Vitamin D

A guest post from Bruce Peters!

Living in the Pacific Northwest, it’s common to become deficient in vitamin D, often called the ‘Sunshine Vitamin.’ This deficiency can then lead to a variety of health issues familiar to many of us, from compromised immune systems to decreased mood.

Previously thought to only be important for bone heath, an increasing number of studies have been finding more and more roles for vitamin D in maintaining a vibrant and healthy body. Surprisingly, researchers have found that almost every cell in our bodies contain vitamin D receptors. One of the strongest correlations to date is the role of vitamin D in maintaining a strong and healthy immune system.

We all know that it’s more common to catch a cold/flu in the winter months. It used to be thought that was due to being inside and in closer quarters with other people, or due to catching a ‘cold’ from the colder weather. While it’s true that both cold and flu viruses have been shown to reproduce better at lower temperatures (which is why our bodies generate a fever when we’re sick), the new theory is that lower levels of vitamin D in the winter weaken our ability to fight off the ever-present viruses in our environment.

Although it’s called a vitamin, vitamin D is actually a hormone produced in the body in response to exposure to UV light from the sun. The conversion starts in the skin and then travels to both the liver and kidneys for further modification into more biologically usable forms. Unfortunately for us, the levels of UV light reaching the PNW from October through March are not enough to produce enough vitamin D to maintain optimal levels in our bodies. Being fat soluble, we can store vitamin D in our systems to help keep things running for a while, usually 2-3 months, which is why we often start seeing higher levels of illness from January on, once our stored levels have been depleted.

How can you boost your vitamin D during winter time?
The best way is to expose your skin to strong sunlight…so maybe a trip to Hawaii! While that sounds wonderful, it may not be the most pragmatic solution in all cases. Very few foods contain significant levels of vitamin D, the main ones being trout, salmon and cod liver oil and even those aren’t  very high. The best way is to supplement. High quality supplements contain vitamin D3, the form created by your skin and the easiest to absorb.

How much should you take?
When levels are low, it generally takes an extra 100 IU of supplemental vitamin D taken daily over a few weeks to raise blood levels 1 ng/ml. Alternatively, some Doctors prescribe megadoses of up to 50,000 IU once per week for 6 weeks. For most people, it’s easiest to stick with a daily routine of 1000 IU – 2000 IU every day or so to raise and maintain levels throughout the winter. The type of vitamin D we sell at The Pin Cushion is one of the best on the market and the most effective at raising blood levels. It’s a small dropper bottle and you add the flavorless drops either directly into your mouth or onto some food for easy supplementation.