Vitamin D and Bone Health

Vitamin D deficiency has gained some much needed attention lately regarding bone health but it’s also linked to prevention of insulin resistance, heart disease, high blood pressure and even different cancers, including breast cancer.  This blog article serves to teach you the basics about vitamin D and how to increase your vitamin D blood level, if needed.

Feel free to use the links below to skip ahead to the topic you are interested in regarding Vitamin D and Bone Health:

Links:
Vitamin D Statistics
Importance of Vitamin for Your Bone Health
Optimal Level of Vitamin D for Bone Health
How You Get Vitamin D
Our Recommended Supplements for Vitamin D
Need Help? – Schedule A Consultation with me, Jen Birge, Registered Dietitian Nutrition
Things That Decrease Vitamin D Absorption
Vitamin D Boosters
Summary of Key Tips for Increasing Vitamin D

 

 

Vitamin D Statistics

It is estimated that about 1 billion people worldwide have vitamin D deficiency, while 50% of the population has vitamin D insufficiency.  Just over a third of the US adult population is deficient in vitamin D, a vitamin important to bone health (reported by the National Institute of Health). 

And, it is estimated that 50% of women and 20% of men over 50 years of age will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture.  Since vitamin D is key to bone health, it is helpful to know your vitamin D level and how to increase it.

You can read about vitamin D statistics from the National Institutes of Health here.  And, know that the NIH defines deficiency based on having a level lower than 30 ng/mL, which is not the level for optimal health.

The Importance of Vitamin D for Your Bone Health:

Vitamin D, often referred to as the “sunshine vitamin,” plays a major role in bone health. Beyond its association with bone strength, vitamin D is involved in many different functions throughout the body, like with glucose metabolism and heart disease and cancer prevention. 

You need vitamin D for calcium absorption in the intestines and to keep your blood levels of calcium at a good level. Calcium is a key mineral required for bone mineralization and the maintenance of bone density. 

Without sufficient vitamin D, your body struggles to absorb calcium efficiently, which can lead to weakened bones and an increased risk of fractures and osteoporosis.

Optimal Level of Vitamin D for Bone Health

The vitamin D blood level needed for optimal bone health is a minimum of 34 ng/mL. However, studies show a higher level of 60-70 mg/mL is linked to lower risk of breast cancer risk, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and heart disease. In reality, many people will need more than 2000 IU vitamin D daily to achieve this minimum adequate blood level.

How You Get Vitamin D:

Sunlight Exposure: You can get some vitamin D from the sun. When UVB rays from the sun hit the skin, a precursor molecule in the skin is converted into vitamin D. Spending time outdoors, especially during peak sunlight hours, can help stimulate vitamin D synthesis in the skin.  Sunscreen will lessen how much vitamin D you absorb.

Dietary Sources: while relatively few foods naturally contain vitamin D, some dietary sources can contribute to vitamin D intake. Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel are rich sources of vitamin D. 

Additionally, foods such as dairy products, orange juice, and breakfast cereals are commonly fortified with vitamin D.  Orange juice and breakfast cereals, while fortified with vitamin D are not always the best choice, if one is dealing with insulin resistance or working to maintain a healthy weight.  

Our Recommended Supplements for Vitamin D

Supplements are a great way to make sure your vitamin D level is within the recommended range of 60-70 ng/mL.  We like the multi-vitamin, Pure Encapsulations One, that includes 2000 IU’s of vitamin D3, AlgaeCal Plus for calcium, vitamin D and K2 and then adding a liquid vitamin D3, like the Thorne D Liquid Vitamin D3 if you need more vitamin D. 

Save 20% at our Fullscript dispensary on third-party tested and certified supplements for bone health here.

The calcium supplement we recommend, AlgaeCal Plus, also has 1600 IU’s of vitamin D3.  So, with the multi-vitamin and AlgaeCal Plus, you might not need the additional vitamin D liquid.

Need Help? – Schedule A Nutrition Consultation

Scheduling a consultation with a dietitian can be helpful in determining how much you are getting from food and how much you need from supplements.  You can schedule here.

Vitamin D Recommended Intake from Institute of Medicine (Hint: usually not enough!):

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends the following daily intake of vitamin D:

• 400 IU (10 mcg) for infants up to 6 months old
• 600 IU (15 mcg) for children 6 months to 1 year old
• 600 IU (15 mcg) for adults 1-70 years old
• 800 IU (20 mcg) for adults over 70 years old 

Like we’ve already mentioned, this daily recommended amount is NOT enough for most adults. Extra supplementation is usually needed to keep a healthy vitamin D level above 60 ng/mL (but below 100 ng/mL), which is recommended for optimal health.  

Things That Decrease Vitamin D Absorption:

Decreased Dietary Intake and/or Absorption

Celiac disease, short bowel syndrome, gastric bypass, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic pancreatic insufficiency, and cystic fibrosis may lead to vitamin D deficiency. Lower vitamin D intake from food is more prevalent in the elderly population. 

A diet full of processed and ultra-processed foods harms gut health and decreases absorption of all vitamins and minerals.  Eating mostly whole foods that are not refined and processed can help gut health.

Decreased Sun Exposure

One study shows that twenty minutes of sunshine daily with over 40% of skin exposed is required to prevent vitamin D deficiency. Keep in mind that vitamin D synthesis from the sun declines with aging and that effective sun exposure is decreased in individuals who use sunscreen. 

Decreased Calcium and Magnesium intake

You need enough magnesium to move vitamin D around in the blood and to activate vitamin D. Magnesium deficiency can also reduce active vitamin D levels.  

Besides magnesium, calcium is also involved in vitamin D metabolism. A low calcium intake causes a high turnover of vitamin D metabolites, resulting in vitamin D deficiency, whereas a high calcium intake is vitamin D sparing.  

Clinical trials with vitamin D and/or calcium to decrease fracture incidence generally have shown that trials with vitamin D and calcium had better results than calcium or vitamin D alone.

Check out our blog article on calcium and magnesium.  Our recommended supplements contain both calcium and magnesium.

Vitamin D Boosters: Healthy Fats, Vitamin K

Vitamin D is a Fat-soluble Vitamin

Since vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, this means that you can increase absorption by taking your vitamin D supplement with a meal that has healthy fat. 
Healthy fats include avocado, chia seeds, flaxseed, grass-fed, organic cold-pressed olive oil, organic butter or ghee. Nuts are also good sources.

Vitamin K

There are several studies show that when vitamin D is taken with vitamin K, total bone mass will increase more than when vitamin K is not included.  The calcium supplement, AlgaeCal Plus, includes vitamin K.

While this article shares a lot of information about vitamin D and it might be overwhelming, it’s not hard to increase your vitamin D level.  

Here’s a summary of our tips for maintaining a good vitamin D level

• Try to get 10-30 minutes of sun exposure several times a week.
• Aim for a vitamin D level between 60 and 70 ng/mL.
• Adjust your vitamin D supplement amount with the help of a Registered Dietitian Nutrition and/or your healthcare provider.
• Take your vitamin D supplements with a meal that has some healthy fat.
• Make sure you are getting enough calcium and magnesium and vitamin K.  Check out our blog posts and guides (at the respective links).
• Have your vitamin D level checked at least once a year and make supplement adjustments as needed.