How Much Vitamin D We Need & Why You Should Care

Do you know how vital vitamin D is to your health? Vitamin D plays an essential role in building and maintaining healthy bones by helping the body absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus, facilitating normal immune system function and muscle and brain cell activity. As nearly every cell in the body has a vitamin D receptor, it may also play a vital role in regulating blood sugar and organ function. The association of vitamin D deficiency with many chronic diseases, including COVID19, is an active and ongoing area of research.

Vitamin D is often called the “sunshine vitamin” because it is produced or converted into its active form when your skin is exposed to the UV rays of the sun. However, the melanin in darker skin reduces vitamin D synthesis from the sun, resulting in lower vitamin D levels in African Americans.

Recent estimates from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) show that roughly 80% of African Americans are vitamin D deficient. Also, according to a 2019 study, those who are less physically active are nearly twice as likely to be deficient compared to active individuals.

So, what can we do to improve our vitamin D status?

Get Tested

Schedule an appointment with your primary care physician to have your vitamin D levels checked. Typically physicians do not order vitamin D along with standard blood tests. So, you must request it. I also provide vitamin D testing to my clients as part of micronutrient/nutrient deficiency testing.

Go Outside

African Americans and other people of color need to spend even more sunlight exposure to make the active form of vitamin D. So, spend at least 45 minutes outside in direct sunlight being physically active. Get moving!

Eat Well

Although food sources are relatively poor, some foods contain vitamin D, such as salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel, herring, eggs with the yolk and mushrooms exposed to UV light. With ~980 IU of D3 in 3.5oz, wild-caught salmon is by far the richest source of vitamin D. Note that frying fish lowers the D3 content. Farm-raised salmon, tuna, and trout provide ~200-400 IU of D3, with farm-raised salmon on the lower end. Other fatty fish, such as sardines, herring and mackerel provide 100-300 IU of D3.

While one egg yolk provides ~40-160 IU of D3., it greatly depends on the chicken’s sun exposure. Thus, purchase pasture-raised eggs from producers that let their chickens roam outside in sunlight, if you can. However, pasture-raised eggs are considerably more expensive.

A half-cup wild mushrooms provides ~2,000 IU of D2, which may not be absorbed as well. Certain brands also treat mushrooms with UV light, which can provide 130-450 IU of D2. The packaging is typically labeled, indicating UV treatment. Finally, orange juice, milk, and ready-to-eat cereals are often fortified and provide 50-150 IU of D3.

Also, choose foods that contain healthy fats and magnesium to boost absorption of vitamin D. Healthy fats help digest fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamin D. In addition, research has shown magnesium increases vitamin D conversion from the sun into its active form. Include foods such as avocado, nuts, seeds, nut butters, and olives, in your meals, which are also good sources of magnesium.

As you can see, few foods contain vitamin D, and getting 600-1,000 IU of vitamin D a day can be challenging. That’s why taking a vitamin D3 supplement makes sense. Read on to find out how to choose a quality supplement.

Choose a Quality Supplement

Given the difficulty for African American's to get enough vitamin D from the sun and the few food sources of vitamin D, choosing and taking a quality vitamin D supplement every day is critical. There are a few key principles to follow when choosing a supplement from a trusted supplier:

CGMP - Look for a company that follows Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP). The FDA does not regulate the quality, effectiveness or safety of supplements. So, it’s essential to check the company’s website for their safety and quality standards. In 2015, the New York District Attorney accused Target, GNC, and Walmart of selling nutritional supplements containing grass, rice and allergens, such as peanuts (things that a supplement should never contain).

Third-Party Testing - While not required by law, third-party testing ensures that what the company claims on the label is contained in the supplement. To conduct third-party testing, an independent outside lab takes a product off the shelf and tests it for accuracy of amounts, consistency from batch to batch, and levels of contaminants, if any.

Certificate of Analysis (COA) - An independent third-party lab awards this after testing. Look for seals from NSF, USP, Consumer Lab, or Banned Substances Controlled Group (BSCG).

Don’t Exceed The Upper Limit - The recommended vitamin D daily intake is 600 IU when regularly exposed to the sun or 1,000 IU when not. Unless advised by your health care practitioner, based on blood tests, be careful not to exceed the upper limit of 4,000 IU. Over supplementing can lead to a build-up of calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia), which can cause nausea, vomiting, weakness, and frequent urination. Vitamin D toxicity can also progress into bone pain and kidney problems, such as the formation of painful kidney stones. Finally, check your multivitamin, as many contain vitamin D and you may not need an additional supplement.

Trusted Brands

I trust and recommend the following brands of vitamin D supplements below to my clients. Unfortunately, some of these brands can only be obtained through a healthcare practitioner.

Metagenics D3 + K 5,000 IU

Nordic Naturals D3 1,000 IU

Carlsons Lab D3 2,000 IU

Seeking Health D3 2,000 IU

Garden of Life D3 2,000 IU

You may see supplements with vitamin D3 and vitamin K combined. Vitamin K is also a fat soluble vitamin that plays an important role in blood clotting. Several studies also show that vitamins D3 and K work together to improve bone and cardiovascular health. The combined effect of vitamin D and K helps to increase bone density and maintain healthy blood vessels, particularly vitamin K in the form of K2 (often as MK-7 in supplements). In supplements with large doses of Vitamin D, vitamin K may also prevent calcium build-up in the blood. Thus taking a supplement with vitamin D3 and K2 has numerous health benefits. However, it’s important to note, that most studies have been conducted in healthy adults and it is unclear if the same benefits are seen in those who already have cardiovascular disease.

Vitamin K is found in two forms in many different types of foods. Vitamin K1 is found in leafy green vegetables, while vitamin K2 is found in fermented foods and animal products, and it is also produced by the gut bacteria. We can easily meet our daily vitamin K needs by eating kale, collard greens, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, sprouted beans, cheddar cheese, kombucha, kefir, sauerkraut, eggs, avocado, kiwi, berries, beans, nuts and seeds.

I hope after reading this post, you make the time to get your vitamin D levels checked. Also, find and take a quality vitamin D supplement daily, and, as always, focus on eating nutrient rich whole foods and get outside! Eating well, taking a quality supplement and being physically active outside in the sun can go a long way towards helping boost and maintain healthy vitamin D levels.

XO,

Basheerah