One vitamin that often takes the back seat in our daily routine is Vitamin D. Known as the “sunshine vitamin,” it contributes greatly to our overall health and well-being. Vitamin D is formed when ultraviolet-B (UVB) rays are in contact with human skin and is in fact, a steroid hormone produced from cholesterol.
Despite the fact that this vitamin is extremely beneficial, many of us spend most of our time indoors, wearing sunscreen (especially UVB-blocking sunscreens), or in overcast weather, especially those of us who live in the UK.
If you find yourself unsure about the importance of Vitamin D, or if you’re uncertain about the right way to incorporate it into your routine, then this guide is for you. We’ll cover everything from the significance of Vitamin D to ensuring you’re getting the most out of it in your daily regimen.
What Is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning that it dissolves in fats and oils. The sun triggers vitamin D synthesis, but it can also be found in specific foods. Vitamin D supplements are the most effective way for most people to get enough because taking enough food or being outdoors is difficult.
What are the symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency?
As a key component of calcium homeostasis throughout life, vitamin D is essential for bone development, function, and maintenance. Vitamin D has beneficial effects in many organs and play a significant role in the maintenance of general health, while symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency may include:
- Fatigue
- Having trouble sleeping
- Bone pain or achiness
- Depression
- Hair loss
- Muscle weakness
- Appetite loss
- More prone to illness
- A pale skin complexion
If these symptoms sound familiar, it’s time to see a medical professional. They may do a blood test to check your vitamin D levels to see if they are within normal range.
How Much Vitamin D Should You Take?
Fatty fish like salmon, trout, tuna and mackerel, canned fish like herring and sardines, egg yolks, and liver are rich in vitamin D. If you can’t take vitamin D through foods and sunlight, you should consult your healthcare provider, who will measure the storage form of vitamin D, known as calcifediol. Anything below 12 ng/ml is considered deficient, and anything above 20 ng/ml is considered adequate.
Adults should take 15 mcg, while pregnant or breastfeeding women should take 20 mcg and infants should take 10 mcg. Your healthcare provider could give you vitamin D or vitamin B12 supplements or injections for vitamin B12 to boost energy or vitamin D that offers superior absorption than traditional oral supplements.
Vitamin injections can replenish vitamin levels quickly and efficiently, and they are extremely beneficial if your Vitamin D levels are low. This is because injections deliver a high amount of vitamin D and B12 directly into the body without passing through the digestive system. Despite being a lesser-known method, injectable vitamin shots provide enhanced absorption, rapid results, and personalised dosages, and with professional guidance, this is the superior option.
Are you taking vitamin D the right way?
Most people just take their daily supplements however, you should consider a few factors before taking vitamin D again.
Vitamin D is fat-soluble, so it’s best not to take it on an empty stomach. Taking it with a substantial meal, such as nuts and eggs, will ensure maximum absorption.
You should also consider taking vitamin D with magnesium, an important mineral often lacking in modern diets that helps support immune function and assist in the activation of vitamin D.
Besides regulating calcium and phosphate homeostasis, magnesium plays a role in bone growth and maintenance as well. All of the enzymes that metabolise vitamin D seem to require magnesium, a cofactor in enzymatic reactions in the liver and kidney. It is, therefore, essential to make sure you take the recommended amount of magnesium for optimal vitamin D absorption.
Finally, some researchers suggest that fat-soluble vitamins work together and that it’s crucial to optimise your vitamin A and K intake while supplementing with vitamin D,
What Happens if You Take Too Much?
Taking too much vitamin D is very rare. Symptoms include confusion, lack of concentration, drowsiness, depression, vomiting, abdominal pain, constipation, and high blood pressure.
Bottom Line
Vitamin D is essential, and If you can’t spend much time in the sun and rarely eat fatty fish, you should consider talking to a registered dietician or healthcare professional to discuss taking supplements or vitamin D and B12 injections. Contact us today to talk with our healthcare expert, who can recommend the right dosage, supplements or vitamin injections.If you’ve enjoyed this blog post and you want to learn more about digestion, we suggest reading our blog post Study confirms that vitamin D deficiency increases aggressiveness of colon cancer, or visit our blog section for more interesting stories.