Vitamin D3 is more efficient at raising blood levels and correcting deficiency (especially in Canada) & most supplements are in the form of Vitamin D3. Sources of Vitamin D3 include sun exposure, salmon, tuna, egg yolk, mushrooms, however, food sources tend to be insufficient at maintaining optimal Vitamin D3 levels in the body.
Sun has the most impact in making sufficient vitamin D levels within 30 minutes of exposure of face, hands and feet or 15 minutes of full body (creating about 10,000-20,000 IU). This contributes to why Canadians experience insufficient levels! Other factors that impact the body to produce vitamin D by the sun includes complexion, risk of burn (sunscreen use decreases vitamin D absorption), smog, season.
Vitamin D is important for fetal development, bone health, cell receptors for immune & cancer regulation, nerve supply, muscle health, microbiome & more.
Insufficiency is often asymptomatic. If you experience frequent cold & flus, fatigue, muscle aches, skin disturbance, bone pain, mood changes, these can be signs of not enough Vitamin D.
What forms should I take?
When we look at Vitamin D3 forms, liquid over tablet is better absorbed. If you are not a fan of liquid, gel would be next best!
Vitamin D3 is also fat soluble & is absorbed best when taken with a healthy fat (like fish oil). Vitamin D also needs magnesium to maintain proper levels, activate Vitamin D & aid in enzymes that require magnesium.
What about injections of Vitamin D3?
Absorption can be impacted by digestion, liver health, kidney health, medications. With Injections, we can implement higher doses that can be maintained by a few injections annually vs taking oral supplementation daily or weekly. Injections also bypass the digestive system allows us for better absorption to be utilized by the body.
How Much Vitamin D do we need?
We recommend testing your Vitamin D levels every 2 years as a general practice. If we are trying to increase your dose, we would recommend more frequent blood work. In Canada especially, vitamin D Deficiency can become a major concern in fall & winter .
It is important to get vitamin D tested to allow us to implement proper dosing. Vitamin D3 taken at too high of a level can be toxic. It can cause an increase in blood calcium levels which may result in kidney stones or damage, confusion, disorientation and nausea.
The Village Health Clinic
offers
Vitamin Therapy in Midtown Toronto. Contact us regarding Vitamin D3 testing, dosing & injections!
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