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A Primer on Vitamin D

 This note is an abridged version of an article in the Epoch Times, on 2/21/22

Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin is actually a hormone with several important jobs

BY Ashley Turner

There has been a lot of discussion about vitamin D circulating among natural health enthusiasts recently. As a certified functional medicine practitioner, vitamin D status is something that I monitor very closely.  Vitamin D is actually a hormone, specifically a prohormone that the body converts into a steroid hormone. It’s synthesized in the skin from sun exposure and activated in the liver and kidneys. Lately, vitamin D has been a hotly discussed nutrient for its role in supporting the immune system. While vitamin D is a powerful modulator of the immune system, that’s far from its only role in human health.

Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency

Low levels of vitamin D increase the risk of cancer, autoimmune disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems, and osteoporosis. Being aware of signs of deficiency can prompt you to address that. Those symptoms include:

·        Fatigue

·        Migraines

·        Muscle pain/weakness

·        Depression

·        Low/improper immune function

·        Hormone dysfunction

·        Increased inflammation

·        Allergies

Food Sources of Bioavailable Vitamins A, D, and K2

·        Pasture-raised egg yolks

·        Grass-fed red meat

·        Organ meats such as liver

·        Grass-fed raw dairy products such as ghee, butter, cream, milk, kefir, and cheese (if tolerated)

·        Cod liver oil

·        Wild-caught fish such as salmon, herring, sardines

·        Pasture-raised lard, duck, and chicken fat

Can You Get Too Much Vitamin D?

Absolutely! Just as low levels of vitamin D are cause for concern, so are levels in excess. Ideal vitamin D levels, like many things, fall onto a bell-shaped curve. When blood levels of 25(OH)D levels close to 100 ng/mL and beyond, it’s considered toxic. With many people promoting vitamin D supplementation, often in high doses, it’s wise to know that this vitamin can increase to toxic levels within the body because it is fat-soluble. This means they are stored in the liver, adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle and are more likely to become toxic than water-soluble vitamins that are relatively quickly excreted from the body.

There are cases, often with over-supplementation, that can cause significant problems. These include:

·        Heart attack

·        Stroke

·        Kidney stones

·        Headache

·        Nausea

·        Vomiting

·        Diarrhea

·        Anorexia

·        Weight loss

·        Low bone density


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