Vitamin D

What is Vitamin D, what does it do and how do you get it?  Some of the answers to these questions may surprise you!  Get the answers and more!

Music composed and performed by V. Karaitis

Transcript

Hey!  Thanks for listening!  I’m Chris Wagenti, and this is Who Gets It, Naturally.  Music was composed and performed by V. Karaitis.  I’m not selling anything, diagnosing anything; offering any cures or replacing your doctor.  I’m just sharing my passion for natural products.  If you’re pregnant, please consult your doctor before trying anything new.  Everyone is different so you may need to tweak the recipes a bit to work for you.  Always start with the least amount of essential oils…you can always add, you can’t take away.  Remember, these remedies don’t last forever, you need to reapply as needed.  If you are allergic to any of the ingredients I use, please substitute for something you’re not allergic to.  Just because it’s natural doesn’t mean you can’t be allergic to it.

Before I get started, first, apologies if I start sounding like Mini Mouse.  It’s now the time of year when Ragweed pollen is the dominant pollen floating around, so my voice will probably crack, squeak and screech.  Next, shout out to new listeners in Ghana; Sydney, Australia; Arkansas and Texas (no cities listed, just the states).  Welcome and thanks for listening!

Today, I want to talk about Vitamin D.  That’s weird, you usually don’t talk about vitamins.  You want to know what’s even weirder…Vitamin D is actually a hormone.  Whaaaatttt????!!!  Yep, and I do talk about those.  Since it is a hormone, your body can produce it’s own, however, it needs lots of sunlight to produce enough.  Then you run into the whole, too much sun causes skin cancer.  Sunblock blocks the rays you need to produce your own Vitamin D, and you have a vicious circle of doom.  You can use natural sunblock, like coconut oil, but you do need to be aware of other factors, certain types of skin cancer are hereditary; some medications don’t mix well with sunlight; if you have any citrus oils or other phototoxic substances on you, you could do more damage than good.  This is where supplements come in.  I’ll get more into them in a minute.  

Vitamin D works with the mineral Calcium to help the body keep the bones healthy and help with muscle movement and nerve communication.  Vitamin D assists with Calcium and Phosphorus absorption and aids the response of the Immune System.  Calcium also helps cells signal to each other which helps with hormone secretion and it helps blood vessel flow.  According to Johns Hopkins, article found at www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/vitamin-d-and-calcium  QUOTE:  “Without enough vitamin D or calcium, your parathyroid glands compensate by producing too much of their hormone, a condition called hyperparathyroidism. That can lead to bone weakening (osteoporosis) and increased fracture risk. 
Other problems from calcium and vitamin D deficiencies include:

• Skeletal deformities (rickets) in children ages 6-24 months
• Muscle weakness in children and the elderly (vitamin D only)” END QUOTE

The article lists the Recommended Daily Allowance for all age groups as set by the Endocrine Society and the Institute of Medicine, but that also depends on how much Vitamin D you have stored in your body.  I usually just find out what my levels are during my preventative maintenance visits and we discuss the best alternatives.  The article also discusses how to get Vitamin D and gives some issues that can be caused by Vitamin D deficiency. 

QUOTE: “How Do You Get Vitamin D and Calcium?

Your body makes Vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sun, but several factors limit its creation:

• Living anywhere in the country above latitude 33 degrees (the top of Louisiana)
• Wearing sunscreen to protect against melanoma
• Having naturally dark skin
• Aging, which changes absorption ability
• The amount of sun you would need to achieve normal blood vitamin D levels is probably more than is safe for your skin, so most people may need supplements to achieve a normal vitamin D level.

Either form of vitamin D (D2 or D3) benefits the body, but very few foods naturally contain the nutrient or are fortified with it. That’s why doctors recommend supplements to make up the difference. Foods containing vitamin D include:

• Cod liver oil: 400-1,000 IU per teaspoon
• Wild caught salmon: 600-1,000 IU per 3.5 oz
• Farmed salmon: 100-250 IU per 3.5 oz
• Canned salmon: 300-600 IU per 3.5 oz
• Canned sardines: 300 IU per 3.5 oz
• Canned mackerel: 250 IU per 3.5 oz
• Canned tuna: 236 IU per 3.5 oz
• Fresh shitake mushrooms: 100 IU per 3.5 oz
• Sundried shitake mushrooms: 1,600 IU per 3.5 oz
• Egg yolk: 20 IU per yolk

Milk, orange juice, infant formula, yogurt, margarine, butter, cheese and breakfast cereals are often fortified with vitamin D.

Calcium is found in:

• Dairy products
• Chinese cabbage
• Kale
• Broccoli
• Fortified fruit juices, drinks, tofu and cereals

Vitamin D Deficiency

A lack of vitamin D can cause serious problems, and doctors typically prescribe larger doses for 6-8 weeks to those with a diagnosed deficiency. Patients should make sure their labs are following Endocrine Society and Institute of Medicine thresholds when getting tested.
 
