Vitamin D has been getting quite a bit of attention over the past couple of decades as research has proven its importance to many aspects of overall health. \u201cAlong with magnesium and zinc deficiencies, vitamin D is one of the most important nutritional deficiencies we face,\u201d says Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, MD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many people in America are tested for vitamin D levels at their annual physicals, and a large number of them are prescribed a supplement when results indicate they are deficient in this important hormone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, this is not a problem unique to Americans. It\u2019s estimated that about one billion people worldwide<\/u><\/a> have a vitamin D deficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before we go on, let\u2019s clear one thing up \u2014\u00a0vitamin D isn\u2019t actually a vitamin<\/u>. It\u2019s a fat-soluble hormone that our bodies are able to make on their own but if we can\u2019t make enough\u00a0 we need to turn to supplements to meet daily requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can use biofeedback to see the nutritional state of your body<\/a> by utilizing the Nutrition and Homeopathy Feedback\u00a0Training<\/a> program offered with the Indigo Biofeedback machine<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The most recent data we have that speaks to the prevalence vitamin D deficiency is NHANES data from the Second Nutrition Report<\/em>, which says that an estimated 42%<\/u><\/a> of Americans are vitamin D deficient. As a result, many healthcare practitioners (whether they practice traditional or integrative medicine) recommend that their patients take a vitamin D supplement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As with most vitamin deficiencies and overall health studies, there were differences between race and ethnicity. We know that the amount of melanin in the skin affects vitamin D production. For example, the black population involved in the study had a vitamin D deficiency prevalence rate of 82%. Hispanics followed as the second most severe group, at 69% prevalence. People with darker skin need a greater amount of sun exposure to make the same amount of vitamin D that people with lighter skin do, because darker skin protects against too much sun exposure and sunburn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The \u201cnormal\u201d range of vitamin D in the blood is between 20 and 80 ng\/mL. However, most practitioners will agree that the low end of that \u201cnormal\u201d range is nowhere near sufficient. Even the \u201cacceptable\u201d range of 30 – 50 ng\/mL is less than ideal. The majority of practitioners want their patients\u2019 vitamin D levels to be between 60 and 80 ng\/mL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because the sun is the primary (and best) source of vitamin D, a good portion of the country has trouble getting enough sun exposure for our bodies to produce the amount of vitamin D it needs. Those who live in sunny southern climates are sometimes able to get enough of this essential vitamin, but that only really constitutes half of the country. Residents of northern states that experience cloudy springs and autumns, and then cold, snowy winters often have difficulty getting their necessary vitamin D fix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Given that food sources typically don\u2019t have a significant amount of vitamin D, it\u2019s difficult for many people to make up for the low numbers or the deficiency through diet alone. So even when people are trying to increase their levels naturally, it\u2019s unlikely that this method will work to any worthwhile degree. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Furthermore, the other major driver in low vitamin D levels is the push for Americans to wear sunscreen whenever they leave their house \u2014 there is SPF in most\u00a0facial lotions and even some makeup<\/u>. Of course, that\u2019s a good thing in many respects.\u00a0Sunscreen<\/u>\u00a0blocks damaging UVA and UVB rays from penetrating the skin and increasing the risk of skin cancer.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, the fact that sunscreen blocks the absorption of UVA and UVB rays is exactly the problem when it comes to making vitamin D. The body uses UVA and UVB to produce its own vitamin D, but if the skin can\u2019t absorb the ultraviolet light, it can\u2019t make the vitamin. For this reason, Teitelbaum disagrees with the assertion that we should avoid the sun entirely. \u201cMost of our vitamin D comes from sunshine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n If vitamin D were less important to our overall health, it might not be considered a public health crisis. But vitamin D is vital, and this all-too-common deficiency has important ripple effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vitamin D deficiency often goes unnoticed because the symptoms can be quite subtle and can be explained in other ways, such as insufficient sleep, stress, or overexertion. However, it is easily diagnosed with a blood test and can be combined with the regular bloodwork conducted during a routine annual physical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most common symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vitamin D is crucial for our bodies in many ways \u2014 the biggest of which may be\u00a0bone health<\/u>. Vitamin D\u00a0is necessary for the body to absorb calcium<\/u><\/a>, which is what helps keep bones strong and healthy. Without enough vitamin D, the body may not be able to absorb the calcium it needs from the foods we eat to maintain healthy bone structure. Over time, this pattern can lead to brittle bones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to supporting strong bones, vitamin D supports muscle health. Researchers have been studying this for the better part of the past couple decades. