Vitamin D - Get some!

There has recently been a lot of hype and information surrounding Vitamin D. So I thought I would provide you a little information. Below is a brief primer on the subject that hopefully covers many of the bases with regards to this essential vitamin.

Please note: This is not medical advice. Always consult your family physician before taking any drug or dietary supplement.

So what is vitamin D? Surprise, it’s not really a vitamin at all.  It’s a prohormone or hormone precursor like cortisol, estrogen, and testosterone, it’s derived from cholesterol molecules.

How do I get it? Humans make vitamin D in the bottom two layers of the skin in a photochemical reaction driven by a narrow band of UV light. This means the most significant source is sunlight.

How do I become deficient? Generally, most people start healthy. Those of us in climates and latitudes with longer winters and the possibility of extended cloud cover (and 9-6 office jobs) can take a few months of darkness to become vitamin D deficient. It’s difficult to stay topped up in the midst of a Canadian fall, winter and spring (and summer?), especially if you spend seven days a week inside.

What’s the vitamin D sold in stores? When you take vitamin D orally, you usually take vitamin D3 as cholecalciferol. It’s absorbed in the gut, carried into the blood, and then makes its way to the liver.

Why should I be interested in vitamin D? First of all, it strengthens your immune system. It also decreases risk of serious and common autoimmune disorders like Type I diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.Vitamin D replacement improves insulin sensitivity, the ability to secrete insulin, as well as hypertension. Currently, while vitamin D deficiency does increase the likelihood of diseases of civilization, it’s not seen as a primary cause. A ton of studies show that exposure to UV light and in some cases vitamin D intake are inversely related to the risk of common cancers, including colon, breast, prostate, esophagus and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Where can I get some vitamin D? You can get more than 80 percent from sunlight. It’s the only natural source of any significance. General guidelines suggest that getting whole-body sunlight between 10 and noon for 20 minutes is equivalent to oral dosing with 10,000 IU.

How much do I need? The new guidelines recommend daily supplements of 400 to 1000 IU for adults under age 50 without osteoporosis or conditions affecting vitamin D absorption. For adults over 50, supplements of between 800 and 2000 IU are recommended. 

How much should I take? If you’re out in the sun a lot, then 5,000 IU daily should maintain. If you’re low, you’ll need to take much more. Get a test to know for sure, every 3-6 months.

Any other benefits? For sure! I’ll leave you with just two: some research shows that having optimal vitamin D levels may reduce your likelihood of getting sunburnt. And, vitamin D will help you with your gains in the gym. It has been shown as long ago as the 1950s that exposure to UV radiation increases strength. It was also noted that trainability and performance peaked in late summer and was lowest in mid-winter.