In case you missed it, on Tuesday Night The Pilates Studio in Hadley once again hosted Dr. Allison Willette, and in our effort to keep abreast of the latest science we asked her to speak to us about vitamin D, and it’s importance! It is always fun to see Dr. Willette speak, she makes bio chemistry accessible and is able to boil down a lot of complicated information into take home information that is useful and complete.
She started with what is vitamin D?
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin as opposed to a water-soluble vitamin. Its most common avenue into the body is through the sun. Other fat-soluble vitamins are A E and K. Dr. Willette’s explanation of fat versus water soluble vitamins helped me understand why it is easier through supplementation to overdose on some vitamins and not others….Water is constantly moving through our bodies and thus an excess of vitamin C for example leaves the body through the urine, but fat soluble vitamins remain in the fat stores of our body and can accumulate if too many supplements are taken.
Ok now back to Vitamin D – First of all in the medical field there is great variation on what constitutes too much vitamin D or too little vitamin D, and she made the point of saying that the easiest way for a person to understand his/her vitamin D levels is through a blood test and with the help of a practitioner to choose what supplements might be needed.
Who is at risk for Vitamin D deficiency?
· Elderly - Aging skin is less likely to absorb vitamin D from the sun
· Dark skinned people – Skin pigmentation in darker skin requires three times the sun exposure than lighter skin.
· Fat malabsorption issues - if a person has any fat absorption problems then vitamin D is not able to be absorbed into the body (gallbladder problems is one example)
· Heavy - Vitamin D stores in fat reserves, and extra fat locks it away.
· Chronic Illness/Cancer –
· Kids -
· Pregnant/Nursing -
· Northern geography – The population that lives above 35N latitude has much less UVB and time with the sun
Ok Vitamin D is important how much sun do I need!
15-30 minutes in direct sun 3 times per week is enough time to get Vitamin D, but this has to be time spent outdoors with the arms and legs exposed. The sun that passes through the windows only contains UVA rays and a person needs UVB rays to get vitamin D. Direct sunlight is necessary.
Ok so I am not getting enough sun what is the best supplement?
The best supplement should be oil based, and contain Vitamin D3, however this presents a problem for anybody that is vegetarian or vegan because vitamin D3 is only found in animals. However there are D2 supplements on the market that are plant based.
Can I get Vitamin D through food?
Fatty fish like salmon are a great source. Canned salmon contains more vitamin D than raw sushi salmon. Portabella mushrooms are a great source for vegetarians and vegans, as well as other foods that are fortified with vitamin D. Fish Oil is also a great source.
How do I know if my vitamin D is too low?
A blood test is the best way to check Vitamin D Levels. In a blood test they check the blood for 25(OH)D. Dr. Willette prefers that people run between 60-80 ng/ml on a blood test.
Dr. Willette also laid out a general system for supplementation.
Step I: Blood Test to check levels
Step II: To raise levels supplement 1000IUs for each 25 pounds of body weight. For example a 200-pound man shall take 8000IU of D3.
Step III: After eight weeks, check levels. Monitoring is important when supplementing vitamin D.
I love it when Dr. Willette speaks at the studio, she is a wealth of knowledge, but she shares the philosophy of the studio that health is achieved when a person is empowered to be a part of the process. I see people coming out of her office with their homework in hand, ready to change their lives!
If you have a question for Dr. Willette, please participate in our Ask Allison program. Follow this link and send us your questions, and enjoy reading the questions that have already been answered.
No comments:
Post a Comment