know if you use tanning beds.
Keep reading in Vitamin D - Part 2, to learn about what health benefits of Vitamin D are proven and which claims haven’t yet been confirmed by research.
Keep reading Vitamin D - Part 2, to learn about what health benefits of Vitamin D are proven and which claims haven’t yet been confirmed by research.
- Be well, Dr.D
References
M. F. Holick, “Vitamin D deficiency,” The New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 357, no. 3, pp. 266–281, 2007.
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-d/art-20363792