Free Video Newsletter

Ancient Wisdom & Modern Science

Learn more ...
3 emails a week
  • 1.866.227.9843
  • About LifeSpa
  • Contact
  • Login

John Douillard's LifeSpa

Your Source for Natural Health News and Ayurveda"Proving Ancient Wisdom with Modern Science"

Menu 
  • HOME Back to front page
  • STORE Health Products
    • SHOP NOWTake me to the store
    • Shop Health TopicTake me to products by health topic
    • Shop Body Type (dosha)Take me to products by body type
      • Take the Body Type Quiz
      • Kapha (Spring)
      • Pitta (Summer)
      • Vata (Fall / Winter)
    • Read the Catalog
  • LEARN Articles & Videos
    • Libraries
      • Video Library
      • eBook Library
      • Podcast Library
      • Recipe Library
      • Health Quiz Library
    • Article Library
      • Recent Articles
      • Browse by Category
      • Article Index A-Z
    • Own It
      • eCourses
      • Books
      • DVDs
    • Events
      • Podcasts
      • Cleanse Events
      • Events & Workshops
  • CLEANSE Ayurvedic Detox
    • Colorado Cleanse – 14-Day, At-Home Digestive Detox and Lymph Cleanse
      • Group Colorado Cleanse
      • Anytime Colorado Cleanse
    • Short Home CleanseFree Instructional eBook
    • Safe Liver and Gallbladder Cleanse
      • Free Instructional eBook
      • Watch the Podcast “Safe Liver Cleansing”
    • 6-Step Lymph Detox Plan
      • Create-Your-Own Lymph Detox Kit
      • Learn More
  • CONSULT Ayurvedic Medicine
    • More Information
      • Hours & Location
      • Testimonials
      • New Patient Paperwork
    • Ayurvedic Consultations with Dr. John Douillard, DC, CAPConsultations In-Person, via Phone or via Skype
      • About Dr. John Douillard DC, CAP
    • Ayurveda
      • What is Ayurveda?
You are here: Home / Nutritional Deficiencies / Vitamin D Has Astonishing Health Benefits

Vitamin D Has Astonishing Health Benefits

by John Douillard on May 23, 2013 | 3 Comments

Do you know how to optimize your vitamin D levels for every season?

A growing body of knowledge shows that, at optimized levels, vitamin D functions as a hormone rather than a vitamin, with numerous notable effects on the body.

These effects include support for:

  • Healthy immunity
  • Healthy mood
  • Targeted support for over 2000 genes
  • Healthy bone formation
  • Healthy glucose metabolism
  • Musculoskeletal comfort
  • Heart health
  • Healthy skin

Many health experts consider the benefits of vitamin D to be one of the most important health discoveries of the past 100 years. In this video newsletter, I’ll share new research on vitamin D deficiency – which affects 87% of Americans – and walk you through how to safely increase your levels.



History of Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency causing devastating bone-softening effects was reported as far back as the 1600’s. Originally treated with cod liver oil in the 1800’s, it wasn’t until the 1930’s that vitamin D deficiency was discovered as the cause.

Though called vitamin D, it is not really a vitamin, but a hormone. In fact, at optimized levels in the blood, the active form – known as calcitriol – is now understood as the most potent secosteroid hormone in the human body. At optimal levels its effects may extend far beyond bone support, showing responsibility for many health-promoting processes in the body.

Vitamin D Overflow

About ten years ago, researchers discovered that people who live in climates where natural sun exposure was the greatest experienced greater longevity. In northern climates, studies show up to 61% of Americans are vitamin D deficient, going up to 87% in the winter months. (1)(2)

For the past 80 years it was believed that vitamin D was only important to the body for regulating calcium and protecting the bones. At levels below 50 ng/ml, this is vitamin D’s main role. However, new research reported by the Vitamin D Council has shown that higher levels of vitamin D may have a much greater role to play. For example, when vitamin D3 levels are between 50-80 ng/ml the excess calcitriol (secosteroid hormone form of vitamin D) heads towards the cells – not the bones- where it then targets over 2,000 genes (about 10% of the human genome) in the human body.

It is this overflow of calcitriol that has created such a worldwide stir about the pervasive role of optimized vitamin D. At lower levels of sun exposure and vitamin D, this overflow simply doesn’t happen. The role of excess calcitriol in the cells – and the great importance of these findings – is only now being understood.

No Sun = No Fun

Vitamin D written in the sandFifty thousand years ago, humans lived predominately in climates around the equator. Clothing was minimal and sun exposure was constant. As we migrated north, we endured sunless winters, wore more clothes and adapted to living indoors – away from the sun.

