Taking vitamin D aids in health and fitness goals
Grab your running shoes, guzzle some water, and fight your way through the crowds, it’s that time of the year again – the health and fitness resolutions, now a month into 2015, are in full swing.
Each year, it seems that more and more people are keen on making this year “their best yet.” Weight loss and fit bodies replace the sugar plum and gingerbread dreams of the holiday season. It’s all about healthy living and reaching new goals. But how many people actually stick to their resolutions? Unfortunately, a lot of us throw in the towel before we even give our new goals the chance to become habits.
So let’s make this easy: what sort of “quick fix” goal can we set in order to improve our overall health in 2015? The answer may be hiding in your medicine cabinet: supplementing with vitamin D. The importance of consuming adequate amounts of this fat-soluble vitamin has been repeatedly advertised and drilled into our heads; but how many have taken our doctor’s advice to heart?
Dr. Kelly Meckling, a leading vitamin D researcher and professor in the department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Guelph, explains that almost half of Canadians don’t consume enough vitamin D during the year, let alone during the wintertime.
“Between the months of October through April, the UV index is insufficient for our bodies to obtain enough vitamin D from the sun anywhere north of the 49th parallel. You can lie naked on top of an apartment building, and you will make zero vitamin D – there is no ability to make it, even when trying to maximize exposure,” Meckling said.
So what’s the deal with vitamin D? What good does it really do, and why should you add supplementing to your list of resolutions?
This “sunshine” vitamin is crucial for proper bone formation and remodeling, assists calcium absorption in the gut, and ensures optimal cell functioning and health through its role in intercellular calcium regulation. While we’ve all heard about the importance of adequate vitamin D and calcium intakes in growing children, did you know that even adults should be supplementing? Meckling suggests that the foods we eat, despite fortification, aren’t consumed in sufficient quantities to meet the daily-recommended intakes. Depending on health status, certain individuals may require even higher doses than the current dietary intake standards set by Health Canada, which sit at 600 IU for the 19-50 year old population. New research suggests that diagnosed Multiple Sclerosis patients may benefit from quantities as high as 10 000 IU per day, and neurologists suggest nearly 4000 IU for some individuals suffering from certain neurological conditions.
When asked about the daily dose of vitamin D supplements that Meckling finds optimal, 2000 IU seemed to reap many benefits.
“It’s certainly safe; it’s under the upper limit, above the recommended dietary allowance, and thus far, there is no evidence that these levels have any negative consequences,” said Meckling. “There may be some additional benefits to consuming the vitamin at this level, such as decreased cancer risks, improved glucose tolerance, improved bone health, and reduced obesity.”
Although supplementation in healthy adults consuming well-balanced and nutritious diets may not always be necessary, this is one vitamin that is strongly encouraged. Just be sure to look for the D3 form – the more biologically active form (when compared to the D2 form) in order to ensure the best bang for your buck, and to really give your body the boost it needs this winter.