Vitamin- D is "D- lightful "

Vitamin D has been having quite a moment recently on the news, this has something to do with the growing evidence that the "Sunshine Vitamin" helps protect against a wide range of conditions, including cancers.

So even I thought to talk about it a little and give  my views on it. Recently during my practice i have started having a lot of patients complaining about fatigue, tiredness, bone and body pain, now I know there can be a no. of conditions causing such symptoms but upon investigating their blood for Vitamin D levels, almost 70% of them were deficient of Vitamin D.

Most of these patients were young working individuals, who obviously doesn't get much exposure to the sun because of their work and lifestyle routine. 

In this post, ill be discussing about what is Vitamin D, its functions, how to get it, what are the normal levels, and a little bit about its recent connection in protection against cancer and other conditions.

So, What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D within your body is actually a hormone, not a vitamin.

When your body receives Vitamin D (from sunlight, food, or supplements), it turns the Vitamin D into a hormone. This hormone is called activated Vitamin D or calcitriol, I wont go much in detail about the precise process. You simply need to understand how important Vitamin D is to your health.

The body makes around 90% of the Vitamin D it needs. This can only happen when your skin gets enough direct UV light from sunshine. The other 10% of your Vitamin D intake comes from foods rich in the vitamin. If you don’t get a lot of sunlight, or if you usually stay covered up, a quality Vitamin D supplement will of course help you.

When we get sunlight on our skin, our body produces a substance called cholecalciferol. This is then turned into calcidiol and then calcitriol by the liver and kidneys. Calcitriol (the active form of Vitamin D) is what your Doctor would measure to assess your Vitamin D levels.


During sunny months, your body might make excess calcidiol. But dont worry it won’t go to waste. Any extra will be stored in your body fat as a kind of back up for those grey winter days when you dont get enough sunlight. 
A few experts think that just 10 minutes of sunlight on your skin is enough to avoid Vitamin D deficiency. So try and get some sun whenever you can.

What are the functions of Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is one of many nutrients our bodies need to stay healthy. Among the vitamin's main functions, it helps the body:
Absorb calcium. Vitamin D, along with calcium, helps build bones and keep bones strong and healthy.
Block the release of parathyroid hormone. This hormone reabsorbs bone tissue, which makes bones thin and brittle.

Vitamin D may also play a role in muscle function and the immune system. The immune system is your body's defense system. It helps protect it against infections and other illnesses. Taking vitamin D every day has been shown to reduce the risk of falling in older individuals.

Other ways vitamin D is thought to help us, and how much we would need to take, is an area of active research (and controversy). There have been studies to suggest that it might help prevent colon, prostate, and breast cancers. There is also some research that it might help prevent and treat diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and multiple sclerosis. However, the results of many of these studies are either preliminary or under debate. Without other long-term research, even many of the researchers who conducted these initial studies are cautious about recommending vitamin D for the prevention of these diseases.
Now, that we have discussed what is Vitamin D and what are its functions, lets come to the sources from which we can obtain Vit D.

How do I get enough Vitamin D?

There are basically three ways to get enough Vitamin D: from food sources, from a good Vitamin D supplement, and from exposure to enough sunlight on your skin.

What kind of food sources?

The options to obtain enough Vitamin D through food sources are unfortunately very limited, specially for vegetarians.
The Reference Daily Intake (RDI) is 400 IU of vitamin D per day from foods, but many health organizations recommend getting 600 IU.

If you don't get enough sunlight, it should probably be closer to 1,000 IU per day
Food sources that are rich in Vitamin D are :

1. Fatty Fish - 

Fatty Fish is a very good source of Vitamin D, the most popular and the most rich source is of course Salmon Fish. According to nutrient databases, one 3.5-oz (100-gram) serving of salmon contains between 361 and 685 IU of vitamin D. 
Other Fatty fish like Herring and Sardines are also a very good source, one 3.5-oz (100-gram) serving can provide upto 270-680 IU of vitamin D.

2.Cod Liver Oil-

Cod liver oil is a popular supplement. If you don't like fish, taking cod liver oil can be a good way to obtain certain nutrients that are hard to get from other sources.
At about 450 IU per teaspoon (4.9 ml), cod liver oil is an excellent source of vitamin D. It is also rich in vitamin A and Omega-3-fatty acids.

3.Oysters- 

Oysters are a type of clam that live in salt water. They are delicious, low in calories and full of nutrients.

One 3.5-oz (100-gram) serving of wild oysters has only 68 calories, but contains 320 IU of vitamin D

4.Egg Yolks-

Luckily for people who don't like fish, seafood is not the only source of vitamin D. Whole eggs are another good source, as well as a wonderfully nutritious food.
While most of the protein in an egg is found in the egg white, the fat, vitamins and minerals are found mostly in the egg yolk.
One conventionally grown egg yolk contains between 18 and 39 IU of vitamin D, which isn't very high but still something.

5.Mushrooms- 

Mushrooms are the only plant source of vitamin D.
Similar to humans, mushrooms can synthesize this vitamin when exposed to UV light.
However, mushrooms produce vitamin D2, whereas animals produce vitamin D3.
Although vitamin D2 does help raise blood levels of vitamin D, it may not be as effective as vitamin D3. Nonetheless, wild mushrooms are excellent sources of vitamin D2. In fact, some varieties contain up to 2,300 IU per 3.5-oz (100-gram) serving.

6.Fortified Foods- 

As mentioned earlier, natural sources of vitamin D are limited, especially if you're a vegetarian or don't like fish.

Fortunately, some foods that don't naturally contain vitamin D are fortified with it, like Cow milk, Soya milk, Orange juice, Cereal and Oatmeal.They contain between 55 and 130 IU per serving.

Do I need to get my Vitamin D levels checked? If yes then how often?

Routine checks of vitamin D levels are not currently recommended. However, your doctor might need to check your levels if you have medical conditions, risk factors for vitamin D deficiency, or are taking certain medications that can cause Vitamin D deficiency (for e.g- Cholesterol-lowering drugs) Sometimes vitamin D levels can be checked as a cause of symptoms such as long-lasting body aches and a history of falls, or bone fractures without significant trauma.

Can I have too much of Vitamin D in my body?

Yes, high levels of vitamin D levels are found to be very toxic. Do not take higher-than-recommended doses of vitamin D without first discussing it with your doctor. However, your doctor might recommend higher doses of vitamin D if he or she is checking your blood levels and adjusting your dose accordingly. Symptoms of too much Vitamin D includes but not limited to : 

Nausea,vomiting,itching,increased thirst and urination,poor appetite,constipation,weakness,weight loss,confusion,heart rhythm problems,kidney damage.

So, I guess this what is most important for you guys to know about Vitamin D. Thank you so much for reading. If you have any more questions regarding this, you can always ask them in the comment section, E-mail me or connect with me through my social accounts. I'll try to help whichever way possible. Till then take care, go out and get some sun 😄😋

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