Vitamin D Deficiency

It’s common these days to hear that people are diagnosed with a deficiency in Vitamin D. It’s even more common to hear people say “I get exposed to sunlight a lot, I don’t understand how come I’m deficient”.

As someone very keen and curious about health and wellbeing, I haven’t yet met or heard of a medical professional who can explain the “why” behind the deficiency yet.

What is Vitamin D to start with? 

It is technically a hormone, just like insulin, testosterone, estrogen, and so on… Which is produced in the fat layer, through the Cholesterol below the skin.

Then it passes through the liver and the kidney to be converted into its active form that is called calcitriol or D1,25.

Therefore, Vitamin D comes in different forms such as D3 – D25 – D1,25.

D1,25 or calcitriol is considered to be the active form of vitamin D, and just like anything else in the body we want it in homeostasis (balance) not too high and not too low. 

When D1,25 is too high it indicates that the person is sick (inflamed).

What if I’ve told you, that there’s no actual test that measures D1,25, and what they measure in the labs is D25 which is the inactive form of vitamin D.

Remember: 

• If D1,25 is already higher than normal means that the person is sick. 
• By only measuring the D25, without understanding about D1,25 in the system (because there’s no test for it), we don’t have a full context.
• Supplementing with D3, that will convert into D25, and eventually convert into D1,25. Will only raise the levels of D1,25 in the blood.

The side effects of high D1,25:

• Increases the magnesium burn rate. As stated by Morley Robbins, “Vit-D’s Target Cells are the Intestines, and its Target Mission is to have the Intestines ABSORB MORE CALCIUM AND PUT IT INTO THE BLOODSTREAM, AT THE EXPENSE OF MAGNESIUM ABSORPTION..”
• Calcium is liberated from the bones and can travel to the arteries and lead to calcification, cardiovascular issues, and osteoporosis.
• Suppresses immunity.

The causes of Vitamin D deficiency:

• Deficiency in magnesium. As magnesium assists in the activation of vitamin D. 
• Chronic inflammation will waste magnesium at a fast rate. Anytime magnesium goes down, iron goes up. Iron is toxic and exacerbates inflammation.
• Where or how you live, as less exposure to Sun means less Vitamin D.
• The use of sunscreen. Sunscreen blocks light and lowers Vitamin D.
• Your weight, fat tissue sops up Vitamin D.
• Gut issues of any kind decrease Vitamin D uptake from the food you eat.
• A sluggish liver reduces the absorption of Vitamin D.
• Inflammation.

The ways to increase vitamin D naturally are:

• Regular epsom salt feet baths.
• Daily exposure of 10 to 15 minutes to direct sunlight.
• Eating food that is rich in fat soluable vitamins such as A, E and K, such as sardines, eggs, dairy, and meats.
• Reduce the stress levels.

Vitamin D supplement is not needed, as it’s a seasonal variation molecule that rises and falls naturally. If you need to take vitamin D supplement, make sure to take it with K2. As K2 activates vitamin D.