– Points that I’ll cover today regarding vitamin D3
– General observations
– The good, the bad, and the ugly
– Including a new study related to COVID-19 and improved outcomes for people with right levels of vitamin D3
– The dosage debate
– Food sources for vitamin D3
– Sun exposure and vitamin D3
– Sun exposure map
– Overall benefits of vitamin D3
Note: Consider supplementing with vitamin K2 (the channel)
General observations:
– Vitamin D has a direct effect on human immunity
– Low levels of vitamin D intake are endemic from fall through spring in people who live in the northern and southern hemispheres
– Humans acquire most of their vitamin D when exposed to the sun, this doesn’t happen in the winter if you’re above Latitude 35 degrees (North & South)
– The elderly make about 25% of the vitamin D as 20-year-olds do when exposed to sunlight
– A supplementation of 600 IU do not prevent wintertime vitamin D insufficiency in people living in the northern and southern hemispheres
The good
– Supplementing can help people exposed to the greater risks and those of us living away from the equator
– Increased lifespan and reduction of all-cause mortality
– Ability to fight disease, including coronaviruses
– Can help manage cytokine storms, the main cause of death for COVID-19 (coronavirus)
– New studies suggest that reduces the extent of severe outcomes in patients with COVID-19 (coronavirus)
– Improves the likelihood of a better outcome by 15 percent in patients with severe COVID-19 (coronavirus)
– Overall better general health
The bad
– Decrease in temperatures has a direct correlation in the number of hospitalizations for viral pneumonia
– People with low levels of vitamin D are twice as likely to die prematurely
The ugly
– People with darker skin absorb less sunlight and are more likely to be affected by vitamin D deficiency than people with lighter skin
– This may be related to the disproportionate bad outcomes related to viral pneumonia, including the current situation with COVID-19
– Elderly people absorb less UV-B than younger people, linking this to overall greater risk for disease
– Similar results as with people of darker skin tones
The dosage debate
– Studies suggest that a dosage of up to 4,000 IUs is safe
– However, the USDA’s recommended daily allowance is 600 IUs for people with ages between 1 and 70
– Many studies suggest that 600 IUs of daily intake of vitamin D3 is insufficient for certain segments of the population, particularly for those living in parts of the northern and southern hemispheres; I’ll explain in the map
Food Sources:
– Salmon
– Herring and sardines
– Cod liver oil
– Canned tuna
– Shrimp
– Egg yolks
– Mushrooms
– Fortified foods (I don’t recommend)
Sunlight exposure:
– UVB is the source of vitamin D; when exposed to the sun, the skin makes vitamin D naturally (not going to explain the process)
– Studies suggest that 13 to 30 minutes of sun exposure, three times a week is sufficient to get the needed levels of vitamin D
– A study suggested that 30 minutes of summer sun exposure is equivalent to 10,000 to 20,000 IUs of vitamin D (notice the dosage you get from the sun!)
– The darker the skin, then more sun exposure is needed to produce adequate amounts of vitamin D
– Mid-day sun (from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM) is recommended, as sun exposure during the afternoon may be harmful due to potential cancer outcomes, since UVA is not as balanced by UVB during that time
In regions in the northern and southern hemispheres, the sun does not generate vitamin D during the winter
Vitamin D3 helps in:
– In fighting diabetes
– Prevention of various types of cancer
– Prevention of cardiovascular diseases
– Maintaining bone health
– Reducing risk of multiple sclerosis
– Reducing the likelihood of developing the flu
– Avoiding depression and increasing good mood
– Boosting weight loss
