Vitamin D is often referred to as the “sunshine vitamin” due to the fact that the body produces it after exposure to sunlight. While this conditionally essential vitamin is best known for its critical role in supporting optimal bone health, vitamin D is also required by the body in order to effectively perform a wide range of other processes and functions, including healthy mood regulation as well as proper cardiovascular, immune and cognitive function.
Unfortunately, vitamin D deficiency is a common condition both in the US and worldwide. In fact, roughly 35 percent of adults suffer from vitamin D deficiency in the US alone. With vitamin D production being so dependent on an external factor like sunshine, the nutraceutical industry has strived for decades to develop products that can effectively deliver this conditionally essential vitamin to the body.
How Does Vitamin D Influence Whole Body Health?
Vitamin D has long been recognized for its role in many functions and processes throughout the body, including:
Bone Health
Vitamin D is probably best known for its influence on bone health. The body actually requires vitamin D to absorb calcium properly into the bloodstream. In fact, the body only absorbs roughly 10-15 percent of ingested dietary calcium in the absence of vitamin D.
Without having enough calcium to support healthy bone density, both women and men run an increased risk of osteomalacia, which is a softening of the bones. Over time, this condition can lead to osteoporosis and an increased risk of fractures and other serious injuries.
Cardiovascular Function
Vitamin D has shown an ability to support optimal cardiovascular function. In fact, some studies indicate that vitamin D deficiency can lead to an increased risk in major cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes. The heart itself even has receptors for vitamin D.
Vitamin D also promotes flexibility in the arteries, reducing the risk of hypertension (high blood pressure).
Immune Function
Vitamin D is known to enhance the function of certain immune cells, including macrophages as well as T, B and dendritic cells. Vitamin D deficiency has also been connected to an increased risk of autoimmune disease.
Vitamin D has also been recognized as a powerful anti-inflammatory, which is bolstered by the connection between vitamin D deficiency and chronic inflammation. This trait can have an especially positive effect in the gut, where most of the body’s immune cells are known to reside.
Mood Regulation
Recent studies have indicated that vitamin D may play a critical role in the regulation of melatonin and serotonin. By helping the body regulate the activity of these two neurotransmitters, vitamin D has shown the potential to support both optimal sleep health and mood regulation.
What Are the Best Sources of Vitamin D?
While sunshine is considered to be the primary source of vitamin D, there are also certain foods that can provide the body with the sunshine vitamin. Some of the best dietary sources of vitamin D include:
- Cod liver oil
- Tuna fish
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Swordfish
- Egg yolk
- Beef liver
- Fortified dairy products
- Fortified orange juice
- Fortified cereals
What Causes Vitamin D Deficiency?
The two most common sources of vitamin D deficiency are related to a lack of sun exposure and foods that contain vitamin D. Getting out in the sun may seem like any easy solution, but sunlight is less prevalent in some locations than others, especially in the winter months.
Obtaining vitamin D from foods can be useful, but that can get a little tricky in the presence of excess body fat. It is well known that fat cells can prevent the release of vitamin D in the body, so it is crucial to adhere to a healthy diet while obtaining vitamin D from food.
Unfortunately, the natural aging process can also play a role in vitamin D deficiency. As men and women age, their skin gradually loses its ability to promote the production of vitamin D. In fact, people over the age of 65 are especially vulnerable to an increased risk of vitamin D deficiency, which also lends to an increased risk of osteoporosis.
Certain medications and health conditions, such as liver disease and kidney disease, can also lead to vitamin D deficiency.
Supporting Optimal Vitamin D Levels with Nutraceuticals
Fortunately, the health and wellness industry has been developing vitamin D products for decades to help men and women obtain this critical nutrient. Professional grade nutraceutical products like ADK and EvexiPEL Complete from EVEXIAS Health Solutions have been expertly designed to support enhanced function of a wide range of processes throughout the body, including calcium absorption.
ADK is packed with vitamins A, D and K to help support optimal immune, skin and bone health. Vitamins D and K, in particular, are known for working together to support optimal bone health by enhancing the bioavailability (absorbability) of calcium.
EvexiPEL Complete contains a robust profile of nutrients, including vitamin D, to help support a wide range of functions and processes that influence whole body health. This product has been developed to help support optimal bone health, immune function, oxidative response and hormonal balance.
EVEXIAS offers a complete line of nutraceuticals available exclusively through our network of practitioners. Find a provider near you to get a vitamin D supplement formulation designed to premium bioavailabilty.
