DO I NEED TO TAKE VITAMIN D3?
It is very important to make sure you have enough vitamin D3 in your blood. There is widespread vitamin D deficiency all throughout America especially if you live in the top half of the country. Vitamin D deficiency is not just an American problem it is a world-wide problem. The simple reason is that the further away from the equator of the earth that you live, the less vitamin D3 you will have in your blood during the fall and winter months.
What is the difference between vitamin D and vitamin D3? Vitamin D3 is the active form of vitamin D that the body can use. When vitamin D enters the body either from the sun, food or supplements the body has to expend energy to break it down into D3. The question: Do I need to take Vitamin D3? The answer is a big Yes!
The best and easiest way to accurately determine you blood levels of vitamin D3 is to have your doctor perform a blood test called 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D or a 25(OH)D test. My doctor says that the optimum blood level should be in the 50-70 ng/mL range. Unfortunately many doctors either do not think it is necessary or just will not do it. If that is the case, demand that it be done and until it is performed take 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 per day. Do not worry, 2,000 IU is extremely safe to take every day. I personally take 5,000 IU every day during the fall and winter months and have been doing so for 10 years after my doctor did the 25(OH)D test on me. Since doing so I’ve never had the flu. Talk about a better option than the flu vaccine.
SO MANY HEALTH PROBLEMS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH LOW VITAMIN D
However there are way more reasons to take vitamin D3 supplements, especially during the colder months, than for the protection from the flu. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a long list of health conditions such as: asthma in children, auto immune disorders, bone pain, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, fibromyalgia, hypertension, mood disorders, multiple sclerosis, obesity, osteoarthritis, osteomalacia, osteoporosis, psoriasis, and viruses. Every year scientists are finding even more diseases and disorders attributed to low vitamin D3 levels.
Just looking at the list above and the fact that most Americans are vitamin D deficient, it is no wonder that so many Americans are sick. If you are too scared to get some sunshine on your skin that is not covered with sunscreen, then the only way to get enough vitamin D3 in your blood is to take a supplement. Take at least 2,000 IU because it is impossible to even get the low RDA amounts from food alone.
WHAT CONTRIBUTES TO VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY?
Do you have any of those disorders listed above? Well if you do and you smoke cigarettes and/or you have darker skin color than a Caucasian, then your vitamin D deficiency will be worse off. To make matters worse if you live in the top half of the country (north of 35 degrees north latitude) you definitely need to supplement during the colder months.
Everyone who lives in this area in the country regardless of skin color has low blood levels of vitamin D3 during the colder months. This is because of the sun’s angle and the fact that no UVB radiation makes its way down to the ground. At this time of the year it is impossible for your body to make 20,000-30,000 IU of vitamin D from the sun. Because of this stoppage in vitamin D production is the number one reason why the cold and flu season happens at this time of the year. All viruses, including the flu, are present and at the same strength all year round. The only reason most people do not get sick during the warmer months is because of vitamin D production.
Do I need to take Vitamin D3 supplements? After reading all of the symptoms of deficiency and why many people are deficient, what do you think? YES you should! In addition, get your blood levels checked so you will know how much more than 2,000 IU you will need. The optimum range of vitamin D3 in the blood should be 50-70 ng/mL. Remember, vitamin D3 supplements are extremely safe and will only be toxic if you should take 50,000 IU per day. Please don’t take that much. A little goes a long way to a strong and vibrant immune system.
If you have any questions about taking vitamin D3, please leave them in the comments section below. I will respond with an answer within 24 hours.