Vitamin D is an amazing vitamin. Deficiencies in Vitamin D have been linked to cancer, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases (like lupus), diabetes, asthma, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth defects, periodontal disease, and autism.
Vitamin D3 cholecalciferol (pronounced koh·luh·kal·sif·uh·rawl) is made in the skin. It's not technically a vitamin. Its metabolic product, calcitriol, is actually a secosteroid hormone that targets over 2000 genes (about 10% of the human genome) in the human body.
If healthy adults and adolescents regularly avoid sunlight exposure, research indicates a necessity to supplement with at least 5,000 units (IU) of vitamin D daily. To obtain this amount from milk one would need to consume 50 glasses. With a multivitamin more than 10 tablets would be necessary. Not a good idea.
Our skin produces approximately 10,000 IU vitamin D in response 20–30 minutes summer sun exposure—50 times more than the US government's recommendation of 200 IU per day! So we can assume that we probably need those 10,000 IU or more to maintain health.
According to the Vitamin D Council, there are 3 ways for adults to insure adequate levels of vitamin D:
- regularly midday sun exposure in the late spring, summer, and early fall, exposing as much of the skin as possible;
- regularly use a sun bed (avoiding sunburn) during the colder months; or
- take 5,000 IU per day for three months, then obtain a 25-hydroxyvitamin D test. Adjust your dosage so that blood levels are between 50–80 ng/mL (or 125–200 nM/L) year-round.
By the way, persons who have dark skin do not make as much Vitamin D as lighter skinned people. In one study, asthmatic children living in Costa Rica improved their asthma when they were given Vitamin D3.
Don't be fooled Vitamin D2 should not be taken. D2 is a lab-created vitamin that is not as long-lasting as D3.
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