Dec 7th, 2016
Dr. Lindsay Pomeroy, DC
Winter in Portland can bring about some gloomy days with little sunlight. Likely, if you live in the Pacific Northwest you are deficient in Vitamin D. Our bodies naturally synthesize Vitamin D by exposing our skin to sunlight. When UVB rays hit your skin, a form of cholesterol naturally found in our skin converts into Vitamin D. In order for the process to be effective it requires about fifteen minutes of exposure to sunlight at peak hours. In the winter months in Portland, this can be hard to come by. In fact, research shows that anyone who lives above the 37th parallel is likely deficient during the winter months.
Vitamin D is vitally important in bone health, as it is necessary in order for our bodies to absorb calcium. Calcium is important in the development and maintenance of healthy bones. Without adequate Vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle or misshapen such as what happens with rickets in children, osteomalacia in adults or osteoporosis.
While the relationship between bone health and Vitamin D has been well researched and known for years, more recently it has been discovered how important Vitamin D is for other body systems. Vitamin D has been shown to be important for sleep, functioning of our nervous system, maintenance of our immune system, fat and carb digestion, blood pressure and even mental health. With Vitamin D being so important for many systems, it is especially important for those of us living in the Pacific Northwest to maintain our Vitamin D levels.
Sometimes it can be difficult to outright see or tell if a person is deficient in Vitamin D, but signs and symptoms that you may be deficient include fatigue, chronic pain, muscular weakness, decreased endurance, high blood pressure, a feeling of sadness and stress fractures or repeat fractures. Besides Rickets, Osteomalacia and Osteoporosis, Vitamin D has been linked with high blood pressure, certain cancers including breast, prostate and colon, depression and seasonal affective disorder, infertility, heart disease and many others.
While there are some foods which contain Vitamin D such as fatty fish like salmon, or juices and milk which have been fortified with Vitamin D, it is unlikely that we can reach an adequate level solely through food intake. The Vitamin D council recommends the average person intake 5000 IU’s of Vitamin per day, but this level can change based on a variety of factors such as skin tone, weight, and climate. It is important to talk to your healthcare provider before beginning any supplementation to determine a level that is right for you. It is impossible for your body to make too much Vitamin D through sunlight exposure as the body will self regulate and stop production, however although very rare, it is possible to overdose and become toxic with supplementation as Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, which means it is store in the body for long periods of time.
If you have any questions about Vitamin D and supplementation this winter, book a consultation with one of our providers here at The Wellness Center.