Better Health & Brain Function with Vitamin D
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Better Health & Brain Function with Vitamin D
Having a vitamin D deficiency is more common than most people realize, and it’s easy to become deficient especially in the winter when the sun is sparse. Vitamin D deficiency can affect people of all ages, so it’s important to know your Vitamin D level to prevent illnesses. There are multiple signs and symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency, but there are also easy tests that can evaluate your personal levels.
Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms
A study from Harvard concluded that low Vitamin D levels were responsible for about 13% of deaths in the United States. Supplementation of Vitamin D3 reduced the risk of premature death by 11%. An estimated 70% of Americans have a Vitamin D deficiency, which is defined as having a Vitamin D level of less than 30 ng/ml. Some signs and symptoms of a Vitamin D deficiency are linked to brain disorders, including the following:
- Depression
- Dementia
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson’s disease
- Schizophrenia
- Epilepsy
- General cognitive impairment
Other symptoms linked to a Vitamin D deficiency include:
- Fatigue
- Obesity and diabetes
- Osteoporosis
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Back pain and neuropathy
- Cancer and heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Dental cavities and rickets
- Asthma and influenza
- Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis
- Fibromyalgia and chronic pain
Check Your Vitamin D Levels
Most of my patients are deficient in vitamin D, and I try to check everyone’s levels through blood tests. The normal lab ranges are considered to be between 30 and 100 ng/ml, but the optimal Vitamin D 25-OH range is considered to be 50-80 ng/ml by the vitamin D council and other authorities. The primary source of Vitamin D is from the sun, as it’s not readily available in our diets in sufficient amounts.
Why Are We Vitamin D Deficient?
Why even here in sunny Florida do so many people have a Vitamin D deficiency? First off, wearing sunscreen can prevent Vitamin D from being properly absorbed. Second, most of us don’t spend 10-15 minutes with the midday sun on most of our bodies. Third, the darker someone’s skin complexion, the less Vitamin D they produce from the sun.
Years ago, I had a patient come over from the Bahamas. He had many different symptoms including chronic pain, fatigue, and depression. He visited many different doctors without getting answers. After running some different tests, I discovered he was extremely low in Vitamin D, even though he was a landscaper who spent over 40 hours in the sun without sunscreen each week! Apparently his dark Bahamian skin prevented any absorption of Vitamin D.
How Much Vitamin D Do I Need?
How much Vitamin D you need depends on your blood levels, and I’ve found that most teenagers and adults require 5000 iu of Vitamin D3 per day, while most infants and children need 1000-2000 iu each day, depending on their weight and age. It’s critical to take K2 with magnesium for optimal absorption. I recommend taking D3 5000 w K2 and Magnesium Malate.
We have three different Vitamin D supplements to choose from, including a liquid one for children. Before you start blindly supplementing, I recommend that you get lab testing because Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, and you can take too much of it. Getting enough vitamin D is one of the most important things you can do for your overall health and wellness.
Let Us Help You
If you need any help in this area, feel free to contact us. If you have any questions or would like yourself or a family member to have their Vitamin D levels checked, email us at info@nmcwellness.com or call us at 561-627-5800. We would be happy to help you optimize your Vitamin D levels!