Let’s talk about that D (the vitamin)
Let’s talk about everyone’s favorite well I guess not EVERYONE’S favorite vitamin… D!!!!!
A study done on US adults found that ~42% of the study participants were deficient in vitamin D. The populations with the highest rates of deficiency were Black (82%) and Hispanic (69%) individuals. People with darker skin tend to have lower blood levels of vitamin D because the pigment (melanin) acts like a shade, reducing production of vitamin D. There are also many socioeconomic factors that go into Vitamin D deficiency along with all aspects of nutrition. ANYWAYYYY… let me get off my public health soapbox for now.
2 things I really want to touch on with this blog post: Sources of vitamin D and importance of vitamin D (LADIES THE LAST BIT OF THIS WILL BE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO READ)
Soooo it’s officially October. We’re heading into seasonal depression season. People aren’t going outside as much. It’s cold. All the things. What sucks about this? The primary source of Vitamin D for the body is the SUN. That’s right, just step outside for 15 minutes a day and you’ve got your daily dose of Vitamin D.
As the seasons change, the likelihood of you going outside for 15 minutes a day—skin exposed and all? Very low.
And a reminder from earlier, if you are an individual with a darker pigmented skin, it will be more difficult for your body to naturally utilize Vitamin D from the sun. This is where the next part of this post will become a little more helpful for ya.
“So Kamber, how do I get vitamin D then?” HAHA, funny you should ask. There are very few foods that Vitamin D is naturally in. Those foods--- mushrooms, fish, and eggs. In pretty small amounts lowkey.
How wild. So how else are you supposed to get it in?? PEACE, LOVE, FORTIFICATION BABY.
We’re talking:
· Vitamin D fortified orange juice
· Vitamin D fortified cows and plant based milks
· Vitamin D fortified cereal
· Anything that specifically says “Vitamin D fortified”
In this house, we love fortification.
Now, if you go to the doctor, you’ve been doing all of these things regularly, and you’re still deficient? That’s when we’ll recommend a supplement. YOU CAN ONLY TELL IF YOU NEED A SUPPLEMENT IF YOU GO TO THE DOCTOR AND GET A BLOOD TEST DONE. Or if you’ve been trained in how to identify macro/micro nutrient deficiencies from looking at someone’s nails, skin, eyes, mouth, etc—which you most likely haven’t. Supplements are scary and can really f*ck up your body (we’re talking organ failure, people). They are unregulated so they can literally contain WHATEVER they want.
Okay wow sry. So yeah, please don’t take a supplement unless you’ve tried to get your Vitamin D in naturally and you doctor still says your deficient after testing you. Chat with your doctor or dietitian.
Last but not least, why is it even important??
Deficiency in vitamin D contributes to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and what is really important to me right now—OSTEOPOROSIS.
Your need for vitamin D increases with age and specifically in women after menopause. Your bones start to break down and a deficiency in Vitamin D only further amplifies that!
How??
Vitamin D and calcium work together in the body. Without Vitamin D your body cannot break down calcium, which as we know ~builds strong bones.~ So like I said earlier, as your body gets older, your bones start to break down naturally, and if you aren’t consuming enough vitamin D it doesn’t matter how much calcium you are getting in—your bones cannot use it. Resulting in Osteoporosis. Kids need it to build strong bones, adults need it to keep their bones nice and heathy.
They really weren’t lying when they said “Milk builds strong bones,” because you know what that fortified milk I talked about earlier has? Calcium and Vitamin D? And like we said earlier you know what you need to keep your bones healthy? Both of those things. So how about we STOP vilifying dairy. (@ diet culture)
All in all your ability to build bone peaks in your mid-late 20’s, so as you enter your 30’s and onward the goal is to maintain bone health. Once you hit those elderly years, your body’s ability to absorb vitamin D from the sun is hindered and becomes more difficult, which is why at that point it may be more realistic for you to rely on a supplement. As you get older, your body breaks down and releases bone minerals (bone resorption) and less bone formation happens.— just to reiterate how important it is to be getting enough calcium and vitamin D in as your life goes on.
SO LET’S ALL BE PROACTIVE AND GET. THAT. D. BABYYY!!!
Basically what I’m trying to tell you? Go outside, go foraging for mushrooms, don’t take supplements from strangers, then drink some milk
xoxo,
Kam
Forrest KY, Stuhldreher WL. Prevalence and correlates of vitamin D deficiency in US adults. Nutr Res. 2011 Jan;31(1):48-54. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2010.12.001. PMID: 21310306.
https://www.uth.edu/news/story.htm?id=0520d178-ab7a-49af-858e-a7adeec0b30e