Vitamin D Deficiency: What Does It Do and What Should Your Levels Be?

Vitamin D Deficiency: One of the most common health problems in the world today is vitamin D deficiency. Around 1 billion people worldwide and 40% of Americans are deficient in this important vitamin. A vitamin D deficiency is associated with multiple chronic conditions including the leading causes of mortality. Vitamin D deficiencies have been found to play a role in many conditions including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and osteoporosis, and many other health conditions. Having optimal levels of vitamin D is critical for good overall health. Vitamin D is often called the “sunshine vitamin” because the primary source of Vitamin D is exposure to the sun. When sun exposure is limited, it is important to obtain vitamin D from other sources. The best food sources of vitamin D are egg yolks, fatty fish, liver , and grass-fed cheese and butter. However, for many people, supplementation may be necessary to increase their levels of vitamin D to optimal levels. It is important to test your level of vitamin D regularly to ensure it is optimal and to prevent health issues associated with deficiencies. What is Vitamin D? Vitamin D is unique in that it functions as a prohormone ( 1 ). Prohormones are substances that the body converts to a hormone. Vitamin D is the only vitamin that can be produced by our bodies ( 2 ). While other vitamins must be taken in through diet or supplementation, our bodies produce vitamin D when our skin is exposed to UV rays from the sun. Vitamin D obtained from sun exposure, food, and supplements is biologically inert and must be activated by the body. Two hydroxylations are required for activation. The first occurs in the liver and converts vitamin D to 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], or calcidiol. The second occurs primarily in […]

Click here to view full article