What You Need to Know to Have a Healthy Vitamin D Level

Our bodies depend on Vitamin D as an essential and indispensable nutrient. It is crucial to get enough of it to keep our bones, muscles, and immune system healthy. Living far from the equator, avoiding the sun, having more melanin in your skin, being overweight or older all put people at risk of Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D has many functions in the body. Here are three of the most important.

3 Important Functions of Vitamin D

Building Strong Bones

One of the most significant functions of Vitamin D is its maintenance of bone health.  Without proper Vitamin D levels, adults can develop osteoporosis (a condition of thin and frail bones that are prone to fracture). Vitamin D also plays a vital role in developing bones in growing children. Vitamin D deficiency in infants can lead to bowing of the legs, called Rickets.

Vitamin D takes in calcium from the gut,  reduces loss of calcium from the kidney and helps to put calcium into bone. Infants who take supplements avoid getting Rickets. Adults who take Vitamin D supplements, along with appropriate calcium in the diet, have a higher bone density. Vitamin D supplementation also reduces the risk of falls in older adults by strengthening muscles.

Boosting the Immune System

Vitamin D plays a pivotal role in our immune system. Deficiency has been linked to increased susceptibility to infections.  Vitamin D deficiency is the reason that the incidence of flu is higher in the wintertime in the northern U.S. when the sun's rays are at an angle too low to make Vitamin D in the skin, no matter how long one stays outdoors. Supplementation with Vitamin D can reduce the risk of respiratory infections, such as the flu and COVID-19, in children and adults.

‍Reducing Cancer Risk

Vitamin D regulates cell growth. Maintaining optimal Vitamin D levels may decrease the likelihood of developing certain cancers, such as colorectal, breast, and prostate.

Vitamin D2

Ergocalciferol

Vitamin D2 is typically extracted from plant sources after ultraviolet (UV) illumination of fungi and yeasts. Specifically, when exposed to UV light, certain fungi, such as yeast and mushrooms, can convert ergosterol—a compound found in these organisms—into Vitamin D2. The fungi are then harvested and processed to extract and purify the Vitamin D2. This plant-derived Vitamin D is an important option for individuals following vegetarian or vegan lifestyles, as it offers a supplement that aligns with their dietary choices.

‍Vitamin D3

Cholecalciferol

Vitamin D3 is commonly extracted from lanolin, a natural substance in sheep's wool, also used in many topical creams. The extraction process typically begins with collecting lanolin from the wool, which contains a cholesterol precursor to Vitamin D3. The lanolin undergoes a series of purification steps to isolate and crystallize the precursor. Subsequently, chemical processes are employed to convert the precursor into 7-dehydrocholesterol. This resulting compound is then exposed to UV light to make cholecalciferol or Vitamin D3. The extraction of Vitamin D3 from lanolin provides a sustainable source of this essential nutrient, making it a widely used form of Vitamin D supplementation.

Vitamin D2 supplements have been shown to be comparably as effective as Vitamin D3 supplements.

Vitamin D Dosing

Dosing for children can range from 400 to 800 international units (IU).  Adults need 2000 to 4000 IU daily. 5000 IU daily is less expensive because you need only one capsule, and is safe to take if you are approaching being overweight.  A higher dosage under the supervision of a doctor is needed for those who are markedly overweight or markedly deficient.  It's important to note that individual requirements may differ, and it's always advisable to consult a healthcare professional for a personalized recommendation.

If you see doses of Vitamin D in micrograms (µg or mcg), you can convert to the common international unit (IU) by multiplying by 40. So, for example, 125 micrograms is the same as 5000 IU.

Vitamin D Level

25-OH Vitamin D is the form that is measured when checking your Vitamin D status. Depending on which benefit you are trying to achieve, your goal level of Vitamin D may change.

Vitamin D levels of 30 ng/mL (nanograms per milliliter) are sufficient for bone health.

The immune system, however, requires a higher level because of the way Vitamin D needs to enter the cells of the immune system. The goal level of Vitamin D to achieve immune system and cancer protection benefits is greater than 50 ng/mL.  This level will require higher dosing.

Dangerous levels are those approaching 200 ng/mL.  Most doctors will keep your level below 125 ng/mL.

It takes time for your blood levels to adjust, so testing should not be done more often than every 3 months.

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Vitamin K2

Vitamin K comes in two forms as well:  Vitamin K1 and Vitamin K2.  For this purpose, we need Vitamin K2.  It comes from fermented products. It helps to keep calcium out of the arteries and puts it into bone.

K2 supplementation is only needed if taking more than 5000 IU of Vitamin D daily.

A formal Recommended Daily Allowance for K2 has yet to be established. Generally recommended K2 intake is 180 - 200 micrograms (µg or mcg) per day. When buying supplements, look for K2 in its MK-7 form.

There is no available test to check for K2 status in the body.

Magnesium

Magnesium is found in foods like nuts, legumes, avocados, dark green leafy vegetables, dark chocolate, among others, and is intricately involved in converting Vitamin D into its active form.

Most people are deficient in magnesium. The recommended dose is between 200 and 400 mg per day. Your doctor can check your magnesium level in your red blood cells and then advise you on which type of magnesium supplement to take, as there are many different kinds.

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