The Hormone that is Most Misunderstood!
The best, and most natural way to get Vitamin D into your body is from sunlight. Our bodies are actually designed to get all the Vitamin D we need from exposure to the sun. When the UVB rays from the sun interact with the natural oils of our skin, the chemical reaction releases the active form of Vitamin D3."Most patients with vitamin D deficiency are asymptomatic, however if you're exhausted, your bones hurt, you have muscle weakness or mood changes, that's an indication that something may be abnormal with your body," Vitamin D deficiency is most commonly caused by a lack of exposure to sunlight. Some disorders can also cause the deficiency. The most common cause is lack of exposure to sunlight, usually when the diet is deficient in vitamin D, but certain disorders can also cause the deficiency.
Studies show that Vitamin D3 is more effective than Vitamin D2 at raising and maintaining Vitamin D levels in the body. Many factors affect how well your body absorbs and synthesizes Vitamin D, including age, skin color, how much sun exposure you get, where you live, and certain health conditions. Older people need to have enough vitamin D in their diet to maintain their bone health and prevent damage to their bones or muscles when they fall. Not naturally found in many foods, the most common way your body produces vitamin D is by converting direct sunlight into an active form of the nutrient.
A study by Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center medical oncologist Kimmie Ng, MD, MPH, shows that African-Americans have lower levels of vitamin D in the blood and may need higher doses of vitamin D supplements to meet nationally-established goals. Within African American communities, an estimated 1640 IU vitamin D3 a day was required to achieve concentrations of plasma 25(OH)D recommended by the Institute of Medicine, whereas 4000 IU daily was needed to reach concentrations predicted to reduce cancer and cardiovascular disease risk! For those at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency (which is most people of brown and black complexions), doctors recommend taking a minimum of 1,500–2,000 IU (37.5–50 mcg) per day, and not exceeding 10,000 IU/day (250 mcg). That may seem like a lot, but studies show that even doses well beyond 40,000 IU/day (1,000 mcg) are safe.
Comments