– Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin required for normal calcium metabolism, which makes it important to bone health. Vitamin D also has important immune modulating effects. It enhances appropriate immune function to help us prevent getting sick. It also decreases overactive immune responses such as inflammation and autoimmune disease. Lastly, Vitamin D is cardiovascular protective due to its role in the regulation of blood pressure and insulin secretion.
Vitamin D Functions
• Maintain normal serum calcium levels
• Cell differentiation: cells divide appropriately, and not prolifically (e.g., cancer and tumors)
• Strong immunity and immune response (prevents cold & flu, cancer prevention)
• Blood pressure regulation
• Insulin secretion (better blood sugar control)
Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms
• Rickets: soft bones in children (e.g., proper mineralization does not occur)
• Osteomalacia: soft bones in adults, usually elderly
• Muscle Weakness and Pain
• Weak immune system (e.g., get sick a lot)
Vitamin D Sources
• Sunshine, several times a week approximately 10 minutes a day (no sunscreen)
• Darker skinned people require more sun time than lighter skinned people
• Fatty fish (mackerel, salmon, sardines)
• Fish liver oils
• Sunscreen at SPF 8 or higher reduces Vitamin D production by 95%
Vitamin D Supplementation
• Avoid Vitamin D2, which is synthetic Vitamin D (conventional prescription)
• Vitamin D3 is the recommended form of Vitamin D to take (health food stores)
• 2,000 IU to 10,000 IU per day (don’t exceed 10,000 IU per day)
Conditions Effectively Treated With Vitamin D
• Recurring bone fractures
• Soft bones
• Low immune function
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Autoimmune disease
• High blood pressure
Vitamin D Resources
Book: Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements by Dr. Michael Murray, N.D.
On-Camera Host
Dr. Angela Agrios, ND
Video Produced by Larry Cook
