Vitamin D 101

Function

Vitamin D is an essential fat-soluble vitamin that promotes good bone health by maintaining the body’s calcium pool. It maintains the body’s calcium pool by helping the body absorb calcium and by regulating the amount of calcium in the body’s blood levels. Adequate levels of Vitamin D are also said to help with immunity, decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and lower the risk of some cancers.

Sources

The biggest and primary source of Vitamin D is the sun, as our skin makes Vitamin D when it is exposed to UV-B rays. Some foods naturally contain Vitamin D, including fatty fish (i.e. Salmon, Herring, Mackerel) and Shitake Mushrooms. Other Vitamin D food sources are fortified with the vitamin, such as milk, cereals and yogurt. But no food sources (natural or fortified) contain adequate enough amounts of the Vitamin D. As a result, most people need to take a multivitamin (Women’s One-A-Day Multivitamin tablets have 800 IU’s) or a Vitamin D Supplement to ensure that their body is receiving enough Vitamin D on a daily basis. Your doctor will let you know which type/strength of multivitamin or supplement is best for you.

Requirements

The recommended level of Vitamin D intake increases with age as the skin’s ability to make Vitamin D decreases along with the body’s kidney and liver function. Current Vitamin D intake recommendations are as follows: 200 IU/day for ages 0-50, 400 IU/day for ages 51-70 and 600 IU/day for people over 70 years of age. These numbers are expected to increase, as it is believed that the recommended current intake levels are too low to achieve adequate Vitamin D levels in the body. In fact, it is estimated that people need up to an additional 2,000 IU’s of Vitamin D per day to achieve adequate Vitamin D levels depending on the time of year, exposure to the sun and a person’s skin tone.

Deficiency

Any person having a Vitamin D level of under 30 ng/mL is considered to have an insufficient level of Vitamin D in their body; Anyone having a Vitamin D level of less than 21 ng/mL is considered deficient. Vitamin D deficiency is more commonly seen in the winter and spring seasons as the sun’s rays are not as strong during these months, thus making it harder for the skin to make Vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency is also more commonly found in person’s with darker skin tones, as the additional pigment in their skin makes it harder for the sun’s rays to penetrate the skin and make Vitamin D. Other deficiency factors include the use of sunscreen, air pollution, smoking, obesity, distance from the equator, mal-absorption of Vitamin D by the body, renal and liver disease and some medications.

Some of the effects of Vitamin D deficiency include the development of soft bones, which can lead to Rickets (along with poor diet), osteoporosis, muscle weakness, seizures, an increased risk of developing autoimmune diseases, such as muscular sclerosis, and a higher risk of developing some cancers (not yet conclusive).

Toxicity

There is not much risk associated with the intake of too much Vitamin D. The biggest side effect is the possibility of developing kidney stones.

Treatment

Proper treatment for low Vitamin D levels depends on how deficient in Vitamin D a person is. For people with Vitamin D levels below 21 ng/mL, a treatment plan of Vitamin D3 50,000 IU supplements three times a week for one month is normally prescribed. After the month, Vitamin D levels will be re-checked to monitor increases in the Vitamin D levels. People with Vitamin D levels below 30 ng/mL are normally placed on a treatment plan of Vitamin D3 1,000 IU supplements 2-3 times a day for three months. After three months the Vitamin D levels are re-checked to monitor increases in the body’s Vitamin D levels. Once a person’s body reaches an adequate level of Vitamin D (over 30 ng/mL), that person will begin taking a Vitamin D3 1,000 IU supplement once per day to maintain healthy Vitamin D levels. Vitamin D3 1,000 IU supplements can be found over-the-counter at any pharmacy or store that sells pharmaceutical items. Vitamin D3 50,000 IU supplements are available by prescription only. If you are placed on a treatment plan that requires you to take Vitamin D3 50,000 IU supplements, your doctor will provide a prescription for the supplements to be picked up at the pharmacy of your choice.