Vitamin D supplements have been a major topic of debate both online and in learned circles for a decade. And we don’t seem to be any closer to a consensus on the issue than we were when we started. But a new study may put the debate to rest…
The best way to supplement your vitamin D: Eat more foods rich in vitamin D…
Why we need vitamin D
Reliable research shows that vitamin D supplements:
- Should be taken by adults in northern environments who may not get enough D from their diets, or receive insufficient sunlight explore.
- Does help adults with severe vitamin D deficiency, which can result in loss of bone mineral content, bone pain, muscle weakness and soft bones (osteomalacia).
- Does cure rickets, a rare condition in children who suffer from vitamin D deficiency.
- Can help prevent osteoporosis.
- May help fight some cancers.
- Can help treat cognitive decline associated with vitamin D deficiency in adults.
- May reduce the risk of multiple sclerosis.
- Can treat plaque psoriasis in some patients.
Points in dispute
There are several points on which participants in the Vitamin D discussion differ.
First, there’s the issue of efficacy
There are still some ‘experts’ who contend that vitamin D supplements don’t work. But recent research has shown that one form of vitamin D, D3, is actually the one that humans benefit from most. So now, most vitamin D supplements are pure D3. Problem solved?
Second, there’s the issue of side effects
The Mayo Clinic warns, taking too much vitamin D in supplements can be harmful to: “Children age 9 years and older, adults, and pregnant and breastfeeding women.” Mayo says the following issues may arise in members of those groups who take more than 4,000 IU of D per day:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Poor appetite and weight loss
- Constipation
- Weakness
- Confusion and disorientation
- Heart rhythm problems
- Kidney stones and kidney damage
Third, of course, is the dosing debate
Folks still dispute hotly how much D is optimal for the average adult to take. The answer, according to the study, is there’s no such thing as ‘the average person’. So there’s no one-size-fits-all dose.
The study, in brief…
“A comprehensive analysis of key determinants of vitamin D and their interactions revealed novel insights,” an abstract of the study report relates.
The first key insight
…Is that ambient UVB emerges as a critical predictor of vitamin D status, even in a place like the UK, which receives relatively little sunlight.
The second key insight
… Is that age, sex, body mass index (BMI), cholesterol level, and vitamin D supplementation significantly influence how individuals respond to UVB. For example, as BMI and age increase, the amount of vitamin D produced in response to UVB decreases.
The takeaway
Principal investigator on the study, Prof. Lina Zgaga, says she hopes her team’s work, “underscores the need to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach towards personalized strategies for optimizing vitamin D status.”
“Our study also highlights the effect that natural environmental factors, like sunlight, can have on our health,” adds team member PhD candidate Rasha Shraim. “We hope that our approach encourages future researchers and public health bodies to integrate these factors into their health and disease work.”
My take
The contemporary wisdom is, 1,000 IU per day is the minimum dose of vitamin D you should take when supplementing. My family physician recommends I take 2,000 IU a day. I’m older. I’m a woman who lives in the Great White North. And I have a family history of certain conditions that D is known or believed to help.
My questions to you…
Do you take a vitamin D supplement?
Do you feel it benefits your health and well being?
After reading the foregoing, do you think you take enough D?
If not, would you consider taking more?
Muse on that…
~ Maggie J.