The Benefits And Retention Of Vitamin D3

What benefit is vitamin D

There are many internet articles about vitamin D and its importance for our health.

By definition, vitamin D is a hormone. After exposure of the human body to sunlight, vitamin D is synthesized in the liver and kidneys and acts as a hormone in the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus essential for the health and strengthening of our bones and teeth.

Only a few people consider vitamin D supplementation to be a type of hormone therapy (MedPage Today). https://www.medpagetoday.com/primarycare/dietnutrition/47012

No other vitamin goes through such a process before being used by the body. Its importance for the immune system is enormous.

Vitamin D deficiency

• Due to the deficiency of vitamin D, the bones can become brittle and soft, which leads to the risk of bone diseases such as osteoporosis, osteomalacia, arthrosis, etc.

• Deficiency of vitamin D affects tooth health, hair quality, nails, muscles, and nervous tissue.

• Prevents the growth of malignant cells in patients. Provitamin D3 is often added in the treatment of malignant diseases. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2773074

• It is recommended for the prevention of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

• Addition to the therapy of some chronic, autoimmune diseases and autism. The latest research indicates that high doses of vitamin D3 can greatly improve the condition of these patients.

• Supplement therapy for influenza and other respiratory diseases

• Addition to therapy in the treatment of some chronic kidney diseases, diabetes…

These are only a few of the cases where vitamin D is an adjunct to therapy or even the only option.

CAUSES OF VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY

The availability of vitamin D largely depends on exposure to sunlight, i.e. UV rays. Therefore, depending on one’s geographical latitude and location, the ability of the organism to produce vitamin D varies, because this creation process is conditioned by the climate and the way the sun radiates at different latitudes.

Risk factors for vitamin D deficiency are:

• dark skin, lack of exposure to the sun

• malabsorption, celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, inflammatory bowel diseases

• long-term use of steroids, antiepileptic drugs

• older age in which, in addition to reduced synthesis in the skin, the ability of the kidneys to create the active form of vitamins also decreases. All people over the age of 50 must take vitamin D3 supplements.

• obesity

• menopause in women

• Research has shown that mother’s milk is often deficient in vitamin D. Doctors recommend starting vitamin D intake in drops from the first day of life because babies get a minimal amount, if any, of vitamin D from mother’s milk.

In Norway, younger people who live in the Arctic zone and regularly consume fatty fish as the main source of vitamin D several times a week have a lower risk of developing multiple sclerosis. In some hospitals, oil containing Omega 3 vitamins and large amounts of vitamin D is added to patients with certain treatments, regardless of the illness.

In some Scandinavian countries, it is recommended that vitamin D be used as a dietary supplement until the age of 18.

EARLY SYMPTOMS OF VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY

Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency can be diverse and manifest in very different ways:

• if you often feel tired and exhausted,

• you constantly have no energy or do not sleep well

• you have frequent headaches

• if you have dark circles around your eyes and are pale

• anxiety

• hair loss

It’s time to consult your doctor and get your vitamin D levels checked.

Low levels of vitamin D can cause frequent colds and infections. You often have a hard time recovering from infections. Surgical wounds require vitamin D supplementation to heal properly and prevent infection.

HOW TO COMPENSATE VITAMIN D

Vitamin D is unique in many respects, and its persistence in the body largely depends on exposure to sunlight. Daily exposure to the sun for 15 to 20 minutes is enough to synthesize it in the skin. People with darker skin need 3 to 5 times more due to increased melanin levels. Sunscreen can inhibit vitamin synthesis by up to 75%. Nevertheless, one must be careful because of harmful UV rays, which can cause skin cancer.

There are two forms of vitamin D:

• D3 which is produced in the body only by exposure to sunlight and which performs a very important role in our immune system

• Vitamin D2 which is dietary and is found in egg yolk, mackerel, marine fish oil, cod liver oil, salmon, mushrooms… This form of vitamin D has a 2-3 times weaker effect on health than cholecalciferol, the active form of D3.

Unfortunately, very little vitamin D is absorbed in the gut from food and cannot be relied upon to correct a severe deficiency or even maintain adequate levels in place of sunlight.

The absorption of vitamin D in the gut is cut in half when there is a low level of vitamin D in the blood. This means that people with vitamin D deficiency may have trouble absorbing any vitamin D from food.

Don’t worry – supplementation is designed for that!

SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Sunbathe regularly!

Include foods rich in vitamin D in your daily diet!

Take supplements. There are also a handful of vitamin D products on the market. Choosing the right one is very important. The most important thing is to consume the selected supplements correctly. Since vitamin D is fat-soluble, it is very important to take it during or right after a meal in order for it to dissolve properly and for you to benefit from the consumption of the supplement.

Be careful! Talk to your doctor or nutritionist about adding vitamin D through supplements.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH VITAMIN D

The infamous vitamin D! Until four years ago, I had no idea how important and role vitamin D plays in our lives https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15050-vitamin-d-vitamin-d-deficiency.

Did you know that until a few years ago, a number of scientists believed that vitamin D deficiency was the only cause of Multiple Sclerosis? Scientists and world-renowned institutes are still investigating the connection between this vitamin and MS.

Many scientific studies indicate that vitamin D status is associated with relapse rates in pediatric‐onset multiple sclerosis. https://www.hindawi.com/

World experts emphasize the importance of the role of vitamin D in the prevention and the possibility of preventing and delaying the development of many chronic and autoimmune diseases, especially multiple sclerosis.

Regardless of the cause of the disease, people suffering from this disease universally have a low level of vitamin D.

We can compensate for this deficiency by regular exposure to the sun and adequate nutrition. Spend time with your loved ones in nature and eat fish, eggs, and vegetables.

CHECK YOUR LEVELS AND TAKE CONSUME VITAMIN D REGULARLY!

The fact is that the diagnosis and treatment of vitamin D deficiency are crucial for multiple sclerosis patients.

This kind of therapy is only a supplement to the regular therapy of multiple sclerosis and is only one of the alternative therapeutic possibilities. It is simple, inexpensive, and safe, it can be very effective for alleviating certain daily symptoms, preventing and delaying the progression of the disease or perhaps holding even greater benefits.

We regularly check my daughter’s vitamin D level, twice a year, and we do not allow her to go into a deficit. We regularly introduce it through a nutritional supplement, which has so far given the best results during regular checkups. In addition to regular sunbathing, proper nutrition and vitamin D supplementation, the doctor introduced Hyperbaric Chamber therapy once a year for 10 days. The number of lesions on the myelin sheath is the same as the size of the lesions and they are not active. There has been no relapse in four years. It might mean anything, but we hope it stays that way and gets much better.

Elena