Shedding Light on Vitamin D Deficiency

In the hustle and bustle of modern life, it's easy to overlook the importance of maintaining a well-balanced diet and getting adequate sunlight exposure. One crucial element that often flies under the radar is vitamin D. Known as the "sunshine vitamin," vitamin D plays a pivotal role in our overall health and well-being. Unfortunately, a growing number of individuals are falling prey to vitamin D deficiency, a silent epidemic with potentially serious consequences.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is unique in its ability to be synthesized by the body when exposed to sunlight. It is not only essential for maintaining healthy bones and teeth by aiding in calcium absorption but also plays a crucial role in supporting immune function, regulating mood, and promoting overall cardiovascular health.

Causes of Vitamin D Deficiency:

• Inadequate Sun Exposure: Modern lifestyles, characterized by increased indoor activities and the widespread use of sunscreen, contribute to inadequate sun exposure
  
• Dietary Influences: A diet lacking in vitamin D-rich foods such as fatty fish (salmon, mackerel), mushrooms, and egg yolks.
  
• Geographic Location: Individuals living in regions with limited sunlight during certain seasons.
  
• Skin Pigmentation: People with darker skin tones have higher melanin levels, which can reduce the skin's ability to produce vitamin D in response to sunlight.
  
• Age: Older adults may have reduced skin thickness and kidney function, affecting their ability to synthesize and convert vitamin D efficiently.
  
• Inflammation: Living with higher levels of inflammation seems to deplete vitamin D levels. I often see a link between high levels of CRP (a marker of inflammation in the blood and low vitamin D). 
  
• Mold Toxicity: Mold exposure and resulting illness can lead to reduced ability to absorb vitamin D leading to deficiencies. 
  

List of Conditions That May Be Improved by Optimizing Vitamin D. 
This list is not exhaustive but encompasses researched conditions that may see improvement through the optimization of Vitamin D levels

• Skin - Eczema, Urticaria, Psoriasis
  
• Recurrent Ear Infections
  
• Improved Immune Health in General
  
• Cardiovascular Disease - Hypertension, Congestive Heart Failure
  
• Respiratory Conditions - Asthma, COPD
  
• Autoimmune Conditions - Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Hashimoto’s
  
• Diabetes
  
• IBS/IBD - Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis
  
• Mental Health - Depression, Anxiety
  
• Insomnia 
  
• Fibromyalgia - In general there is increased pain sensitivity when vitamin D is low! 
  
• Recurrent vaginitis
  
• PMS
  
• Fertility
  
• Kidney Disease
  
• Reduced risk of Cancer 
  

Finding the Sweet Spot - Dosing and Testing 

• At this time, I find ideal blood levels around 50-75. 
  
• Finding the right dosing seems to be very individual. It is best to have a blood test to determine your need. 
  
• Blood tests are not perfect, but they are the best tool I know of currently to get an estimation of where you are at. 
  
• The blood test needs to be repeated once you have started supplementing to see how that dose is affecting you. I am frequently surprised to see people needing higher or lower dosing. 
  
• One size DOES NOT fit all.
  
• It is possible to take too much. If you are taking higher dosing (over 5,000 IU daily) you should be retesting at least yearly
  
• The research around high dosing 1-2 times a week is not as favorable as taking regular daily dosing. 
  
• Vitamin D levels vary during the day. It is best to test at the same time when retesting. 
  
• Vitamin D levels go down during illness. 
  
• As much as I would like to believe it is true, I do not often see people’s vitamin D levels going up in the summer. I find people still need to supplement year round most of the time. 
  

Final Thoughts From The Doctor:
My patients consistently report, they have a better mood or better energy when their vitamin D levels are optimized. Sometimes, I feel patients need a loading dose to get their levels up and then need to back off on the dosing. I find my patients rarely have symptoms from having too high of levels. This means retesting is the best way to monitor. I encourage you to get your levels tested and monitor them yearly.