7 things to know before taking supplements

Known as the “sun pill” Due to its supposed ability to mimic the sun’s health effects, vitamin D supplements are a billion dollar industry.

People take vitamin D supplements for a variety of reasons, mental and physical. Some take it if they are feeling sad, perhaps due to winter blues, for example. Others take it because vitamin D supposedly plays a role in bone health.

But before you reach the pillbox, you need to know these seven facts about vitamin D supplements and how they work.

What is vitamin D and how does it affect health?

Vitamin D appears to allow the body to absorb calcium and phosphate, both of which are important for bone health and muscle function. The vitamin affects metabolism and cell growth, as well as the general functioning of the immune system. Vitamin D is also associated with a healthy gut microbiome.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that mothers who breastfeed their babies supplement their babies with vitamin D and that those who feed their babies formula milk also use formulas that contain vitamin D. This is because Insufficient amount of vitamin D is associated with rickets, a condition characterized by soft or weak bones.

In addition to bone health, there is evidence that vitamin D also plays a role in cancer. One study found that vitamin D supplementation reduced cancer mortality by 25%. The idea is that vitamin D can affect the biology of tumors, making them less aggressive and less likely to proliferate.

Vitamin D deficiency can result from various problems, such as inadequate sun exposure, digestive problems, and kidney problems. Symptoms can include mood changes, bone loss, fatigue, and muscle, joint, and bone pain.

Does Vitamin D Affect Mental Health?

Different experts have different perspectives on this. How Ireverse previously reported, Kathleen Holton, an associate professor at American University and a nutritional neuroscientist, says that low vitamin D can disrupt normal neurotransmission and that in turn can lead to mental illness.

Others are more cautious in drawing conclusions. Says Margherita Cantorna, medical microbiologist and immunologist at Pennsylvania State University Reverse that human brain cells have vitamin D receptors, suggesting that vitamin D is important. But there haven’t been enough studies in humans to determine what exactly this means for mental health, he says.

Where is Vitamin D found naturally?

Vitamin D is found in some foods, including oily fish, mushrooms, eggs, and foods that have been artificially supplemented to contain vitamin D, such as milk. The body also produces its own vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.

The way it works is that when sunlight touches our skin, we make vitamin D by converting cholesterol in our skin cells, according to researchers at Yale University.

Do Vitamin D Supplements Work?

There is a lot of debate about vitamin D supplementation and the role of vitamin D in human health.

Vitamin D is most famous for promoting bone health, but a recent scientific review published in 2018 concluded that vitamin D supplementation did nothing to increase bone mineral density or decrease bone fractures in people who had already normal levels of vitamin D.

But according to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin D supplements are an effective way to increase blood vitamin D levels if needed.

“Whether vitamin D supplements ‘work’ depends on whether you are deficient, low or adequate in vitamin D,” says Paul Thomas, a nutrition scientist who works with the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Reverse.

“If you get enough vitamin D from food and the sun, vitamin D supplements shouldn’t be expected to provide any additional benefits.”

Thomas says the recommended daily intake of vitamin D from all sources is 15 mcg (600 IU) for people aged 14 to 70.

“Adequate [blood] the levels range from 50-125 nmol / L or 20-50 ng / mL, depending on how the results are reported, “explains Thomas.

How Can I Increase My Vitamin D Levels?

People don’t tend to get enough vitamin D from food alone. Rather, the most important natural source of vitamin D comes from exposure to sunlight. But as people spend more time indoors and use sunscreen to ward off skin cancer, the production of sun-catalyzed vitamin D decreases. According to a 2017 study, this could mean that more people have a vitamin D deficiency than previously in human history.

The shorter, colder days of winter can also reduce our time spent in sunlight, and thus decrease vitamin D production, leading some experts and doctors to recommend supplementation during the winter months.

The Cleveland Clinic states that 10-15 minutes of sunlight exposure to the face, legs, arms, or back a couple of times a week can provide vitamin D.

If you prefer to take one tablet every day, vitamin D supplements are often affordable and generally considered safe, but recommended dosages vary widely by brand. Whatever you think might be best, talk to your doctor before taking a pill.

How long does it take for supplements to take action?

The good news is that it’s easy to quickly raise your vitamin D levels to healthy levels.

“Blood levels of vitamin D should increase within days of increasing the intake of this nutrient, regardless of the source: supplements, foods or [adequate] sunshine, “says Thomas.

What effects should I notice?

Here’s the problem: Unless you have rickets or another extreme symptom of vitamin D deficiency, you probably won’t notice the difference at all.

If you are very deficient, says Thomas, “any pain in the bones, convulsions and muscle spasms should subside.”

“For the vast majority of people, even those with low but not deficient levels, taking extra vitamin D will not provide any obvious short-term benefits such as feeling better, having more energy or improving mental focus.”

To get these kinds of benefits, you might want to look beyond the pill box and other health-enhancing activities.