The Vitamin D Effect: Everything You Need To Know

It’s Daylight Saving’s Time! While we gain an extra hour, we also lose an extra hour of natural sunshine. And research is showing that the shorter, darker days of Fall and Winter can take a real toll on our health.

 

How It Works

When natural sunshine hits our skin, it triggers our bodies to produce vitamin D. When most of us think of Vitamin D, we think healthy bones. And yes, it’s essential in making sure our bodies and blood have enough calcium. But vitamin D plays an important role in helping cells throughout our body communicate properly. And nearly 50% of the entire world’s population may not be getting enough of it.

 

Vitamin D2 vs. D3

Animals and plants produce different of vitamin D. Vitamin D2 is produced by plants like mushrooms and helps increase blood levels of vitamin D. While vitamin D3 is produced by animals and is found to be much more effective at actually improving vitamin D stores in our body.

 

How Much Is Enough?

The average recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin D falls between 400-800 IUs. Although depending on our age, skin type, the time of year, exposure to sunlight and current vitamin D levels, anywhere between 1,000 IUs and 2,000 IUs  may also be considered safe.

 

Why We Need It?

More and more research is proving that vitamin D helps reduce high blood pressure, improves brain function, thyroid health & insulin sensitivity, boosts our mood and stimulates T cell production that strengthen our immune system.

 

A recent, sixteen year Japanese study even found that people with higher vitamin D levels had a 20% lower risk of certain cancers.

 

3 Natural Sources

* Wild Caught Salmon – a 3.5 ounce serving has 900 IUs of vitamin D3 (whereas farmed salmon contains about 250 IUs).

 

* Yolks from pasture raised chickens – one egg yolk has up to 150 IUs of vitamin D3 (where as yolks from commercially raised chickens contain about 40 IUs).

 

* Wild Mushrooms – a 3.5 ounce serving has up to 450 IUs of vitamin D2 (whereas mushrooms commercially grown indoors contains very little).

 

How To Choose A Supplement?

If you know your levels are low, have trouble adding vitamin D through natural (or fortified) food sources and have decided to take a supplement, you’ll want to make sure that you look specifically for vitamin D3. Now, although the vitamin D3 will make sure that there’s enough calcium in your blood, vitamin K helps direct that calcium to the right place. So a supplement that combines both vitamin D3 plus K is best.

 

Feeling tired and rundown? You may not be getting enough Vitamin D. Have your doctor check your levels. You’d be amazed at how much better you can feel with some simple adjustments that add vitamin D to your day.