Do You Have A Vitamin D Deficiency?

A strong immune system is essential during a pandemic. It is your body’s natural defense against viruses and diseases. An easy way to strengthen the immune system is through adequate Vitamin D levels. Unfortunately, 1 out of 3 people in the United States are Vitamin D deficient. Among the elderly, this number increases to 6 out of 10 people (1).

Vitamin D controls the expression of over 1000 genes equaling 1/24 of the entire genome (see infographic below). No wonder Vitamin D deficiency is linked to various cancers, cardiovascular, autoimmune, and infectious diseases. Most people are asymptomatic, but general weakness, fatigue, and depression can be signs of a deficiency (1). Sunlight, supplementation, and certain foods can increase vitamin D levels, but some people need more than others.

Vitamin D Absorption

Age, weight, and skin color are a couple of factors that influence vitamin D absorption. Since the vitamin is fat-soluble, people with higher levels of body fat will need more to raise their levels. The same rule applies to darker skins and older individuals.

The majority of foods don’t contain enough vitamin D and most sunscreens block absorption from the sun. Therefore, a supplement is the best choice for the majority of people. However, it only solves one of the issues.

Sunlight + Supplementation

Let’s face it, we have become overweight cave dwellers. The sedentary lifestyle has led to staggering obesity statistics, where 4 out of 10 people in America are obese. You can blame it on eating too much, but you also have to look at how much we move. On average, Americans take about 4,800 steps a day. That number is even lower for sedentary individuals at 1,000 to 3,000 a day. Research shows 7,500 steps to be the sweet spot for longevity and health (3). So the majority of Americans aren’t even coming close to hitting their step count.

Taking a supplement may fix your vitamin D issues, but it won’t solve the sedentary lifestyle. So why not combine the two together? Sunlight and supplementation is a foolproof strategy to improve one’s health. Research shows that a minimum of 20 minutes of sunlight daily is required to prevent vitamin D deficiency (1). In those 20 minutes, you could walk a mile and achieve over 25% of your daily step goal.

“But Erik, I don’t have twenty minutes in the day.”

I understand that work and family can take over one’s day. If that is the case then break up the twenty minutes into two, ten minute walks; one in the morning and one after dinner. A daily practice of vitamin D supplementation and walking outdoors in the sun can have profound effects on one’s health.

References

  1. Sizar O, Khare S, Goyal A, et al. Vitamin D Deficiency. [Updated 2020 Feb 26]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532266/

  2. Holick MF1, Chen TC. Vitamin D deficiency: a worldwide problem with health consequences. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Apr;87(4):1080S-6S.

  3. Lee IM, Shiroma EJ, Kamada M, Bassett DR, Matthews CE, Buring JE. Association of Step Volume and Intensity With All-Cause Mortality in Older Women [published online ahead of print, 2019 May 29]. JAMA Intern Med. 2019;179(8):1105‐1112. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.0899

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