 Neither group recommends universal screening for a vitamin D deficiency. Certain medical conditions, ethnicities and medications put people at risk and make them candidates for testing:

• Rickets
• Osteomalacia
• Osteoporosis
• Chronic kidney disease
• Liver failure
• Malabsorption syndromes
   
  • Cystic fibrosis
•  
  • Inflammatory bowel disease
•  
  • Crohn’s disease
•  
  • Bariatric surgery
•  
  • Radiation enteritis
•  
• Hyperparathyroidism
• Medications
   
  • Anti-seizure medications
•  
  • Glucocorticoids
•  
  • AIDS medications
•  
  • Antifungals like ketoconazole
•  
  • Cholestyramine
•  
• African-American and Hispanic children and adults
• Pregnant and lactating women
• Older adults with a history of falls
• Older adults with a history of fractures
• Obese children and adults
• Granuloma-forming disorders
   
  • Sarcoidosis
•  
  • Tuberculosis
•  
  • Histoplasmosis
•  
  • Coccidiomycosis
•  
  • Berylliosis
•  
• Some lymphomas”  END QOTE

Ok, so basically, this backs up what I just said.  And, if you’re not a fan of fish, like me, you’ve got very few options of getting enough Vitamin D unless you use supplements.  The National Library of Medicine has very detailed information if you’re interested.  It can be found at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK56061/.  

Okay, I want to back up a little.  Did you catch the difference in the amount of Vitamin D in the shitake mushrooms?

• Fresh shitake mushrooms: 100 IU per 3.5 oz
• Sundried shitake mushrooms: 1,600 IU per 3.5 oz

Whhaaaatttt??  Why such a big difference?  Because the sun triggers the production of Vitamin D.  Even in mushrooms.  Any kind of mushrooms.  

Definitely have your blood tested to see if you’re deficient in Vitamin D first… if you are, join the club.  Most of us are.  Some are more deficient than others.  Depending on where your numbers are depends on how much you should take.  Then, what’s better, D2 or D3?  Liquid, soft gels, capsules or tablets?  Alone, or with Calcium and/or other minerals?  Again, that completely depends on you.  There’s very little difference between synthesized D2 and D3.  The major differences are how we get them.  Vitamin D2 is plant based.  Vitamin D3 is what your skin creates when exposed to the sun, and is animal based when manufactured.  D3 does absorb into the body quicker than D2.  I usually stick with D3.  

Liquid vitamins, in general, are absorbed by the body better than pills, be it an oil based soft gel or a dry based capsule or tablet.  And, again, personal preference is key.  Because Vitamin D3 is manufactured greatly using fish oil, the soft gels can be kind of fishy, and some people may not do well with them.  What about gummies?  Again, it’s personal preference.  Personally, I don’t like them.  They’re usually loaded with sugar, and always end up sticking to my teeth.

Vitamin D also comes in a spray.  Like the liquid, your body absorbs it quicker than soft gels and tablets or capsules.  Another thing to keep in mind is taste.  With a spray, you’re gonna taste it.  With a liquid, you can add it to your morning coffee, smoothie, cereal or even water.  

As rare as it is, there is such a thing as overdosing on Vitamin D.  Since it’s fat soluble, it can build up in your system.  That’s why it’s a good idea to discuss this with your health care provider. 

Personally, I mix it up.  I’ll take 5000 IU’s of D3 in a soft gel a day, then, I’ll get a D3/Calcium/Magnesium tablet.  Then go back to the D3.  It depends on how I feel and what’s available.  

And, then, there’s the abundance of different brands.  I’ve tried several, and I always seem to go back to Solgar.  I also like that they use glass amber bottles for all of their vitamins.  Life Extensions isn’t bad either, but they use plastic cobalt bottles.  Nothing’s wrong with the blue, I actually like that.  I’m just not a fan of plastic bottles.  Like with everything else, the choice is yours…my rule of thumb, stick with the middle cost.  The cheaper lines usually have added ingredients that are unnecessary, and sometimes, unhealthy.  Check the labels!  And there’s no reason to go broke over vitamins.

Vitamin D deficiency in children is a little different than in adults.  In children it can cause rickets.  Some symptoms are bowed or bent bones, muscle weakness, bone pain and deformed joints.  Rickets is rare, and the deficiency needs to be major for an extended amount of time.  It is treatable, and like with anything else, the sooner the better.   Weak, painful and sore muscles can be caused by a mild deficiency.  

Symptoms in adults include fatigue; bone pain; muscle weakness, aches and cramps; and mood swings such as depression.

Vitamin D can interact with the following medications:  Orlistat (Xenical and alli); statins such as Lipitor, Altoprev, Mevacor, FloLipid and Zocor; steroids such as prednisone; and Thiazide diuretics such as Hygoton, Lozol and Microzide.  If you do take any of these medications, consult with your health care provider before you start taking Vitamin D.  Do your research.  This is another example of why it’s important to know your body.

As always, if you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to email me at vobyjypsee@usa.com, or send a text from the podcast… You can follow me on X and Instagram … @vobyjypsee; or LinkedIn…search either Chris Wagenti, Who Gets It, Naturally or Voice Overs by Jypsee.  Please download this episode, and make Who Gets It, Naturally a favorite on your preferred channel so you don’t miss an episode.

You can buy me a coffee or get a membership at www.buymeacoffee.com/vobyjypsee4,   or click on the link after episode description.  Thanks for your support and for listening!  The next episode will be published on Sunday, September 1st.  This will be my 50th Episode!  I’ve got a something a little different planned, you won’t want to miss it!