There are four fat soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K. Today, I’m talking about vitamin D.

You can’t have too munch vitamin D! Actually, you can have too much. If you get vitamin D naturally, too much will result in a sunburn. Taking too much vitamin D orally can result in health problems.

However, vitamin D is important to optimize your health. Therefore, I intend to have a discussion on the facts about vitamin D.

What is vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin. What does that mean? Vitamin D is stored in your body’s fat cells. In other words, vitamin D builds up in the body to be used as it’s needed. In addition to this, here is a list of the benefits vitamin D.

• Cell Health: this includes cells in the breast, colon and prostate were cancers are hindered by vitamin D
• Bone Health: Vitamin D supports bone health by helping prevent osteoporosis, hip fractures, and osteomalacia
• Organ Health: helps to regulate high blood pressure, hypertension and heart disease
• Mental Health: vitamin D is known to help minimize mental health issues such as SAD, PMS, depression and general low mood
• Auto-immune Diseases: the affects of multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis can be reduced with vitamin D
• Skin Disorders: include psoriasis, eczema, dry skin, premature aging, and helping to prevent skin cancer
• Obesity: vitamin D is effective in weight loss by blocking the formation of new fat cells. It can also suppress the storage of fat in the cells.
• Sunlight is the most effective way for the body to manufacture Vitamin D.  In some parts of the world where the weather tends to be cloudy such as England and Ireland, our bodies can only manufacture Vitamin D from exposure to the sun during the months of May to October. Those are the only months during the year that the sunlight is most effective.

More facts about vitamin D

1. We become less able absorb vitamin D through our skin from the sun as we age.
2. In modern society we tend to stay indoors more. This limits our exposure to sunlight and reduces our intake of vitamin D.
3. Dark skinned people find it difficult to make vitamin D. Dark skin tends to not absorb the sunlight as easily as lighter skinned people.
4. Certain cultures require their women to cover themselves entirely in heavy clothing that blocks out the sun.
5. People who have intestinal diseases cannot efficiently absorb Vitamin D from the diet or supplement.
6. Using sunscreen blocks the absorption of vitamin D. Limiting sun exposure between the hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. is recommended. Early morning and late evening sun exposure is suggested.

 

Recommended doses

Most multivitamins only contain 400IU of Vitamin D. Vitamin D experts recommended a daily supplement of 5,000IU per day to obtain and maintain optimum levels. Vitamin D supplements provide the same benefits as sunshine but if taken in too large a dose, can cause Vitamin D toxicity, whereas sun exposure does not.

Side effects of too much vitamin D

Excessive amounts of vitamin D in the body can cause calcium levels in the blood to rise. This can lead too much calcium in your blood otherwise known as hypercalcemia. Symptoms include fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, excessive thirst, excessive urination, and cardiac arrhythmias. High levels of vitamin D can cause chest pain, tightness, hives, difficulty breathing, rash or swelling.

In addition to the information above, remember like the three bears story, look for that sweet spot where it’s ‘just right’.

Therefore, take your vitamin D from the sunlight whenever possible. Then get your vitamin D from food. After that, take a vitamin D supplement for optimal health. Make sure you always research your supplements so you’re getting the highest quality. Plant based supplements without fillers are best.

Similarly, this is your body. It’s the only one you will ever have. Above all, take care of your body and it will take care of you.