Today, we live, sleep, eat and drive indoors away from the vitamin D-rich UVB sun rays. In latitudes north of Atlanta (33°N), the UVB (vitamin D making sun rays) simply do not exist from November through March, making these months an emotional endurance event for many. Seasonal mood disturbances and feeling low in the winter months is often found to have a connection with low serotonin levels, which may be related to lack of sunlight. (2)

It is the UVB rays that convert the cholesterol (7-dehydrocholesterol) on the skin into D3 (cholecalciferol). According to the US News Report, UVB rays are only available when the UV Index is at 3 or above, which doesn’t happen in the winter for most of America. You can check the UV Index in your area.

D3 versus D2

The D3 form of vitamin D has been shown to have the highest absorptive affinity and less toxicity in the human body compared to the more popular vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol). (3) For this reason, vitamin D3 will store longer in the fats cells and help us endure a long, UVB-deficient winter.

Vitamin D2, which absorbs into the body 70% less effectively than vitamin D3, (4) was long thought to be the most active source of vitamin D supplementation. It is still used to fortify foods such as milk and orange juice and is the main pharmaceutical form of vitamin D support, though many pharmacies are now switching to vitamin D3 supplementation. Vitamin D3 is primarily derived from the sun, but is also found in cod liver oil and some fatty fish.

Native people commonly got their vitamin D3 in the winter by eating organ meats, which are generally rich in the fat soluble vitamins including vitamin D.

How to Get Vitamin D3 from the Sun

Sun high in sky over sunflowersDuring the summer months, the UVB rays are the strongest between 10am – 2pm. For most people, 10-15 minutes of direct sunlight on unprotected skin during these hours will be enough to manufacture about 10,000 – 20,000 IU of vitamin D3. Get just enough sun to turn your skin slightly pink. Darker-skinned people will have to get more sun to optimize their vitamin D levels.

It takes about an hour for the cholesterol on your skin to convert to D3 and then to be absorbed. So if you work out in the sun and then take a shower, you might be washing off all that precious vitamin D you just manufactured on your skin. If you can, wait at least an hour before rinsing off. Many animals get their vitamin D by licking their fur after being in the sun. The oil on their skin and fur has combined with the UVB rays to make vitamin D3.

How Your Body Uses Vitamin D3

From the skin, the vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) heads to the liver, where it is converted to calcidiol (25 hydroxyvitamin D). This is the form that circulates in the blood and is most accurately measured on a blood test.

From here, the calcidiol heads to the kidneys where it is converted to calcitriol (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D), the most active form of vitamin D, which circulates to every tissue in the body.

Vitamin D Supports Immunity

Vitamin D expert Dr. John Cannell developed a theory that some immune issues are seasonal due to seasonal variations in sunlight, which cause fluctuations in vitamin D levels. (3)(4) Vitamin D activates genes that support an immune response to foreign entities in the body. (5)

Vitamin D has also been shown to support healthy respiratory immunity. (6) (7)

Pro-inflammatory cytokines may be responsible for many lasting health issues. Vitamin D3 down-regulates cytokine activity and supports a healthy inflammatory response. (7)

Vitamin D Toxicity: Fiction or Fact?

Current understanding has it that the physiological requirement for vitamin D may be as high as 4000 IU/day for adults. Although the Food and Nutrition Board established the tolerable upper intake level (UL) at 2000 IU/day for adults, newer research demonstrates that this amount is very conservative, and it appears unlikely that toxicity would occur in healthy people with doses less than 10,000 IU/day. (8) For adolescents, 2000 IU daily for a year has proven to be safe and efficacious. (9)

With many articles discussing that individual sensitivity issues may exist, it’s important to be aware that vitamin D toxicity is rare. One study showed that 4,000 IU per day for several years was completely safe and only after taking 40,000 IU per day for several years is there a risk of developing toxicity symptoms. (5)

That being said, as I review the research, I am not so convinced that we can be casual about the intake of high dosages of vitamin D supplements. Ideally, I think we should all do our very best to optimize our vitamin D levels in the summer when the UVB rays are available. There is no vitamin D toxicity from the sun because UVA rays break down the excess vitamin D. Vitamin D is stored in the fat, so we do carry much of it into the winter months if we optimize the summer’s UVB rays. Unfortunately, most of us work indoors during midday summer hours when the UVB rays are at their peak.

Sunscreen Risks

For the past 25 years, sunscreens have only blocked out the skin-protecting UVB rays, but not the UVA rays. It was mistakenly thought that the UVB rays were the rays that potentially caused abnormal cell division in the skin cells, so sunscreens were designed with SPF factors that reflect the effectiveness of blocking only UVB rays. As it turns out, UVA rays are more abundant and penetrate deeper into the skin, making them more harmful than the UVB rays.

