The winter is coming: Is vitamin D deficiency the immunity downfall we all dread?
If you’re spending your winter on the beach, doing bareback yoga in the sun without any sunscreen, you’re probably fine. But if you are struggling to get enough sleep and eat right while getting things done like the rest of us, you might want to consider providing yourself with an immunity kick in the form of Vitamin D.
In this article, we will treat the A, B, and C’s of Vitamin D:
(Vitamin) D question: What is all the fuss about?
Should I be taking a vitamin D supplement?
Do we need more vitamin D during the winter?
From 0 to 100: What constitutes a vitamin D deficiency?
Are vitamin D deficiency symptoms easy to recognise?
How do I choose the right vitamin D supplement?
Which vitamin D supplements do I need to avoid?
You can go into details with me, or simply go directly to the conclusion. Either way, let’s jump right in.
1. (Vitamin) D question: What is all the fuss about?
Symptoms that are easy to overlook and misdiagnose, busy and unhealthy lifestyles where we simply do not get enough sun but do fall for unrealistic dietary expectations all led to this — more and more people every year suffer from vitamin D deficiency-related health conditions. In fact, some of the data indicate that, at this point, almost half the population is affected.
Oftentimes, migraine headaches, fatigue, and frequent respiratory infections are just that, temporary glitches, bugs to get rid of. Other times, they may be a symptom of a more permanent problem, such as vitamin D insufficiency, a condition that is both preventable and treatable with the right care and supplementation. Which leads me to the next question.
2. Should I be taking a vitamin D supplement?
Patients ask me this all the time, and for the 70% of us, my answer is — yes.
The reason the numbers are so high is, actually, quite simple. In order to get our daily dose of vitamin D from sun exposure to skin, we would need to have our arms, legs, belly, and back exposed to direct sun for about 20-30 minutes a day, but without any sunscreen lotion or other types of barriers. Getting it from foods would be even harder, if not impossible: To get enough vitamin D in a day, we would need to eat an equivalent of 14 oz of sardines or salmon, or 10.5 oz of tuna, or 2 tablespoons of cod liver oil, or 20 egg yolks. The majority of people can’t do this, so yes, most likely we will need to include a vitamin D supplement.
3. Do we need more vitamin D during the winter?
Since our vitamin D needs to stay consistent throughout the seasons and our exposure to the sun does not, the answer is, once more — yes.
During the winter, even if we are spending a lot of time outdoors, most of our bodies are covered up and hidden from the sun. Getting enough vitamin D from food sources remains, as we established, just as hard. Add this to all the seasonal bugs that circle around, being cramped indoors, and the traffic, family, and food-induced stresses of the holiday season and it’s easy to conclude our immune systems would be thankful for a little help. So, in my humble opinion, it is good to bump up the vitamin D in the colder months, even if we were actually getting enough sun exposure whenever we had the chance. But honestly, most of us don’t get enough sun all year.
4. From 0 to 100: What constitutes a vitamin D deficiency?
To put it in simple terms, we are deficient when our vitamin D levels are below normal, and/ or we are not getting enough to stay healthy.
Doctors like to use special vitamin D blood level tests in order to make sure this is the case.
I will now try and put it in the simplest terms possible. With vitamin D blood testing, the range is 0 to 100, and higher is better, just like a school exam. Levels below 50 are not ideal, the lower the worse, and more urgent action is recommended. We call it all normal if the levels are at 50 or higher, but it is important to note that some people still have symptoms at 50. In these cases, our goal is to try and get the vitamin D levels even higher.
5. Are vitamin D deficiency symptoms easy to recognise?
Symptoms are often mild, and easy to overlook and most people have them for years. Usually, they even get a regular check-up and everything appears normal.
It is common for vitamin D deficiency symptoms to show up as migraine headaches, frequent upper respiratory infections or sinus infections and just being tired all the time. Other times, our muscles feel weak, our appetite is not quite what it should be, we do not sleep well, have occasional aches and pains in our bones and joints, our wounds heal a tad slower than they normally would, or we are a bit more pale than usual. I’ve also heard of several cases where vitamin D insufficiency was misdiagnosed as day depression and fibromyalgia, but this is not the most common scenario. The idea is, if you get any or a number of these symptoms, check vitamin D levels. It for sure can’t hurt, and may as well save you a world of misery.
6. How do I choose the right vitamin D supplement?
Start with the right type of vitamin D, make sure it is easy to absorb, and always, always, choose quality overdosage.
As it happens, there are several types of vitamin D. Vitamin D3, which generally comes from animal sources, is best for raising vitamin D levels in the body. As far as the form goes, supplements in liquid form are very easily absorbed. Even though they may not be as cheap as some other options, I’ve found that once their effectiveness and recovery time are factored in, the investment is more justified. As far as quality goes, always prioritize it overdosage. Choose a natural, high-quality absorbable form of vitamin D3 even if it means setting some time aside to research and find out what works best for you.
I can recommend a liquid form (Enjoy Good Health, Real D3) or a higher dose pure, no filler, no artificial ingredients capsules. Take them for 3 months, then reevaluate.
7. Which vitamin D supplements do I need to avoid?
Watch out for supplements with cheap filler ingredients, sugary options, and certain synthetic kinds of supplements.
Many of the usual manufacturing methods and “filler” ingredients make production very cheap for the manufacturer, but that much harder for the body to actually absorb the vitamin. For example, one of the common fillers in cheaper products is ‘'saw dust’’. Legally labeled as ‘’fiber’’, it is not illegal to use in manufacturing but is really hard for the body to digest, so most of the vitamin D gets “pooped out” before it's absorbed. Supplements in the gummy form will usually contain lots of sugar and less of vitamin D so if you can, opt for a different solution. Additionally, I would try to avoid synthetic vitamin D and certain forms of vitamin D (D2) which are less expensive but do not absorb that well in the body.
(The vitamin) D answer is simple. Manage your vitamin D intake with care.
Try to get some natural sun exposure, consume food high in vitamin D whenever you can, and use a daily supplement if you fall into the majority who need it, with the rest of us.
Vitamin D, in general, is safe to take, so check yourself for the symptoms, do your (bloody) work, take good care of your health so that you can show up for others and, most importantly, do not hesitate to go to your doctor should you have any doubts.
Additionally, you can learn more about building up your immunity in our blog post: "Vitamins to boost immune system this winter" or "Probiotic Multi Enzyme"
I am always here for any other questions you may have.
The answer to fewer infections, an increased immune system, much fewer aches and pains, more energy, and a better mood could be as simple as that.
Lori Atkins
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