Through the years I have written about Vitamin D a few times and how much I love this vitamin. I have shared my keep healthy plan for flu season with many of my patients and whomever else will listen. I take double the amount of vitamin D from October to the end of February. So as a fair skinned American of European descent I have to wear sunscreen otherwise I will face a fate of skin cancer, but that also means that a good share of my vitamin D will get blocked when outside. I also wear hats and sun shirts whenever outside. That means that when blood work has been run on me, I typically have lower than normal vitamin D levels. I consistently take 1,000-2,000iu daily and this keeps me within a normal and optimal range. During the October to February period I take 4,000-5,000iu. I have monitored my levels over the years and found this a very safe and effective amount for me. When taking higher vitamin D, an annual blood test for Vitamin D levels is essential. Here are some of the benefits of taking Vitamin D:
Principle regulator of Calcium Homeostasis
Needed in the blood for adequate levels of insulin
ProHormone – substances that the body converts to a hormone
Needed for Neurocognitive development in babies
Improves sperm quality: Motility and healthier human spermatozoa
Reduced levels of inflammation as study in: pericarditis, myalgia
Improve cardiovascular health
Has correlations with reducing recurrence of cancers.
Can improve testerone levels.
Immune system Modulation
Neurotransmitter Homeostasis
The Vitamin D Council indicates that the ideal level should be between 40 and 80 ng/mL. The Endocrine Society puts it between 30 and 50 ng/mL. I find that most women do best at around 50 ng/mL. For men I am comfortable with around 40 ng/mL.
So I just had to talk about my favorite vitamin since we have found during the pandemic that while many things are up for debate, most sides agree on taking vitamin D as a way to lessen the likelihood of a serious COVID-19 infection and it is also helpful for the treatment of someone who already has the infection. So be safe as numbers will climb during our cold and flu season of all kinds of germs not just COVID-19 and test your vitamin D.
When doing Laboratory testing we recommend that you do this lab test from Doctors Data:
It offers fast data on your vitamin D levels. It’s a finger stick test and it is a very affordable test- $45. Contact us if you would like a test kit and I have also included one of their informational articles about vitamin D for those who love to learn.