How Does Vitamin D Really Work

Most of the people I talk to lately share with me that they are low in Vitamin D.  It seems odd that so many people are having this problem so I thought this might me a good opportunity to talk about it.

Here are some things we need to Know

Vitamin D is different from all the other nutrients in the body, because the body can synthesize it, with the help of sunlight.  Vitamin D is NOT an essential nutrient.  

If we spend time in the early morning sun, without sun-screen, at least 4 mornings a week we do not need to take vitamin D in a pill form.

Lets first look at the benefits of vitamin D

1. Vitamin D can be considered a hormone because it works like a hormone, not a vitamin. Vitamin D is a hormone that the kidneys produce to control blood calcium.

2. The primary function of Vitamin D is its effect on calcium metabolism (affecting bone formation) and maintaining blood levels of phosphorus and calcium

2. Vitamin D enhances the immune system; it stimulates the development of white blood cells.

3. Vitamin D. Helps fight the development of autoimmune diseases

4. Vitamin D. Helps decrease some types of cancer, specifically colon and breast.

Vitamin D is a Fat and the nature of fats is to build tissue, enhance the fluid metabolism and to direct nutrients into the nervous system.

Vitamin D is known as the sun-shine vitamin and is fat-soluble. 

What is Fat-Soluble? Fat-Soluble means that vitamin D is absorbed in the lymph and then transported in the blood, 

However, if taken only in pill form these fats can store in the liver and fatty tissues instead of being naturally transported in the blood. 

This becomes a problem when vitamin D is taken excessively or continuously because it can build up toxic levels in the body. 

Let’s look at the absorption of vitamin D 

Unfortunately if you suffer with liver or kidney weaknesses or disease the conversion process of D is decreased

People with inflammatory bowel disease may also have an increased risk of vitamin D deficiency.  

 So the root to low vitamin D could be that the liver or kidneys or bowels are not in good health.

Taking Vitamin D in a pill form can be less likely to give you the results you are looking for.

Especially if your body has difficulty processing vitamin D. 

Continuously taking a pill form of D usually results in a toxic build up that can more health issues.

There are better ways to get vitamin D, let’s look at a few.

1. Sunshine – 1/2 an hour in the morning sun at least 4 days a week.  Do not wear sunscreen during this time and try to expose at least 25 percent of your body.
2. Foods – either good oils like Avocado oil, olive oil, pumpkinseed oil, sunflower oil or a good omega-3 fish oil.
3. raw nuts and seeds 
4. Open water Fish – herring, salmon — pink, canned salmon is fine, flounder, sardines, egg yokes and Shiitake Mushrooms. 
5. Kefir is also good source of vitamin D and Calcium 

In summary Vitamin D can be synthesized in the body with the help of sunlight or obtained from foods.  Vitamin D send signals to 3 primary targets sites. The GI tract to absorb more calcium, the bones to release more calcium and the kidneys to retain more calcium.  These actions support bone formation and maintenance.

The good news is that: It’s nearly impossible to get too much vitamin D from sunlight or from foods and your body knows exactly what to do to facilitate good health with nature.