Vitamin D and you

Vitamin D is well-known for its importance in handling calcium in the gut, bones, and blood and disease resistance. But many studies now show Rockledge Wildlife Removal vitamin D levels influence may be a contributing element in a number of other health issues too.

Researchers today believe it plays a crucial role in how cells communicate. Clinical research link abnormal vitamin D levels to colon cancer, prostate, and breast cancer as well as heart disease, weight gain, and thyroid problems.

Vitamin D Production

Vitamin D is unique in comparison to other vitamins, because it is nearly impossible to get what you need from food. Rather, your body produces it naturally in the skin when you are exposed to natural or artificial UVB light.

As soon as your body produces vitamin D or you take it as a supplement, it’s sent to the liver. The liver transforms vitamin D to 25(OH)D and sends it various regions of the body and activates it. Once activated, it’s ready to execute its duties.

Autoimmune Conditions

Autoimmunity occurs when the immune system treats an individual’s healthy tissues and cells as a threat. When this happens, their body produces an immune reaction and attacks. This response can cause damage, inflammation, and chronic pain in many parts of the body.

Vitamin D deficiencies may lower the body’s ability to resist infection and might link to or cause autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and Grave’s Disease.

Clinical Studies

Several 2014 studies presented at the yearly meeting of the Thyroid Association are of special interest. Researchers measured many thyroid-related factors including vitamin D3.

Vitamin D is truly a group of compounds classified vitamin D1, D2, and D3. Vitamin D3 is the naturally occurring form of the vitamin and also the most biologically active.

Researchers found patients with autoimmune thyroid disorder had significantly lower vitamin D3 levels compared to healthy controls. Patients with high thyroid peroxidase antibodies the body produces in thyroid autoimmune disease also had lower vitamin D levels. This suggests vitamin D insufficiency could link to cause autoimmune thyroid disease.

Brazilian researchers studied 54 Hashimoto’s patients, compared to 54 healthy controls. They also found vitamin D deficiency in 63.2% of the patients.

Deficiency of Vitamin D

Typically, the skin produces adequate vitamin D when exposed to adequate UV light. However, the dangers of skin cancer or melanoma now mean lots of people use sunscreen and cover their bodies. We also spend more time inside for work and entertainment.

Since more clinical tests reveal a connection between vitamin D and thyroid function, many physicians now recommend vitamin D testing as part of thyroid evaluation and care. Nonetheless, functional practitioners and physicians following the medical model may treat you differently based on your results.

The medical model recommends 400 International Units per day of vitamin D. They also define a sufficient serum 25(OH)D level as over 50 nmol/L since it “covers the requirements of 97.5 percent of the population”. The test used to measure vitamin D levels in the 25-hydroxy vitamin D blood test.

The medical model usually recommends supplementation to boost low vitamin D levels. However, the functional approach to care recognizes multiple motives might cause low vitamin D levels. Consequently, recommending supplements before looking at overall health and other possible issues can be counterproductive and ineffective.

Supplements do not necessarily correct low vitamin D levels, because they do not address underlying problems. The vitamin D receptor in certain autoimmune patients can’t activate because of variations in their DNA sequence. Consequently, they need higher than normal blood levels of vitamin D to avoid vitamin D insufficiency.

Vitamin D is fat soluble, and some patients with thyroid problems such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis have low stomach acid and poor fat absorption. Autoimmune conditions such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Grave’s disease also make the immune system work overtime, which depletes the body’s stores of vitamin D. Therefore, addressing gut and digestive issues and modulating the immune system are of main importance prior to considering vitamin D supplementation.

A highly qualified working practitioner will look over your gut and digestive health and if they are satisfied, they may order a 25-hydroxy vitamin D blood test for your vitamin D levels.

Your practitioner may recommend supplementation to reach between 60 and 80 nmol/L. This is still well below the 125 nmol/L threshold where a patient may experience adverse effects. After several months, they’ll retest. If their serum level rose to an acceptable level, the doctor will adjust vitamin D intake so serum levels remain between 50 and 60 nmol/L.

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Vitamin D insufficiency is only one factor that could contribute to thyroid problems, so self-supplementation isn’t recommended as it can be ineffective if underlying problems remain. Discuss your thyroid problems with a practical practitioner to develop an effective treatment protocol.