Vitamin D: The sunshine vitamin, so-named because the best, most bioavailable way for your body to get it is sunlight. This important vitamin (technically a hormone) is necessary for building and maintaining healthy bones and teeth. Low vitamin D is connected to cognitive decline and osteoporosis, while supplementing with vitamin D has been found to reduce the risk of certain conditions such as multiple sclerosis.
During Covid, it was found that people with lower levels of vitamin D had poorer health outcomes, and supplementing with high levels of vitamin D resulted in better health outcomes. Another study found that supplementing with vitamin D lowered the risk of autoimmune disease by 22%.
However, though this vitamin is incredibly beneficial, vitamin D in a pill or capsule form may not be all its cracked up to be. We'll explore how to test accurately for vitamin D and what to do if you supplement, plus other ways to get the vitamin D your body needs.
Osteoarthritis Could Actually Be Vitamin D Deficiency
Before we go further, it's important to note that some vitamin D deficiency symptoms mirror that of arthritis.
Those symptoms include:
Joint pain
Joint deformities
Fatigue
Without bloodwork ruling out vitamin D deficiency, (testing BOTH forms of vitamin D), patients experiencing these symptoms may be put on corticosteroids, which can contribute to osteoporosis, among other things.
Vitamin D and Calcification
It is often recommended to take vitamin K2 alongside vitamin D in order to avoid calcification. Calcification happens when calcium is deposited along vascular walls, which causes blood vessel stiffening, increasing the risk of heart disease.
Supplementing with calcium can be important to strengthen bones with vitamin D and prevent osteoporosis, but it also can be connected to calcium deposits in blood vessel walls and soft issues.
Vitamin K2 is associated with the inhibition of arterial calcification, and is found in foods such as beef liver, cheese (from grassfed beef is best), collard greens, turnip greens, spinach, kale, broccoli and brussels sprouts.
However, if you are taking a vitamin D supplement, it is important to take one with K2 in order to try to avoid the calcification issue.
Food Sources of Vitamin D
Of course, as with any nutrient, trying to increase your levels with food sources is best when possible, as food sources are the most bioavailable and balanced with other nutrients. The trouble comes in due to our soil being depleted of nutrients, and of course the pollution of our food sources.
Here are some food sources of vitamin D:
Fatty fish, especially salmon (important to look for fish that is low in mercury)
Egg yolks (Buy farm fresh when possible)
Mushrooms (Mushrooms produce D2 vs. D3, and though they do raise blood levels of D3, they may not be as effective as other sources)
Butter and cheese (Try to buy butter and cheese from local farmers/grass fed cows when possible)
VDR - Vitamin D Receptor
So you've had both forms of your vitamin D levels tested — and D-25 is low while D 1,25 is high. What does this mean?
VDR means "vitamin D receptor", and simply put, it regulates the biological actions of vitamin D.
If your D-25 is low while the D 1,25 is high, it may mean something is blocking the vitamin D receptor, such as Mycobacteria, Cytomegalovirus, Borrellia (Lyme), or Aspergillus mold. It may also become dysfunctional due to environmental toxins such as PFOAs. (See an in-depth writeup mentioning this issue here.)
If you're experiencing this issue, you can use D 1,25 as a more accurate representation of your true vitamin D level, with a goal for this to be around 60-80 ng/mL, with 80-100 ng/mL being optimal.
Additionally, you may want to consider doing some kind of cleanse to reduce harmful bacteria that may be blocking the VDR. Reach out to me if you are interested in a detox, or check out our intro course here, free for a limited time! (Password "cleanse.")
The Importance of Checking Vitamin A
Vitamin A is an important compound for the body, especially for eye health, skin health, the immune system and more. So, how does it interact with vitamin D?
According to one study, "since both vitamin A and vitamin D act through a similar type of receptor, it can cause a problem in their supplementation." The result is that they antagonize each other's effects, where excess vitamin A "may make D supplementation less effective."
Because they are connected in this way, one other marker I think is super important to check when figuring out your vitamin D status is vitamin A. As it turns out, when I realized by D-25 was low and that there was a connection, I did bloodwork and found out that my vitamin A was low. I began to supplement with cod liver oil, which contains both vitamins A and D in a bioavailable form. (Note that there is yet another connection between vitamin A and copper, but I would recommend anyone take an organ supplement like this one to make sure you are getting adequate minerals, including copper.)
Vitamin D Lamp
For those who are serious about raising their vitamin D level and want to avoid any calcification issues that may arise from supplementing D, or when food sources and sunlight are not enough, a vitamin D lamp might be a consideration. Some reviews here highlight how users were able to increase their levels using a lamp like this one. (Important note: If you are fair-skinned, it is not recommended to use a vitamin D lamp.)
As always, be sure to talk over any new supplements or changes to your health protocol with your health care provider. This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.
Takeaways:
It's important for everyone to test for BOTH active (D 1.25) and storage (D-25) vitamin D, as well as vitamin A.
Sunlight is the best, most bioavailable way to get vitamin D. (In my view after watching my husband's bout with skin cancer, it's important to wear sunscreen. This is a good one, given an excellent rating by the Yuka app.)
If you are low in vitamin D, it may be prudent to supplement with a Vitamin D/K2 blend.
If you'd rather take a more whole food supplement that also includes vitamin A, consider cod liver oil from a clean source, processed without heat or chemicals.
If you cannot get adequate sunlight or are concerned about supplementing with vitamin D, you might consider getting a vitamin D lamp. These are pricey at the outset, but compared to supplementing with vitamin D over time, a lamp may be less expensive than supplementing. (NOTE: If you have very fair skin, it is not recommended to use a sun lamp.)
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