Vitamin “D” for Deficiency?

Vitamin “D” for Deficiency?
Written by Heather Hippensteel

Did you know that Vitamin D deficiency can lead to muscle weakness, osteopenia, osteoporosis, bone fractures, insulin resistance, cognitive impairment, lowered immune defense and much more?

Because we live in the sunshine filled city of San Diego, it might come as a surprise to you that most of us are deficient in Vitamin D.  If you think about it, the majority of the population spends their days inside – eating, working, sleeping, shopping, driving. And if they are outside in the sun it’s only after lathering on sunscreen – which blocks the rays that enable production of Vitamin D! Let’s look at some of the ways your bodies use Vitamin D to function properly and if you should be adding a daily supplement to your diet.

Vitamin D is a hormone that is produced in the skin after exposure to the sun’s UVB rays. Vitamin D helps strengthen bones by facilitating the body’s absorption of calcium, increases immunity to various diseases, benefits skin and heart health, and improves overall mood. It also enables melatonin to be released so it is very beneficial when taken an hour before bedtime. In addition to being produced by the sun, it is also found in dietary sources such as eggs, various kinds of fish, fresh fruits and vegetables. As always a diet filled with healthy, natural foods provides us with a lot of the nutrients we need. However, it’s difficult to get enough Vitamin D from foods and most of us don’t get enough sunlight, the natural source of Vitamin D. That’s why adding a daily supplement can be very beneficial! There are many types of vitamin D, with the two most important being D2 and D3. D3 is the form that is produced by sunlight, but is also available in capsule form.

We carry PurePharma Vitamin D3 in our Invictus store. Each capsule is 2500IU.  PurePharma recommends that you take one capsule if you have had sun exposure that day, and if not take two capsules. I’ve been adding this Vitamin D supplement to my daily intake and it really helps keep my body functioning properly especially if I haven’t been out in the sun at all. PurePharma blends the fat soluble vitamin D3 with coconut oil to aid in the body’s absorption of it. PurePharma products are designed to work together so if you are already taking the fish oil, adding D3 will maximize results of both products if taken at least an hour apart to facilitate absorption of both products. Check out their website here. Currently, we are fully stocked so stop by our Invictus store to get your bottle of Vitamin D3!

Sources:

http://us.purepharma.com/products_o3d3.php#d3

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2013/05/vitamin-d-has-astonishing-benefits/http://www.newsmax.com/fastfeatures/health-benefits-of-vitamin/2010/11/12/id/370865