Why is Vitamin D important?
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that reduces inflammation, boosts immune function, assists with cell growth, and maintains muscle and nerve function. Proper Vitamin D levels in the body will help with calcium absorption through the intestinal gut lining. Vitamin D will also maintain the calcium and phosphate concentrations in the bone leading to strong bones.
Steroid use can decrease the absorption of both Vitamin D and Calcium in the body, making supplemental intake of other sources of Vitamin D more important for your overall body health.
A lack of vitamin D will lead to a deficiency over time that can result in thin, brittle and misshapen bones. Severe deficiency will cause rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. This severe deficiency is rare as foods are fortified with Vitamin D; it was more common in the past.
How do we absorb it?
Vitamin D can enter our body three ways: foods, supplements and sunlight (UV exposure).
The best source is sunlight. Our skin will use the UV rays from direct exposure to sunlight to begin the conversion to the active form of Vitamin D (D3 aka calcitriol). In North America, the winter months are the most common time that we suffer with a lack of Vitamin D. It is recommended that we should all get 5-30 minutes of sunlight twice a week in the hours between 10am-3pm. Over-exposure of UV rays is related to an increased risk of skin cancer.
The best sources of Vitamin D within our diet are Cod Liver Oil (1360 IU/tbsp), and fatty fish, mainly Swordfish (566 IU/3 oz) and Salmon (447 IU/3oz).
Supplements of Vitamin D are a good alternative. Vitamin D3 is better than Vitamin D2 overall; Vitamin D2 is less potent over time. There is a risk of toxicity with the supplements.
The Recommended Daily Dietary Allowance are:
- 600 IU – 4,000 IU for individuals between 19-70 years old
- 800 IU – 4,000 IU for individuals 70+ years old
During the winter months, it is beneficial to boost your Vitamin D intake through diet and supplements to support your immune system, decrease inflammation and improve your nerve and muscle function.
For more information, talk to Dr. Katie
Reference: National Institutes of Health-Office of Dietary Supplements. Feb 2016
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