The Absorption of Vitamin D
Submitted by on March 26, 2010 - 8:57pm.
Winter is officially over --so you don’t have to worry about your vitamin D levels, right? Well, not exactly. From now until the end of October is the time to start increasing your stores of vitamin D. By getting just 20-30 minutes of summer sun exposure (avoid burning), you can produce up to 10,000 IU of vitamin D per day. To gain maximum benefit, time sun exposure for the time of day when your shadow is shorter than your height (often between 10am and 2pm), expose as much skin as possible, and, of course, avoid wearing sunscreen. Unlike with dietary supplements, it is impossible to overdose on vitamin D obtained from sun exposure.
Sunlight alone though doesn’t mean that vitamin D production can occur. For the body to produce and store vitamin D, cofactors to be absorbed effectively; for example, the body requires zinc and vitamin K. But one of the most important nutrients for vitamin D absorption is magnesium—a mineral in which most Americans are deficient. Magnesium is essential for vitamin D efficiency. The vast majority of Americans do not get enough magnesium in our diets, due to soil depletion (even in organic foods) --but also due to the fact that magnesium intake comes mostly from foods that should be eaten in small quantities (if at all) such as coffee, milk, beer and French fries. Better foods to eat for high magnesium content are nuts, seeds, and dark leafy green vegetables. (A high quality magnesium supplement can also lead to improvements in many body systems, positively affecting hormonal balance, brain function, and immune status. Choose one that includes B vitamins and taurine as cofactors, to ensure intracellular absorption.)
Have your doctor test your vitamin D levels. If your vitamin D level is below 50 ug/ml, your level is too low. If you are supplementing with vitamin D and it is that low, it is important for your physician to look at other factors that may be influencing absorption. At Insights to Health, we offer routine vitamin D testing and preventative interpretation of results to all of our patients as part of our health-promoting medical care!
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