Vitamin D: Are We Getting Enough?

Greetings!

After a long holiday I have returned to the blog to finish a post I started shortly after Thanksgiving (tis the season for procrastination lol).  With winter arriving one of the biggest marketed supplements we see in stores and on T.V. is vitamin D.  We know that it is an essential (although technically not an essential vitamin by definition) part of our daily diet and we know the risks from the lack of it's consumption.  My biggest concern is that most people do not truly understand what this particular vitamin is and what it's role has in the body and also what can occur if we are not getting enough of it.  The other concern is that I see so many people putting things into their body, without any knowledge of what exactly they are consuming and what types of side effects it could have on them.  You wouldn't drink from a puddle that was glowing purple without asking what it was would you?  Then why pop a bunch of tablets of something just because it is readily available and talked about so much?

Vitamin D is easily the biggest supplement pushed during the winter months, but do you need it?

Vitamin D is a fat soluble steroid like molecule that is both ingested and produced naturally in the body.  It's function is mainly to absorb calcium and phosphate, although there are many other debated benefits and perks from vitamin D. More information on vitamin D.  Vitamin D was used to solve the continuous problem of rickets in the early twentieth century, although rickets was recorded as far back as the 1600s and I'm sure since the dawn of man, just not under a specific name, it wasn't until roughly 100 years ago we've discovered the power of vitamin D.  Rickets, which generally affects children, is the softening of bones, which leads to deformities and structural damage to the skeletal system and growth development.  Once scientists discovered vitamins and put them to use for the cures to many aliments, many countries began the process of Food Fortification in order to add certain amount of nutrients to common foods as to try and prevent deficiency based ailments such as rickets.

Although some foods offer vitamin D naturally, most of us get our vitamin D from fortified food sources.  Naturally occurring sources are found in; cod liver, swordfish, salmon, tuna and eggs. Foods that are commonly fortified are; dairy products (milk/cheese) orange juice, yogurts, butter and cereals.  I'd be willing to bet that the majority of this country eats more foods from the fortified list than the naturally occurring list, hence why they are advertised as fortified. We also get a supply of vitamin D from the sun as well (a synthesis  of cholesterol to D), which is always a hot topic that usually begins the discussion of vitamin D supplements.

A few Vitamin D Sources

As winter falls upon us, everyone tends to lose a little sun exposure, but some more than others.  Many northern states in the U.S. obviously see the sun much less due to the amount of snow and cloudy days (although the way things are going last year and this year who knows) and reportedly see a decrease in natural vitamin D production in our bodies. Although multiple factors play into the amount of sunlight needed for adequate vitamin D synthesis, the less sun available to us in winter means we need to try and get more of it than say in the summer. Here is some great information about sun light and Vitamin D.  As we work more and more and the sun is less and less available we run back into the initial topic; vitamin D supplements.

Many, see supplements as a way around eating the vitamin and minerals we need.

Although getting nutrients from food sources is always the best method for obtaining vitamins and nutrients, it is possible to supplement, (understand that a supplement is not meant to replace something altogether, but rather aid in the consumption of said vitamin.) to help us reach our RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance).  This is where things can get a bit fishy.  The RDA currently  is 600 IU* (International Units).  Many of us, assuming we are eating at least some of the foods listed above, will be able to get around 300-400 IUs from food alone, and if we were able to get plenty of sunshine, perhaps near the 600 IU amount we are supposed to achieve.  This is not always the case in winter, so we may be able to use a vitamin D supplement to help us gain those few hundred IUs we miss out on from old man winter.

Many cereals, especially children's are now fortified with vitamin D.

Choosing the right type of supplement can be very challenging, because of so much advertising and non-stop yammering of the best of the best D supplement.  I will try to break down a few things to help. (Let it be known that I am in no way recommending you take any type of supplement.  I recommend you research the product and consult your physician before beginning any type of supplementation)  First, there are two main types of D supplements; oil and powder.  According to the vitamin D council, either source seems to be adequate.  There is also two main types of D supplements (D2 and D3) both of which are widely available, but can be a little confusing about what they do.  In simple terms, D2 is found inplants and fungus and D3 is the sunshine variety. D3 is also found in animal sources. Although both forms are still vitamin D, D3 is used most often to fortify foods and is also the variety that is recommended by the vitamin D council.  How much to take is an open debate as well.  If we use it as a supplement as we only should, then a typical dosage (around 400 IU) should be enough to get us to the 600 IU range that is if we are eating foods that contain it.  I will not make any recommendations about more supplementation, since any more would be used as a replacement and as I said you should only use it to aid your consumption of Vitamin D.

There is also the concern about vitamin D toxicity   Too much vitamin D can lead to hypercalcuria (excess calcium in the urine) and then can lead to hypercalcemia (high concentration of blood calcium) Too much supplementation of D can lead to these problems, which is why it is not advised to go overboard with the tabs.Learn More About D Toxicity

Winter is here, we can't change that, but with proper diet and a little help from educating yourself on the use of supplementation, may help you avoid any type of vitamin D deficiencies and keep yourself as healthy as possible as were brace ourselves for this winter.

*standard for ages 9-70
Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D Council
Mayo Clinic Vitamin D

"Most folks are about as happy as they make their minds up to be"-  Abraham Lincoln

*I am not a registered nutritionist or dietitian. The information presented is for education purposes only.

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