Additionally, twenty years ago, SPF ratings were only at 10, but today they have risen up to 100 in the effort to make the sunscreens more protective against abnormal cell growth. Sadly, all this time sunscreens have been blocking the good, protective UVB rays while letting in the harmful UVA rays.

Take a Vitamin D Test

While it is difficult to become toxic with vitamin D, experts believe that it is ideal to keep the levels at the higher end of normal, which is between 50-80 ng/ml. To maintain these optimal levels it is best to take a vitamin D test in the spring and fall.

If getting a blood test presents a problem because of the inconvenience of getting a doctor’s appointment, we offer an accurate Vitamin D Test Kit that you can do at home. This test is inexpensive, safe, simple, accurate and approved by the Vitamin D Council.

How to Optimize Your Vitamin D Levels and Prevent Deficiency

Trees in four seasons

Summer Sun Exposure

Regularly receive midday sun exposure between 10am – 2pm in the late spring, summer, and early fall, exposing as much of the skin as possible for 10-15 minutes if you are fair skinned. Longer if you are dark skinned. Remember, you have had enough when the skin shows the first sign of a pinkish change.

Supplementation: Depending on your sun exposure, I suggest minimal vitamin D3 supplementation in the summer – perhaps a dose of 1,000 – 2,000 IU per day.

Test Your Levels: Test your vitamin D levels to ensure you have optimized summer sun exposure.

Winter Maintenance

Supplementation: Take 4,000 IU of vitamin D3 per day for three months, and then take a 25-hydroxyvitamin D test.

The goal is to get your vitamin D levels between 50-80 ng/ml and keep them there. Testing is the only way to know for sure that you are maintaining these levels. Test yourself in the fall when the levels are the highest and in March when they are the lowest. With those two numbers, everyone can safely calculate their vitamin D supplement needs.

Children: Take 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 per day during the winter.

References

Source:Vitamin D Council
References: 1. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002 Nov; 87(11): 4952-6. 2. AM J Clin Nutr. 2007 Mar; 85(3): 860-8. 3. Virol J. 2008; 529. 4. Epidemiol Infect. 2006 Dec; 134(6): 1129-40. 5. Science News. 2006 Nov 11: 312-3. 6. J Immunol. 2003 Dec 15; 171(12): 6690-6. 7. Partonen T. Vitamin D and Serotonin in the Winter, Med Hypotheses. 1998 Sept;51(3):267-8. 8. Tsiaras WG, Weinstock MA. Factors infl uencing vitamin d status. Acta DermVenereol. 2011 Mar;91(2):115-24. [PMID: 21384086] 9. Cannell JJ, Hollis BW. Use of vitamin D in clinical practice. Altern Med Rev.2008 Mar;13(1):6- 20. [PMID: 18377099] 10. Armas LA, Hollis BW, Heaney RP. Vitamin D2 is much less effective than Vitamin D3 in humans. J Clin Endrinol Metab. 2004;89(11)5387-91. 11. Trang HM, Cole DE, Rubin LA, et al. Evidence that vitamin D3 increases serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D more efficiently than does vitamin D2. Am J Clin Nutr. 1998 Oct;68(4):854-8. 12. Heaney RP, Human serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol response to extended oral dosing with cholecalciferol. Am J Clin Nutr.2003. Jan 77;(1):204-10.

Related Articles

more protein as you age
Do You Need More Protein as You Age?

How Vitamin C Protects Vitamin E
grain brain dr. david perlmuter
Round 2: Eat Wheat vs Grain Brain | Finding Common Ground with Dr. David Perlmutter
lifespa image, bdnf, brain under construction graphic
Good Mood Food: Ayurvedic BDNF + Serotonin Boosters

Categories: Nutritional Deficiencies Tagged: vitamin d3

Comments

  1. dbsouq says

    November 20, 2018 at 2:19 am

    Hi,
    Very useful information for the people who seek vitamin D.

    Reply
  2. Akhil Arya says

    December 13, 2017 at 3:30 am

    Numerous wellbeing specialists consider the advantages of vitamin D to be a standout amongst the most essential wellbeing disclosures of the previous 100 years. Scientists found that individuals who live in atmospheres where characteristic sun presentation was the best experienced more prominent life span. From the skin, the vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) heads to the liver, where it is changed over to calcidiol (25 hydroxyvitamin D). This is the form that courses in the blood.

