Are you suffering from DEPRESSION, Joint Pain, Weak Bones, Hypertension, or Diabetes? Do you get sick often? Do you have chronic fatigue or you’re just simply wiped out by 3:00 in the afternoon?
If you answered YES to any of these questions, then I have good news for you…..something as simple as Vitamin D deficiency or inefficiency could be at the ROOT of your symptoms.
Did you know that Vitamin D deficiency is an epidemic? yes, that’s right, according to the International Journal of Health Sciences, over a billion people are either deficient or have inefficient vitamin d levels. How Can this be?
According to the NCBI, Vitamin D3 deficiency can result in obesity, diabetes, hypertension, depression, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, osteoporosis, and neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease. Vitamin D deficiency may even contribute to the development of cancers, especially breast, prostate, and colon cancers. How can something so simple be linked to so many diseases? So, what is Vitamin D? Why are so many Deficient? What are the symptoms, causes, of Vitamin D deficiency? And, What are the benefits of sufficient Vitamin D levels how can we get more of this shining star into our bodies?
What is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and also acts as a hormone that is synthesized in the skin from sun exposure. Many articles and scientific studies have shown that this “Sunny Superstar” has a profound impact on the strength of our immune system, bone health, our mood, and emotional state and literally serves as a switch to turn on thousands of genes in our bodies. According to Dr. Mark Hyman, Director of Functional Medicine for the Cleveland Clinic, vitamin D also has a huge impact on the overall health and function of our cells. He explains that vitamin D actually reduces cellular growth which promotes cancer making vitamin D one of the most potent cancer-inhibitors-and explains why vitamin D deficiency has been linked to colon, prostate, breast, and ovarian cancers.
Vitamin D, Covid-19, and the immune system
Having a bullet-proof immune system is not only essential to healthy living but has become absolutely critical during this Corona Virus Pandemic. Our immune systems act as our body’s first line of defense in fighting viruses, bacteria, fungus, and many other infections and pathogens. Dr. Joseph Mercola, renowned Natural Health Expert, and Best-selling author outlines the key role optimal vitamin D serum levels play in a strong immune system in his latest paper on Vitamin D deficiency and its role in COVID-19 prevention and survival. Dr. Mercola, who co-wrote this paper with many of his medical colleagues considers this to be possibly the most important paper he has ever written. Below are a few interesting excerpts from the paper:
Excerpts from Dr. Mercola’s paper: Vitamin D Deficiency In The Prevention of COVID-19
A recent retrospective at the University of Chicago of over 4,000 participants was designed to examine whether vitamin D deficiency and treatment are associated with testing positive for COVID-19. They found that when vitamin D deficiency was not sufficiently treated, it was associated with an increased risk for COVID-19 infection.
Research has shown that Vitamin D has a profound influence on immune cells and causes a general lowering of inflammation.
Vitamin D is a powerful epigenetic regulator influencing over 2,500 genes and impacting dozens of our most serious health challenges like heart disease, cancer, and many autoimmune diseases.
Vitamin D likely reduces the risk of viral respiratory infections because it influences several of your immune pathways, with the net effect of boosting your mucosal barrier defenses while simultaneously dampening excessive inflammation. Vitamin D appears to decrease the risk of respiratory tract infections by three main mechanisms:
- It helps maintain tight junctions in the epithelial cells of the lungs and gut to prevent the infiltration of immune cells in lungs and other respiratory tissues,
- It inactivates some viruses through the stimulation of antiviral mechanisms such as antimicrobial peptides.
- It reduces pro-inflammatory cytokines through the modulation of the immune system.
To read the full article click here.
What are the causes of Vitamin D Deficiency?
According to MarketWatch, Americans spend more time than ever watching videos, browsing social media, and swiping their lives away on their tablets and smartphones. American adults spend more than 11 hours per day watching, reading, listening to, or simply interacting with media. This is absolutely mindblowing…. and I’m sure COVID-19 has only made things worse. No wonder everyone is deficient in Vitamin D when we are clearly not spending enough time outdoors to get our daily dose.
- Too much time indoors/not getting enough sunlight.
- Frequent use of sunscreen.
- Being Elderly.
- Underlying health conditions like Crohn’s, diabetes, hypertension, liver disease.
- Certain prescription medications affect the absorption of vitamin D.
- Having darker skin.
- Toxins (toxins cause liver stagnation where vitamin D is first hydroxylated into a form our bodies can easily utilize.)
- Obesity
What are the Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency?
- Muscle Weakness.
- Depression/Anxiety.
