Why is Vitamin D So Important?

Vitamin D gets a lot of attention. Especially in Canada, a significant majority of people are deficient in vitamin D and supplementation is recommended. In fact, many medical doctors won’t test vitamin D levels - they recommend everyone take a high quality supplement year round. As a naturopathic doctor, I also recommend that my patients supplement with vitamin D often, though too much can cause issues. 

But why is it so important? 

Firstly, vitamin D is different from all other vitamins and nutrients because it acts similarly to a hormone. Our bodies can produce vitamin D when our skin is exposed to direct sunlight (sunscreen blocks this ability), which is why Canadians are often deficient. Even during summer months, you may not get enough exposure to produce adequate amounts naturally. Food sources of vitamin D are also not a reliable source because they contain low amounts so the consumption level is unrealistically high. All of this to say, supplementation of vitamin D is important for people of all ages. Certain dairy products, cereals and orange juices are fortified with vitamin D which is beneficial but it is not enough to maintain optimal levels of vitamin D. It is important to note that getting vitamin D from sunshine and supplements are equally as important.

Vitamin D is very important to your skeletal health because one of it’s main roles is to aid in the absorption of calcium. It is important for immunity because it increases our immune system’s efficiency in killing bacteria and viruses, and it modulates the immune system to aid in proper immune response as it plays a major role in cell to cell communication throughout the body. There has been research connecting vitamin D levels to a variety of autoimmune conditions and there has been implication of vitamin D levels playing a role in the prevalence of multiple sclerosis in Canadians.

Additionally, vitamin D is important to hormonal health and can affect PMS, PMDD (premenstrual dysmorphic disorder), endometriosis, dysmenorrhea (period pain), perimenopause and other related hormonal conditions. It has also been shown to help regulate mood and energy levels. Having optimal levels of vitamin D is important in so many other conditions as well including but not limited to acne, migraines, arthritis and cardiometabolic conditions. 

For the average adult who has fairly good vitamin D levels, an appropriate maintenance dose would be about 1000-2000IU per day of vitamin D3, but it is important to discuss this with your healthcare provider. Personally, I prefer liquid D3 as a supplement but there are capsule forms as well.

Needless to say, good ol' Vitamin D is pretty important to your overall health. 

Talk to your healthcare provider about getting your Vitamin D levels tested and what a proper dose of Vitamin D supplementation is for your body.