    Reply
  3. KRISHNA THAPA says

    July 28, 2015 at 9:43 pm

    Tell me something about vitamin D

    Reply

Speak Your Mind Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Website Search

Store Search

Store SALE Buton

  • Podcast_Button_Ayurveda+ModernScience
  • Sidebar-Button_Schedule-an-Appointment-for-an-Ayurvedic-Consultation_Nov2014
  • Sidebar_LifeSpa-store-coupon-code-button-no-coupon

Upcoming Events

Slider_Video-Training_Critical-Strategy-for-Detox_green_Jan2019-free-training
Sun 17

The Critical Strategy to Detox Your Body Naturally – A Free Video Training Series

January 29 @ 12:00 am - February 28 @ 11:55 pm
Fri 22

650-Hour Ayurvedic Health Counselor Certification, Module 2: Etiology, Pathology II, Clinical Assessment, and Pulse Analysis

February 22 - March 3
Mar 01

LIVE WORKSHOP @ Kripalu: Ayurveda for Balancing Weight, Energy, and Emotions

March 1 - March 3
Event-Banner_MARCH-2019_Spring-Cleaning podcast
Mar 04

Podcast Episode 66: Spring Cleaning for Body, Mind + Soul

March 4 @ 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Colorado Cleanse -Spring-2019_Early-Bird-Sale
Mar 05

Guided Group Colorado Cleanse: Early Bird Registration

March 5 - March 14

View More…

Categories

  • Aging & Longevity
    (63)
  • Ayurvedic Health
    (193)
  • Blood Sugar
    (84)
  • Bone, Muscle & Joint Health
    (18)
  • Circadian Medicine
    (45)
  • Cleansing & Detox
    (31)
  • Cognitive Health
    (68)
  • Dairy Issues
    (20)
  • Dangerous Food & Herbs
    (72)
  • Dental Health
    (15)
  • Diet and Seasonal Eating
    (247)
  • Digestion & Elimination
    (148)
  • DIY Ayurveda
    (24)
  • Emotional Health
    (116)
  • Energy & Vitality
    (42)
  • Fitness/Nose Breathing
    (54)
  • Food Sensitivities
    (14)
  • Heart Health
    (59)
  • Herbs & Supplements
    (121)
  • Immune Health
    (58)
  • John in the News
    (22)
  • Kids/Teen/College Health
    (24)
  • Love and Libido
    (11)
  • Lymphatic Health
    (69)
  • Meditation
    (12)
  • Men's Health
    (17)
  • Nutritional Deficiencies
    (45)
  • Optimal Weight
    (74)
  • Panchakarma
    (14)
  • Probiotics & Microbiology
    (80)
  • Recipes
    (59)
  • Skin Health
    (29)
  • Sleep Health
    (40)
  • Thyroid Health
    (16)
  • Wheat & Gluten Issues
    (34)
  • Women's Health
    (30)

eBooks

  • Safe-Liver-and-Gallbladder-Cleansing_BUTTON
  • Protein-Solution_JohnDouillard_ebook_sidebar-button
  • eBook_Button_Healthy-Family_Aug2018
  • Short-Home-Cleanse-_SHC_eBook_right-sidebar-button_new350
  • Dr-Johns-Guide-To-Taking-Herbs_eBook_Sidebar-Button
  • Best-Sleep-of-Your-Life_ebooklet_Button
  • Sidebar_Lymph-ebook-and-video-bundle_August2016
  • Blood-Sugar-Secrets_ebook_sidebar-button_new350
  • Weight-Balancing_eBook_new350

Media

Media-sidebar-button More>>

Sidebar IIN

Social

Inside Lifespa.com

  • 2018 LifeSpa Catalog
  • New to Ayurvedic Body Types?
  • New to Ayurvedic Herbs?
  • New to the Ayurvedic Diet?
  • New to the Emotions of Ayurveda?
  • What is Ayurveda?

Support

  • Careers
  • Citations Policy
  • IIN Student and Graduate Opportunities
  • LifeSpa Gives Back!
  • Press Kit – Speaking Engagement Info
  • Online Affiliate Program
  • Wholesale Partner Program

Contact us

John Douillard’s LifeSpa®
6662 Gunpark Dr E, Suite 102
Boulder, CO 80301

toll free: 1.866.227.9843
main: 303.516.4848
email: info@lifespa.com

Online Scheduler

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of John Douillard. They are not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, and they are not intended as medical advice. They are intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of John Douillard and his community. John Douillard encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

lifespa image, Top 50 Natural Health Websites 2013 Award Seal lifespa image, Top 100 Trailblazers in Yoga and Ayurveda
  • John Douillard's LifeSpa
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Copyright © 2019 John Douillard's LifeSpa Top

John Douillard's LifeSpa 6662 Gunpark Dr East, Suite 102 Boulder, CO 80301 US t: 866-227-9843 e: info[at]lifespa.com