- Immune breakdown/getting sick more often.
- Weak bones and teeth.
- Fatigue
- Joint Pain
Research has shown that low vitamin D levels are associated with over 200 medical conditions including the ones listed above, however, you may be surprised to find out that vitamin D deficiency has a huge impact on our brain health as well. According to the Mayo Clinic, a large study published in Neurology showed that people with extremely low blood levels of vitamin D were more than twice as likely as those with normal vitamin D levels to develop Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia. Luckily, low vitamin D levels are something that’s very simple and inexpensive to fix. Below, Dr. Perlmutter, world-renowned Neurologist, and best-selling author explains why optimal levels of vitamin D are so important, especially for optimal brain function.
How Can I Get More Vitamin D?
Enjoy The Sunshine!!
We have been conditioned over the past several years with all the technology and gadgets to spend more time indoors, and when we do get outside, we are told to slather ourselves with sunscreen so we don’t get skin cancer. This is the exact opposite of how humans evolved. God created us to spend time in the beautiful outdoors and soak up that precious sunshine for a reason. Ever notice that you and your family rarely get sick in the summer? Why is that? It’s all that delightful Sunny-D your getting. Yep, that’s right did you know that in just ten minutes of being in the sun without sunscreen, our bodies produce a whopping 10,000 IU of vitamin D….that is amazing!
Vitamin D In Your Diet
- Wild Caught Alaskan Salmon
- Beef Liver
- Egg Yolks
- Fortified Dairy
- Mushrooms
- Cod Liver Oil
Supplements
If you are someone who does not spend enough time outdoors or you live in areas with colder climates like the Northern Regions, you will probably need to supplement Vitamin D in order to maintain optimal levels. Because we are all so different, it is hard to say exactly what dose will help you obtain that optimal level so I recommend getting tested. Ask your doctor to run a 25-Hydroxyvitamin D test so you know exactly where your levels stand. This is a very standard blood test that should be covered by insurance. According to Dr. Kate Rheaume-Bleue, Naturopathic Doctor and the author of Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox, it is important to take Vitamin D3 with K2 because they work most effectively as a pair. Vitamin K2 deficiency is connected with vitamin D toxicity which includes excessive calcification that can contribute to the hardening of the arteries. She explains that Vitamin K2 directs calcium to areas where it’s supposed to be like bones and teeth and keeps calcium out of areas like tissues and arteries where it can cause damage. It’s also good to remember that Vitamin D is fat-soluble so it’s going to be better absorbed when taken with a healthy fat like fish oil, olive oil, avocado, and/or nut butters. Listed below are some of my favorite good quality Vitamin D3 Supplements.
Dr. Cannell’s Advanced D Formula with K2
What’s the Magic Vitamin D Number?
Before I started seeing functional medicine doctors years ago I thought I was covered with my once-a-day 400IU softgel…..sounds good, right? Not even close. So, what is the magic Vitamin D number, and how many IU’s should you be taking daily? Well, as I mentioned earlier, it’s important to get tested so you know your real serum level. Then once you get tested, you need to understand that just because your level might land within the lab’s normal range doesn’t mean that’s the optimal number for you. Most labs consider your level to be sufficient if your number falls somewhere between 30ng/ml and 100ng/ml. However, most experts are now saying 40ng/ml should be the minimum to fall within the efficiency range and a serum level closer to 70ng/ml is more optimal. Most physicians agree that if your levels are low, supplementing with 2000 IU a day is a very safe number. However, it is always important to check with your doctor before starting any new supplements. Check out Dr. Mercols’s video below on serum levels and testing.
Additional Reading
Seven Signs You May Be Vitamin D Deficient
New Study Shows Vitamin D May Stop Depression
7 Reasons To Take Vitamin D
The Vitamin D Solution
Disclaimer
The information contained in this blog and any content within therootcausewellness.com website is intended to educate, empower, and inspire readers to make positive choices for their own overall health and wellbeing. I am not a doctor, psychiatrist, or therapist and the information contained in this website is my personal opinion based on my education, real-life experience, and research unless otherwise stated. Therefore, it is in no way intended to substitute for professional medical advice from a doctor or licensed health professional. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease or medical condition. It is always recommended that you consult with a doctor or licensed medical professional before making any dietary, lifestyle, exercise, medication, or supplement changes. Kathleen Freydl, Certified Health Coach and Owner of the Root Cause Wellness, accepts no responsibility or liability whatsoever for the use or misuse of the information contained in therootcausewellness.com website including any affiliate links.