Vitamin D has finally gained a posh status within the medical community for it’s important part in bone health. It’s role within the body is always exciting for me to explain to patients, it’s an easy way we can show people how miraculous the human body is and how so many body parts work together in order to accomplish a task vital for longevity, keeping your bones healthy!
What does it do?
Vitamin D encourages calcium absorption through the gut and maintains calcium levels in the blood to help with proper support to bones. Bones recycle calcium all the time-they are a much more dynamic tissue than most people realize, and Vitamin D is an important modulator in this process. Without sufficient vitamin D, bones can become thin and brittle. Vitamin D helps protect older adults from osteoporosis, and has other important immune system functions in the body like controlling certain cells’ growth and reducing inflammation. It’s a superhero in my book!
Many people have heard that a blood draw is necessary to test your Vitamin D levels-and that is very true. Vitamin D isn’t activated in your body until your liver and kidneys have had a chance to do a little chemistry (and this is why some classify Vitamin D as a hormone) so what we need to test is the level of those substances in order to make sure you are taking enough. Although it’s definitely not a crime to take an average dose of Vitamin D without the test, you won’t know if you are taking enough to make a difference to your body without it. The Vitamin D Council suggests a dose of 4,000 IUs per day is safe for most people ages 9 and up to take daily without risk of toxicity.
How do I get it?
Most people have heard of the connection between sun exposure and vitamin D. Basically, your skin can make Vitamin D when it’s exposed to sunlight. When cholesterol (Yes-EEK-I know that’s a curse word to many readers) is circulating though your system all kinds of hormones slice and dice it into many things your body uses. One form of cholesterol makes it’s way into your skin where it waits to be exposed to UVB sun rays. The reaction between the two turns the cholesterol into a form of Vitamin D that’s really easy for your liver and kidneys to use.
An important thing to note is every resource from the AMA, CDC, AMC-every health agency acronym you can think of-all concur that you cannot get enough Vitamin D from food. You need adequate sunlight exposure and proper levels of quality supplements. Every group ranging from dermatologists, cancer societies, nutritional councils and vitamin companies have their own opinions about the amount of sunshine necessary for Vitamin D synthesis but not increasing the risk of skin cancer. The general consensus is 10-15 mins with your face and arms exposed to sunshine outside are enough. Luckily here in Florida, we have enough sunshine to go around all year long!
Why did it take so long for doctors to recognize it’s worth? Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, meaning it can cross the blood-brain barrier. It was thought until recent times people had to be extremely careful with taking this and other fat soluble vitamins as they would collect in the brain and everyone would suffer from some sort of toxicity-but now we understand how widely utilized this vitamin is and how extremely deficient so many people are. It’s a good thing such a simple blood test is available to insure people are taking enough of the vitamin to feel it’s benefits!