Vitamin D — the Sunshine Vitamin
Getting adequate vitamin C is pretty straightforward — eat fruits and veggies and/or take a supplement.
But there is nothing simple when it comes to vitamin D!
First, vitamin D is technically not a vitamin, it’s a pre-hormone.
And unlike other vitamins, we rarely get it from the food we eat.
Instead it’s created when our skin is exposed to sunlight.
Vitamin D has been found to be protective against cancer, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis.
In spite of its importance, vitamin D deficiency has reached epidemic proportions with up to 75% of Americans not getting enough.VITAMIN D | D is an essential brain vitamin; most of us are deficient
We’ll explain why this is, shortly.
But first, let’s take a look at why vitamin D is one of our top brain vitamins.
Vitamin D for Brain Health for a Lifetime
Vitamin D has profound effects on the brain during all stages of life.
Moms-to-be need to get enough vitamin D while pregnant for their baby’s brain to develop properly.
Children must continue to get enough vitamin D for normal brain development.
Continuing to get adequate vitamin D throughout adult life can ward off cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer’s.
Vitamin D can lift your mood, improve memory, and increase problem-solving ability.
Inadequate levels contribute to the depression many people feel in the winter.
Vitamin D From Food? Forget About It!
The usual source for vitamins is food, but in the case of vitamin D it’s almost impossible to get all you need from food.
There are few foods that contain vitamin D3, the best utilized form.
The best food source by far is cod liver oil (yuck!) with salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines trailing far behind.
✓ VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENTS
Some foods contain vitamin D2, such as fortified milk or mushrooms, but this form is not well utilized.
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of getting vitamin D by the sun or by supplements.
Vitamin D From the Sun? Maybe …
If we spent most of our time outdoors like our ancestors did, getting adequate vitamin D would not be an issue.
But there are some surprising reasons we no longer get the sun exposure needed to create this essential brain vitamin — even if we spend a lot of time outdoors.
✓VITAMIN C | C is a potent factor in good brain health
The usual rule of thumb is “20 minutes of sun twice a week” on a large surface area of your body, such as arms or legs, for adequate vitamin D formation.
But just being in the sun is no guarantee you’re actually manufacturing vitamin D.
Here are four things that can interfere with the process:
#1 If you wear sunscreen, you won’t manufacture much, if any, vitamin D.
#2 If you live in the US, draw a line from San Francisco to Richmond. If you live north of this line, the sun’s rays are too weak to trigger vitamin D production except during the summer.
(For the record, I live south of Phoenix and spend time outside every day. And I was still found to be vitamin D deficient!)
#3 It’s only when the UV index is greater than 3 that the needed UVB wavelengths are present in sufficient amounts to produce vitamin D.
In the US, you can get your current and forecasted local UV index at EPA.gov.
#4 Light-skinned people from very northern areas evolved to utilize sunshine more efficiently. If you have dark skin, you’ll need more sun exposure to keep your levels up.
So remember that if you expect to get your vitamin D from the sun, the “20 minutes twice a week” rule of thumb rarely holds true.
Vitamin D Supplements — A Necessity for Most
The bottom line is that most people in North America and Europe need to take supplemental vitamin D.
When choosing one, however, be sure to buy from a reputable company you can trust.
A study on 55 brands of vitamin D supplements found contents diverged wildly from what was stated on the label.
✓ VITAMIN D | D is an essential brain vitamin; most of us are deficient
Brands in the study contained between 9% and 146% of what was listed on the label!
The only way to know for sure if you need vitamin D (or how much you need) is to have a blood test to check your 25-hydroxy level.
You can see your doctor or you can purchase a vitamin D test online from a lab like True Health Labs.
