What is the "Sunshine vitamin" (and why do you need it?)
When it comes to supplements, there are usually two nutritionist camps:
Those who say supplements aren’t necessary because we get all we need from food
Those who believe that they are needed for specific reasons.
I fall into the latter—I definitely think that supplementation has its place and purpose. Personally, I have benefitted from taking certain herbs, vitamins and minerals and noticed a difference, for example when taking vitamin B12 when deficient or taking herbs to support my Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis (read: managing stress levels).
One of the biggies I recommend is vitamin D3, especially during the colder months and for those of us who live far from the equator (most of us). I would say that around 90% of the women I see in my practice have very low vitamin D status, myself included (I just found out my D is low, too)!
From a functional medicine perspective we want your D levels to be between 50-80ng/mL. Unfortunately, if and when this test is run by your medical provider (you usually have to ask for it—ALWAYS ask for this to be added on!), the lab’s “reference range” shows that a starting vitamin D status of 20ng/mL is normal. So it could be very possible that you have low vitamin D but it just wasn’t “flagged” as low! This is why I always check when working with clients even when they say “But the doctor said it was normal!”
So why is vitamin D important (fun fact: it’s actually a hormone!)?
Such a good question! You may have heard that it’s important for bone health and helping the body to absorb calcium and prevent osteoporosis. That’s true for sure. But we also need it for other reasons:
For our muscles to move
For brain health
To help reduce depression
For our immune system to help fight viruses and bacteria
Another fun fact: Did you know vitamin D is made by our SKIN?
To explain this very simply, when we go outside in the sun, ultraviolet rays penetrate our skin to combine with a precursor form of vitamin D (D2). From there, the vitamin D heads to the liver to become 25(OH)D. It then moves on to the kidneys to become a different active form, called cholecalciferol. The vitamin D3 that you may see in the stores is the synthetic version of cholecalciferol called calcitriol. Confusing? Yes, kinda, sorry!
This vitamin D creation pathway explains why it is difficult for us to make vitamin D in the fall/winter months, when the sun is not strong and because we tend to stay indoors more when its colder, and why, if we wear sunblock ,we are also not able to make adequate vitamin D. Hence, we are quite often deficient.
How much should you take?
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin D is about 800IU/day which often is not adequate for raising vitamin D levels. I usually recommend taking 2000IU of vitamin D3 daily to maintain levels. Because this is a fat-soluble vitamin, it is stored in our fat tissue and hangs around longer (as opposed to water-soluble vitamins like the B’s that turn your pee bright yellow!), it is possible to overdo it, but difficult, so 2000IU is a safe dosage and what I generally recommend.
If supplements really aren’t your thing, that’s OK. We can still get some vitamin D from food in sources like salmon, sardines, egg yolk, shrimp, fortified cereal, yogurt, and orange juice—it’s just that it’s usually not enough.
So what should you look for when purchasing a supplement? Make sure you are purchasing the D3 form, not the D2. This article can help you select the right vitamin D for you.
Disclaimer: I encourage you to consult a doctor before making any health or diet changes, especially any changes related to a specific diagnosis or condition. NO information on this website should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease or condition.
