Supplements After 50: Vitamin D

This is the second in a series called “Supplements After 50”. The first post is here.

You – like me – know of vitamin D because it builds “healthy bones and teeth”. Since the 1920’s, vitamin D has been added to milk because of its ability to help the body absorb calcium. In the 1920’s a lot of kids had rickets (a condition where bones are weak and soft). Lots of people drank milk, so adding vitamin D to the milk was a way to blanket the population.

But there’s more to vitamin D than bones.

What is vitamin D good for?

Besides calcium absorption, there are a couple of other important benefits to adequate vitamin D absorption.

• Testosterone levels: Since our T levels drop as we become older, anything that will help me keep my testosterone at a decent level is good. At least one study pointed toward an increase in testosterone when a group of men 20-49 supplemented with vitamin D.
• Increased insulin sensitivity: I’ve spoken about this before, but type 2 diabetes is on the rise. It’s estimated that over 29 million people in the United States alone have some kind of diabetes. My family has a history of diabetes, and I don’t want to be another statistic. Increases in vitamin D increase your level of insulin sensitivity.
• Brain function: It seems vitamin D receptors are scattered all through brain tissue. Some studies have shown that vitamin D helps increase cognitive function. This includes clearing the plaques that are precursors to Alzheimer’s disease.

Where does vitamin D come from?

There are two, main, natural sources for vitamin D. Food and the sun. Unfortunately, there are few food sources that contain significant levels of vitamin D. According to the National Institutes of Health, fatty fish such as tuna and salmon qualify, as does liver, eggs, and cheese, along with mushrooms. That’s about it.

The second source is the sun. But we’re in bad shape there, too. Most of us have indoor jobs that keep us out of the sun. And even when we do get outside, we lather ourselves in SPF 4000 sunscreen that blocks our skin’s ability to absorb the light our bodies need to produce vitamin D.

Add to that the fact that as we age, we are more likely to be deficient, and it becomes almost impossible to get enough vitamin D from natural sources.

Guidelines for taking vitamin D

It’s been estimated that virtually everyone living in the U.S. is deficient in vitamin D. That doesn’t mean you should rush out and start taking a supplement. Because there are some negative consequences to taking too much vitamin D, you should have your levels checked as part of your regular physical’s blood work.

Complications from too much vitamin D include kidney stones, kidney failure, excess bone loss, and calcification of arteries and soft tissues.

My experience

I started taking 2000 IU of D3 about six months ago. I may be abnormal, but I quickly noticed a difference in my mental clarity. I haven’t had my T-levels taken in quite a while, so I’m not sure how/if that has changed at all. But it was as if a cloud lifted off my brain. I can think quicker and recall details faster. Whether it was tied to some mild depression or something else, clearing the junk away has given me a better overall sense of well-being. I’m so glad I started taking it.

Of course, your mileage may vary.