Knowing About Vitamin D3 Deficiency
By Sam Cyrus

Vitamin D3, also known as cholecalciferol, is both a vitamin and a hormone. This vitamin is unique because  the cholecalciferol is a vitamin derived from 7-dehyrocholesterol. It acts as a vitamin when it binds with calcium for proper absorption. Humans cannot digest calcium without adequate amounts of Vitamin D3.

Vitamin D3 is one of the most useful nutritional tools we have at our disposal for improving overall health. However, This vitamin acquires hormone-like actions when the cholecalciferol is converted to 1,25-dihydroxy Vitamin D3 (Calcitriol) by the liver and kidneys. As a hormone, Calcitriol controls phosphorus, calcium, and bone metabolism and neuromuscular function. Vitamin D3 is the only vitamin the body can manufacture from sunlight (UVB).

Deficiency of the vitamin D3 can result in obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, psoriasis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, kidney stones, osteoporosis, and neuro-degenerative disease including alzheimer’s disease. Eventually, the vitamin D deficiency may even lead to cancer (especially breast, prostate, and colon cancers). Vitamin D3 is believed to play a role in controlling the immune system (possibly reducing one’s risk of cancer and autoimmune diseases), increasing neuro-muscular function and decreasing falls, improving mood, protecting the brain against toxic chemicals, and potentially reducing pain.

For more than a century, scientists have recognized that Vitamin D3 is involved in bone health. Research has continued to accumulate, documenting Calcitriol’s role in the reduction of the risk of fractures to a significant degree. The latest research, however, shows that 1,25-dihyroxy Vitamin D3 deficiency is linked to a surprising number of other health conditions such as depression, back pain, cancer, both insulin resistance and pre-eclampsia during pregnancy, impaired immunity and macular degeneration

In United States, the most common reasons for Vitamin D3 deficiency relates to lack of exposure to sunlight and infrequent consumption of cold water fish such as wild salmon, mackerel & sardines. The fear of skin cancer has stopped many individuals from obtaining beneficial amounts of sunlight. The skin uses the energy of UVB to convert 7-dehydrocholesterol into Vitamin D3. 

The best foods to eat that have high in Vitamin D3 including : Cod liver oil, fortified milk, salmon, mackerel, sardines, egg yolks, beef liver. If you take Vitamin D supplements make sure it is Vitamin D3 and not D2. Take Vitamin D3 supplements with food. I usually recommend Vitamin D3 2000iu-5000iu/ day depending on lab levels.