Brushing Up on Vitamin D

We all know Vitamin D as the "sunshine vitamin", due to the fact that our body makes it upon sun exposure. Specifically, when sun shines on our skin, Vitamin D3, the 'active' form, is made.

Vitamin D3 has many roles in the body, including bone health, and prevention of cancer and autoimmune diseases such as insulin-dependent diabetes and multiple sclerosis.  Deficiencies of this vitamin are common, with studies estimating deficiencies in 40-100% of elderly men and women in the US and Europe. Deficiencies are common in those with limited sun exposure, impaired digestion, and low intake.

Get Your Levels Checked!

Ask your doctor to monitor your Vitamin D3 levels. Recommended levels are between 30-100ng/mL, or 70-250nmol/L (Lord and Bralley, Laboratory Evaluations for Integrative Medicine, 2008).  Good food sources of the vitamin include seafood, lean meats, and eggs. Aim for some daily sun exposure to really boost your levels!