The Sunshine Vitamin
More and more research is validating the importance of Vitamin D for our overall health. Referred to as “the sunshine vitamin,” Vitamin D is unlike any other vitamin in that it can be produced by the body when exposed to sunlight!
Vitamin D is an important regulator of calcium and helps cells communicate. Research indicates Vitamin D has important functions in the strength of the immune system, brain development, cardiovascular health, and anti-cancer efforts.
Unfortunately, most Americans (children included) are deficient in Vitamin D. Even us living in Florida, the sunshine state! That makes supplementation with Vitamin D3 especially important.
The Vitamin D Council recommends infants take 1,000 IU/day, children take 1,000 IU/day per 25lbs of body weight, and adults take 5,000 IU/day. I personally supplement with Innate Choice’s Vitamin D3 in organic olive oil every day, and recommend that my patients do the same. Fun fact: your need a fat in order to absorb the vitamin D that you supplement, so if yours does not have one in it, you will need to eat some good fats like an avocado or coconut oil right after taking it!
For more precise recommendations, consider getting a 25(OH)D test to check your Vitamin D levels. Ideal levels are between 40-80 ng/ml.
