Why Are So Many People Deficient In Vitamin D?

  • Functional Medicine & Nutrition   •   February 22, 2019

I don’t think vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is getting enough attention in today’s society especially in the northern regions like Minnesota and the upper midwest. 🗻❄️☃️

It takes about 15 minutes of full body sun exposure per day for the body to make enough vitamin D for its daily needs. ☀️

Now imagine going to work 5 days a week, maybe you’ll get 2-3 minutes of sun exposure per day. If you are coming home and staying in the rest of the day, then your total sun exposure per day might only be those 2-3 minutes you spent going to and coming home from work.

Add in the lack of sun in the winter months for northern regions and just think of the minimal amounts of vitamin D our bodies are producing. 🤔

If you noticed that you are constantly getting sick in the winter months or you feel more sad than usual, that could be a sign that your vitamin D levels are dropping. They even have a medical term for the winter blues, S.A.D., aka Seasonal Affective Disorder. Most of the time it’s due to lack of sun exposure, which leads to low levels of vitamin D.

The good thing is that it is quite easy and cheap to raise vitamin D levels. Taking a good quality vitamin D3 supplement with meals every day will raise vitamin D levels to optimal levels within 3-4 months. The ideal dosage will vary but usually 8,000-10,000 IU’s per day will suffice.

However, it is important to get your levels tested before and after supplementing since excess vitamin D3 could lead to higher levels of calcium which could lead to other detrimental effects. Please consult with your healthcare professional before starting any sort of supplement or diet plan. 💪💪

Dr. Senyi’s Personal Story

When I tested my vitamin D in October of 2018 I was super surprised to see my level at 24. Less than 30 is considered insufficient, less than 20 is considered deficient, but to be optimal it should be greater than 50. Even though I was not clinically at the vitamin D deficiency level, I still considered myself to be less than half of optimal.
 
I thought I got plenty of sunshine everyday especially during the summer months but to be honest, if you are working you are indoors most of the time, and I was the same. And unless you expose your whole body to the sun for at least 15-20 minutes per day, you are probably not producing enough vitamin D every day.
 
Fast forward to today 2/21/2019, I retested my vitamin D level and it is at 76. All I did was take 8,000-10,000 IU of vitamin D pills every day for the last 3-4 months. How much did it cost me? Probably $30 total for the vitamin D supplement.
 
Most importantly, I feel happier, with more energy, and have not gotten sick once this winter yet (I usually get a cold once or twice every winter). My chronic upper back pain has gotten less painful and less frequent as well. I use to have pain almost every day with some relief from adjustments for a couple days. Now I maybe get back pain once a week at most.
 
I really think people should get their vitamin D levels tested at least once a year so they can determine if they need supplementation. And once they start supplementing, should be retested after 3-4 months to see if they are making progress.

Functional medicine & nutrition can help resolve complex health issues because we are looking at the root causes. If you would like an expert opinion feel free to call or message us!

Resources:

https://www.ichnfm.org/d?fbclid=IwAR1ZYSYhxsTWOY7rx-TjhpuZziURHCWm5iq0bw-yIfXHyO1QvPjZ5n6TdPE

https://www.facebook.com/InflammationMastery/

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