Have you been feeling the effects of winter over the past few weeks? With the gloomy days of February, I’ve felt the decrease in energy, mood and overall health. The lack of sunshine is taking a toll and one of the biggest culprits is a decline in Vitamin D. I know most of you have heard Vitamin D is important. But why? What are the best ways to boost this vitamin and is too much of a good thing bad? Let’s dive in!
Vitamin D is best known for helping absorb calcium in the gut. But it also helps regulate cell growth, nerves and immune function. Studies also show that low vitamin D increases the risk of death from heart attacks, cancer, asthma diabetes and autoimmune diseases. We can only acquire about 10-20% of our needed vitamin D from food sources (cold water fish contain the most). You will absorb less if you suffer from digestive issues. The rest must come from UV light (or if needed supplements). If you struggle with stress, obesity, or inflammation, you are less efficient at acquiring Vitamin D from the sunlight. Winter is the perfect storm for Vitamin D deficiency…we eat less seafood (let’s admit it, oven baked fish isn’t comparable to grilling), we are bundled in coats, and our stress increases with the holidays and countless school/work activities….Vitamin D disaster!
To determine your vitamin D status, blood tests can be done. Most health providers will look at a 25-hydroxy Vitamin D (the major circulating form of Vitamin D). The optimal functional medicine range for 25-hydroxy D is 35-60 ng/mL. Traditional ranges allow a cut off of 80 ng/mL but read on to see why this could be harmful! I (and functional medicine) would also argue to look at a 1,25 hydroxy Vitamin D (the active form), Calcium level, and Parathyroid hormone. Some people will have borderline low 25-hydroxy Vitamin D levels, but if the other markers are normal, we will opt to monitor or try dietary changes first.
If you discover you have vitamin D deficiency, what are the best treatments? I always recommend having a health care provider review your lab results with you prior to starting treatment. Several factors influence how your process Vitamin D.
- Eating foods high in Vitamin D: Cold water fish, eggs and beef/chicken livers. Not a fan? Taking ½ tsp of cod liver oil daily will also work.
- Sun/UV exposure: Rough guidelines…in winter/early spring spend half as much time as it takes for skin to turn pink outside 3-7 times per week. In summer/fall, same amount of time at least 3 days per week
- Vitamin D supplement (use under a health provider’s guidance): Vitamin D3 is better absorbed than D2 and always take with fat. The dose will vary largely on your current Vitamin D levels, digestive health, stress level, and inflammation….You may need a trial dose and then recheck your level after 60 days. RETESTING IS KEY! Even though Vitamin D is healthy for us…too much of this good thing is bad!
Recent research has shown there truly is a risk with over-supplementing Vitamin D. Elevated Vitamin D can cause elevated calcium and phosphate which can cause mineralization in soft tissues…most worrisome, in the kidneys causing stones and in blood vessels increasing your risk of heart disease. Elevated Vitamin D levels can also increase headaches, digestive distress (diarrhea, nausea, etc), increased thirst and urination, and weight loss. RETEST instead of guessing your levels!
Are you feeling off this winter? Are you needing to investigate your vitamin levels? I would be happy to help you find answers with a safe and evidence based approach. Please contact me for an appointment…I would love to help you pursue health. Become resilient, ever growing…MINT.
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