Vitamin D supplementation - how much would you benefit from it?
....possibly a lot!
Vitamin D is the first supplement that I think of when it comes to supplementation in general. It is considered to be both a vitamin and a hormone and is involved in hundreds, if not thousands, of different chemical reactions in our body. Among its many roles are support for our immune system, strong bones, cardiovascular health, healthy insulin sensitivity, energy, intestinal health, and brain function which includes mood and sleep. Playing an active part in the production of both serotonin and melatonin within the brain is one of its lesser known functions - serotonin directly affects mood and melatonin is associated with sleep. Serotonin is also produced in the gut (intestines) and optimal levels of vitamin D can also increase serotonin production in that location, often alleviating intestinal symptoms such as those associated with irritable bowel.
Vitamin D can be obtained three different ways: produced in our skin as a reaction to sun exposure (see my previous post on the value of sunshine), obtained through the diet, or with supplementation. Since the majority of us don’t seem to spend enough time in the sunshine, let’s consider our diet. The food category that is highest in vitamin D is fatty fish - salmon (wild caught especially), mackerel, trout, tuna, sardines, herring.
Sourcing healthy seafood is often a challenge for many of us due to so much environmental pollution and unsustainable fishing practices affecting the health of the waters where our seafood is living. Monterey Bay Aquarium has an excellent website and app that can provide great guidance into sourcing the healthiest seafood for us and the planet.
Other foods that are somewhat high in natural vitamin D are egg yolks, beef liver, and certain mushrooms - specifically those that have been exposed to UV light. Unfortunately, most commercially grown mushrooms are not exposed to UV light; the label should indicate if so (it might say “UV light exposed” or “high in vitamin D”).
There is an accurate and inexpensive blood test that can determine if your sunlight exposure and diet alone are providing your body with a sufficient amount of vitamin D. If you have a primary care provider (PCP), hopefully he or she is automatically recommending annual blood tests for you. This is such a foundational piece of health, that if this not being recommended for you, I’d consider finding another PCP. If you don’t have a PCP, you can obtain this test on your own - check with local labs and blood drawing sites. Ask for a 25-hydroxyvitamin D - possibly written on lab forms as 25(OH)D.
Various studies show that approximately 90% of the adult population in the U.S. has a vitamin D blood level lower than the officially recommended 40-60 ng/mL. Many natural health practitioners aim for 50-60 ng/mL as an optimal level. Some practitioners may recommend an even higher amount than that especially for those who already have some type of disease process going on.
When having your blood tested, make note of any supplemental vitamin D that you had been taking in the preceding 2-3 months - (do not take any supplements the morning of your blood draw.) This is important information to know in order to determine your ideal dosage. For example, if you had been taking 2000 IU/day for the preceding 3 months, and your blood level is still less than optimal, you need to increase that dosage. If you haven’t been taking any supplemental vitamin D (check your multivitamin if taking one) and your test results are at least 50 ng/mL, then whatever you have been doing in the preceding 3-4 months - in terms of sunshine exposure, diet and supplementation - is a good program in terms of meeting your vitamin D needs. If less than 50 and not taking any supplement, I recommend that you either make significant changes to your sunlight exposure and/or your diet or, if that’s probably not going to happen, then consider taking supplemental vitamin D. As a supplement, vitamin D is readily available, easy to take and inexpensive. Softgels and liquid drops are the most common and probably most bio-available formulations. Do buy the D3 form. If your dose is 4000-5000 IU a day or higher, buy a product that also contains vitamin K2. Many higher dose vitamin D products automatically include K2 - this combination provides the best utilization of calcium in the body.
When first beginning vitamin D supplementation, having a blood test every 3-6 months is desirable until you’ve reached your optimal level. Then, once a year should be okay. There is considerable variation in the amount that each individual requires in order to stay in that optimal range. Grassroots Health has a vitamin D calculator that can assist you in determining the estimated additional Vitamin D intake needed to reach your target vitamin D serum level.