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Even back in 2010, the idea that the \u201csunshine vitamin\u201d could affect skeletal muscle was well established, with the medical research community citing recent findings<\/u><\/a> in their own papers: \u201cVitamin D status is positively associated with physical performance and inversely associated with risk of falling. Vitamin D supplementation has been shown to improve tests of muscle performance, reduce falls, and possibly impact on muscle fiber composition and morphology in vitamin D deficient older adults.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2018, a case study<\/u><\/a> was conducted with a 51-year-old woman who \u201ccomplained of muscle pain in all large muscle groups.\u201d She told researchers that she had calf pain after only walking one block. They conducted a \u201ctimed up and go\u201d test (TUAG), which measures the time it takes for a person to get out of a chair, walk three meters (almost 10 feet) across the room, and return to sit in the chair. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Prior to vitamin D supplementation, her TUAG time was 14 seconds \u2014 a time abnormally slow even for her age group. After taking 1000\u202fIU (25 mcg) of vitamin D3 for a period of time long enough to pull her serum level up within the normal range, \u201cher symptoms of weakness and muscle pain had completely resolved. She could stand, walk across the room and return to her chair [TUAG time] in approximately seven seconds.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vitamin D helps support our\u00a0immune system<\/u>. While the medical community largely agrees with this assertion, the exact way in which it supports immunity requires additional research. What we do know is that vitamin D deficiency has been linked to\u00a0multiple<\/em>\u00a0ailments \u2014 meaning that many patients experiencing specific diseases also had a vitamin D deficiency.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cVitamin D is critical for a normal functioning immune system,\u201d says Dr. Paul B. Dean, MD. Dean is a board certified dermatologist at the\u00a0Grossmont Dermatology Medical Clinic<\/u>\u00a0in San Diego and a former Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer with the CDC. \u201cPeople who are immunocompromised by having low vitamin D levels are at an increased risk for a variety of illnesses and infections.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s important to note that vitamin D deficiency does not cause<\/em> disease. The implication in the data says that sufficient serum levels of vitamin D support the body\u2019s natural ability to fight off diseases. Therefore, if a person\u2019s levels are low, they may not<\/em> be able to fight off particular infections or diseases. Coupled with poor nutrition, lack of quality sleep, and high stress (i.e. most Americans), a vitamin D deficiency can cause a host of problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The final major role vitamin D plays in the body involves the central nervous system \u2014 it helps carry messages from the brain to the rest of the body. In a 2019 review<\/u><\/a>, researchers set out to clarify how exactly this might work (or not work).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Researchers concluded that \u201cthe studies reviewed show that [vitamin D] contributes to cerebral activity in both embryonic and adult brain, helping the connectivity of neural circuits responsible for locomotor, emotional and reward-dependent behavior.\u201d However, they also noted that more research is necessary to understand the effects of vitamin D supplementation in brain disorders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are many common causes for a vitamin D deficiency, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, even if you are consuming fortified foods, it\u2019s likely you won\u2019t be able to get all the vitamin D your body requires. \u201cThere is minimal to no vitamin D in most foods,\u201d says Dean. He recommends fortified milk, of course, but says it\u2019s simply not possible to get the required amount of vitamin D from food sources alone. Dean says the sunshine (or a supplement) is imperative.<\/p>\n\n\n\nVitamin D: A Public Health Crisis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What Does Vitamin D Do for Our Bodies?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Supports Bone Health<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Supports Muscle Health<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Supports Immune Health<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Supports the Nervous System<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Causes of Vitamin D Deficiency <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Increasing Vitamin D Levels<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Soak Up (Some) Sun<\/h3>\n\n\n\n