“When people ask me what is the cheapest, but most effective thing they can do for their health, I say to take Vitamin D3″ – Dr. Neil Logan. D.C
As much as everyone loves the holiday season, nobody likes the colds and flu that goes along with it.
Doctors and scientists have been trying to find ways to beat the common cold for centuries.
They have found that D3 is their best tool to fight against sickness in the cold and winter months.
The rest of the Post is an excerpt of an interview I had with Dr. Logan about the benefits of Vitamin D, and posted with his permission.
Dr. Neil Logan is a Doctor of Chiropractics for over 35 years, (and is the tryitdiet sisters dad.😁)
WWW.Drneilloganchiropractor.com
What is so important about Vitamin D?
Vitamin D has been one of the most medically researched items this century. We know it is important in immune health and calcium metabolism.
One of the first clinical studies in the early 2000’s, showed a huge increase in the body’s ability to resist colds and flus with increased Vitamin D supplementation.
In 2010, researchers found 2,776 binding sites for the vitamin D receptor along the length of the genome. These were unusually concentrated near a number of genes associated with susceptibility to autoimmune conditions such as MS, Crohn’s disease, systemic lupus erythematosus (or ‘lupus’) and rheumatoid arthritis, and to cancers such as chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and colorectal cancer.
They also showed that vitamin D had a significant effect on the activity of 229 genes including IRF8, previously associated with MS, and PTPN2, associated with Crohn’s disease and type 1 diabetes.
It is estimated that one billion people worldwide do not have sufficient vitamin D.
This deficiency is thought to be largely due to insufficient exposure to the sun.
The challenge we have is that Vitamin D can only be made in the body with UVB rays from the sun.
We only get UVB rays when the sun is 50 degrees above the horizon.
What does that mean to us in the US?
In San Diego, which has a latitude of 33 degrees North, the sun is 50 degrees above the horizon on March 1 at noon and ends on October 11 at noon. This means sun exposure over the winter will NOT make Vitamin D.
In my hometown of Cedar City, Utah (37 degrees N) we lose UVB exposure the end of September and will not get it back until about Easter. The farther north you go, the less UVB exposure you get.
It is estimated that about 80% of North Americans have some level of Vitamin D deficiency.
The main reason I bring this to your attention is that I believe everyone needs to supplement with Vitamin D over fall, winter, and spring months.
Science mainly talks about Vitamin D3. This is the active form of Vitamin D and what your body produces from the sun.
Did you know you can get a blood test that will tell you what your Vitamin D levels are?
You should ask your Doctor when they run blood tests to include this test.
The test is 25-hydroxyvitamin D
The results are usually ng/ml (nanograms/milliliter)
50-80 ng/ml is good, under 30 is a deficiency
(this is what I think, labs can have different numbers they use)
Supplementing with 3-5,000 IU per day will keep your Vitamin D levels up throughout the winter and give your body the ability to improve your immune system during the cold/flu season.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Benefits of Vitamin D3. The list of Vitamin D3’s benefits are constantly growing. Although a vitamin, it is almost a hormone.
If the Sun is at 50 degrees over the horizon, how long should I stay outside for maximum benefit?
Studies have shown that full body exposure for 20 minutes (around noon) will enable your body to produce 20,000 IUs within 48 hours. But most people do not have full body exposure, so that needs to be taken into account.
Also it should be kept in mind that the darker the skin color, the less absorbent the Vitamin D into our skins, so that will add to the time as well.
As we get older, your skin receptors that pick up the vitamin rays also weaken.
Being outside in the sun daily has many benefits, but as you can see, it becomes extremely difficult to get all of your needed Vitamin D3 only from the sun, especially during other times besides summer. Supplementation is then the best way to consistently get your adequate intake.
Can taking too much D3 harm me?
Vitamin D toxicity has been known to happen, but it is extremely rare. Of the few cases that I found, most were of infants who were given too high a dose.
Do I have to take Vitamin D daily?
Vitamin D3 is fat soluble. This means that the body can store extra D3. This is why usually cold and flu season does not start immediately after summer ends. We hopefully have built up a good enough supply to last us quite a while. But it usually runs out by October or November if we have not supplemented with D3 vitamins.
So I do suggest keeping up with Vitamin D3 daily. But you could go without it for a while if your d3 fat stores are full.
What should I look for with a Vitmin D blood test?
The test should outline what is the optimal range, and what is considered depleted.
As a general rule, I believe it is: 60-80 ng/ml in the blood test would be in the optimum range where having anything under 30 would be considered deficient.
How much Vitamin D do I need a day to stay healthy?
2-5,000 IUs a day. But if you are already depleted, you could be taking up to 10-20,000 IUs a day.
Can I get Vitamin D from natural foods?
Vitamin D is found in some foods: salmon, herring, sardines, cod liver oil, shrimp, egg yolk, liver, and some mushrooms.
Most foods do not have naturally occurring Vitamin D.
Everyone thinks milk has it, but it is fortified (added in synthetically and typically is D2). D2 added to milk and cereal is usually synthetic. I suggest taking a food/plant source multiple that is high in quality omegas.
D2 and D3 are the most known parts of the Vitamin. D3 is considered the active one, and D2 more inert. D3 from animal products, D2 from plant products.
However, as far as whole foods go, D3 does not show up in nature by itself. It has to come in a complex-but we do not know what all the components are or what they do. That’s why I take Standard Process because they get their products from plants and animal parts-usually organ meats. I want all the component parts of the vitamin as well.
What is the relationship between Vitamin D and Calcium?
Vitamin D3 frees up calcium for the blood. Meaning that the calcium can move around your body efficiently.
Calcium is the most utilized mineral we have. Calcium helps with the immune system and viruses. So making sure calcium is circulating is important in keeping sicknesses at bay.
In conclusion, what I always tell my patients when they ask what they can do to stay healthy, is I say 3 things:
- Take a Plant-Based Multiple to cover your bases.
- Take a high-quality Omega 3 oils.
- And keep up on your Vitamin D3.
If you liked this article, Check out how Cayenne Pepper can also boost your immune system! https://www.tryitdietsisters.com/low-body-temperature-cayenne-pepper/
And as always, exercising can help keep you healthy as well. So check out our favorite at home workouts. Either out H.I.I.T exercises for quick wins, or our longer, 30 minute workouts that we love!
