The StandHealthy Daily

Are You Really Vitamin D deficient?

Could we have gotten it all wrong on Vitamin D3?

There are many vitamins, some fat soluble and others water soluble. One that no governing health body can agree on is the dosage recommended for Vitamin D. Vitamin D3 to be exact. The folks in functional health claim upwards of 10,000 IU per day is tolerable and one should generally consume 5,000 IU’s a day.

The “medical doctors” claim that 1,000 IU out to be enough and its not enough if the government has stated a slightly higher dosage is recommended if you are above the equator.

By many calculations it may seem as if 70% of the world is deficient in Vitamin D based on blood levels from tests, but where are the side effects being exerted by these patients as commonly stated if one is deficient?

Why are the folks in Africa suffering from bone issues of any kind and yet still be seen as deficient?

Could one reason be perhaps your body becomes efficient at utilizing Vitamin D and thus the free flow of Vitamin D in blood may show up as deficient?

One can look at the above argument and say the minimal viable dose is for prevention of a disease but not for optimal levels, but can rarely back that jumping from 1,000 IUs daily to 5k is the optimal dose, where is the science that makes this case?

Of Course we can take slightly higher amounts of Vitamin C from the recommended 500mg to 1g a day, its water soluble, and can boost immunity, sure, why not? We are helping curb scurvy for christ sakes and boosting our immunity, so where’s the crime?

Vitamin D doesn’t behave this way, it is fat soluble, and it behaves like a hormone than a vitamin, so excessive dosing of Vitamin D is not as simple as just taking Vitamin C, the problem is much more complicated. Additionally there are three Vitamin D’s, D2 is not produced in the body and comes from plants and D3 is found in cold water fish.

The Long Final Summary

Look we are all for taking vitamins and taking extra vitamins for being in flow state or whatever optimal state you strive to be in, but generally if you are not suffering from a calcium balance related problem such as Osteoporosis, taking it for anti-cancer purposes (along with Vitamin C injections), blood pressure regulation etc, think twice about going way above the recommended dose.

Additionally you have to make sure the quality of this Vitamin D is correct as well, anything sold by “NOW” brands can be written off without a second thought. Quality vendors such as AOR + Throne Research are to be considered for serious nutritional supplementation.

Overdosing Vitamin D will get stored in fatty tissues and cause problems such as constipation, fatigue, hypertension, hypercalciuria, hypercalcemia among many more. Get tested to see if your actually running low, Vitamin D goes through hydroxylation and is the most bioavailable in the 25 (OH) form.

References:
DeLuca HF. Overview of general physiologic features and functions of vitamin D. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004;80(6 Suppl):1689S-1696S
https://trackmystack.com/supplements-Vitamin-D – Anecdotal Evidence suggests no positive effects of high supplementation of Vitamin D
Vitamin D: It’s Role and Uses in Immunology. Deluca HF, Cantorna MT. FASEB J.2001 Dec; 15(14):2579-85.