Are you at risk for Vitamin D deficiency?

Test yourself for "D"eficiency

With your thumb, press on your sternum (breastbone). Is it tender or painful? Now, press on the tibia (shin bone) of both your legs. Is it sore or tender? If the answer is "yes" to both of these tests then you have a 93% chance of being Vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D deficiency is very prevalent in our culture. What is Vitamin D and what does it do for us?

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is both a vitamin and a hormone. It acts as a vitamin when it binds with calcium for proper absorption. Humans cannot digest calcium without adequate amounts of Vitamin D. It is a hormone because your body creates it in response to sunlight on your skin. Humans mobilize essential fatty acids, such as Omega-3, with Vitamin D. In order to properly use calcium and Omega-3 you simply must have enough Vitamin D. Yet, many people don’t.

Signs of deficiency

The "thumb" test above is one way of checking for low levels of Vitamin D. You see, calcium is delivered to an area in your bones by Vitamin D. Collagen in bone structure resembles the steel bars that are used in a concrete foundation. Calcium and other minerals collect around the collagen and harden into sturdy bone the same way concrete hardens around steel bars to form a sturdy foundation. Calcium can only arrive in this matrix if it is escorted by Vitamin D. If you are deficient in Vitamin D, the surface of the bone cannot harden. Tenderness and bone pain will result.

This kind of bone pain can be seen in cases of osteomalacia (softening of the bones), as well as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and even the pain associated with chronic depression.

Further, Vitamin D deficiency can result in:

• Obesity
• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
• Psoriasis

Eventually, Vitamin D deficiency may even lead to cancer (especially breast, prostate and colon Cancers), osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s disease.

Reasons for deficiency

The primary reasons people become deficient in Vitamin D are cultural. For instance, Islamic women that wear veils are almost universally deficient in Vitamin D, as are submariners who spend extended time submerged. Neither group spends much time with their skin exposed to direct sunlight. The most common reasons for Vitamin D deficiency in North America also relates to lack of exposure to sunlight and infrequent consumption of cold-water fish. (Cold-water fish such as wild salmon, mackerel and sardines are good food sources of Vitamin D – as well as good sources of calcium and Omega-3 fatty acids).

Many foods have been supplemented with Vitamin D, but this has not resulted in an overall increase in Vitamin D levels. This is likely because food and supplement manufacturers rely on an inexpensive form of synthetic Vitamin D called "ergocalciferol" – a form of Vitamin D-2. Food sources of Vitamin D and supplements such as TriVita’s Bone Builder and VitaCal-Mag D use Vitamin D-3 (cholecalciferol), which is the same form that your body makes from sunshine.

What to do?

If your bones are tender or if you have a low blood level of Vitamin D, the solution may be as simple as increasing your sun exposure. Spend 20 minutes daily in the sunshine with 40% of your skin surface exposed. Morning sun is best; afternoon sun is acceptable but never allow yourself to sunburn.

When supplementing with Vitamin D, always choose D-3. It is also good to remember that this is a "fat soluble" vitamin. That means that you can store the nutrient for many days. I will often suggest two capsules of TriVita’s Bone Builder or two tablets of VitaCal-Mag D to be taken at every meal. In six months I suggest reducing the recommended dosage to one capsule or tablet per meal if the tenderness has disappeared from the sternum and shin bones. It is good to get a blood test for appropriate blood levels of Vitamin D and use this as a factor to help you structure a supplement program.

Eventually, health comes down to healthy habits practiced every day. Every day we should nourish our body and nurture our spirit for sustained health.

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This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.
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