Why Vitamin D Is So Important

The human body is complex, and in order to function optimally it needs essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. Vitamin D is a crucial vitamin that our body produces in response to sun exposure. Chances are, if you are living in a part of the world that doesn’t see too much sun, you might be at risk of Vitamin D deficiency. In the past few years, the topic of supplementing with Vitamin D during the cold and dark winter months has become more popular, and for a good reason. 

Vitamin D is a big contributor to our overall wellbeing and health. Without it, you are at risk of some health problems such as cardiovascular disease, loss of bone density, cognitive impairment, and other illnesses. The good news is that there are a number of ways to make taking Vitamin D a priority. Before getting into the benefits and some of the ways you can get more Vitamin D, let’s talk about some of the ways you may become deficient in the first place.

Common reasons for Vitamin D deficiency

What does Vitamin D deficiency feel like? For most adults not getting enough Vitamin D shows up as fatigue, bone pain, muscle weakness, and mood changes such as depression. In rare cases, severe vitamin D deficiency in children can cause “rickets,” which manifest as incorrect growth patterns, pain in bones, and deformities in joints.

Here are some of circumstances that can lead to a Vitamin D deficiency:

You aren’t getting enough Vitamin D through food: Vitamin D doesn’t occur naturally in that many foods, and it may be even more difficult for vegans and vegetarians to consume. Most Vitamin D food sources come from animal products, which is why it is even more important for plant-based eaters to supplement or make sure they’re getting enough sunlight.

You aren’t getting enough sun: Sunshine has many health benefits, one of them is assisting with the production of Vitamin D within our bodies. Geographical location can play a big factor in not getting enough of it. Depending on the season, time of day, where you live, and your lifestyle/age, it might be harder to get the sunlight you need for adequate amounts of Vitamin D. 

Your skin type: Did you know that the melanin content of your skin plays a role in how much Vitamin D you need? The darker the pigment of your skin is, the more Vitamin D you will require. Having more melanin reduces your ability to synthesize Vitamin D from the sun. In general, no matter what your skin color is, it’s important to get your levels tested during a physical examination. By getting tested you will be able to ensure that you aren’t deficient in this crucial vitamin and other vitamins and minerals. 

Absorption issues: Vitamin D deficiency can be due to absorption issues. Diseases such as cystic fibrosis, crohn’s disease, and celiac disease impact the intestines ability to absorb enough Vitamin D through supplements. Weight loss surgeries, obesity, and kidney/liver dieases are other factors that can also lead to deficiency. 

Benefits of Vitamin D

Vitamin D has been proven to have a number of amazing benefits for the body, but first and foremost it is critical for building and maintaining healthy bones. This vitamin also regulates other cellular functions in the body! Without vitamin D, bones would become soft, brittle, and thin which could lead to osteoporosis as well as other health issues. Vitamin D is anti-inflammatory, contains antioxidants, and even supports our immune health! 

Research shows that Vitamin D is also a key component in treating and supporting some illnesses and auto-immune diseases. 

When you have adequate levels of Vitamin D you will just generally feel more energized, happier, and healthier overall!

Foods that contain vitamin D

If you’re wondering which foods you should eat more of for Vitamin D, we got you covered. These are the foods that contain the highest amounts of this vitamin, sourced from healthline.com:

• Salmon: Salmon is an excellent source of vitamin D3. Something to be mindful of is whether you are eating wild or farmed salmon. Wild Salmon contains almost triple the amount of Vitamin D at 988 IU per 3.5 ounce serving in comparison to farmed salmon.
• Sardines and herring: Both of these fish can be eaten in many different ways whether it be smoked, raw, canned, or pickled. These fatty fishes have a plethora of other health benefits such as Omega 3’s, so eat up!
• Cod liver oil: This is another excellent source of Vitamin D since one teaspoon of cod liver oil clocks in at 58% of your necessary daily value. 
• Canned tuna: Not only is this a popular option for lunches and a snack in North America, it’s cheap and healthy too! Canned tuna contains up to 268 IU of Vitamin D per 100g serving. 
• Egg yolks: If you don’t eat meat or seafood and would rather have eggs instead, you’re in luck!  Egg yolks contain Vitamin D! 37 IU per egg to be exact. The levels of Vitamin D in a yolk depend on different variables, a a great example of this is with chickens that are pasture raised. 
• Mushrooms: Did you know that mushrooms are the only good plant source of Vitamin D? Just like humans, mushrooms are actually able to synthesize Vitamin D when exposed to UV light. One thing to note is that mushrooms only contain vitamin D2 whereas animals contain vitamin D3. Vitamin D2 helps raise levels of Vitamin D but may not be as effective as D3 in doing the job.

Why adding K2 alongside D3 is important

At NutraChamps, our Vitamin D3 supplement is paired alongside Vitamin K2. It comes in two different forms, capsules and liquid drops. Both of our products are plant-based and of high quality featuring MenaQ7, which is clinically studied and one of the most effective K2’s around.

We paired our K2+D3 together in one convenient supplement so you can get the correct benefits of both. Combined, these two powerful vitamins have been shown to work effectively to keep our bones, heart, teeth, and immune system healthy. Vitamin D3 needs K2 in order to work to its fullest potential so it’s really a no brainer that these two are a match made in heaven!

Benefits of taking our K2+D3 supplement include:

• Bone strength and density 
• Supported cardiovascular health
• Immune system support and protection
• Better mood and supported nervous system
• Overall feelings of more vitality and energy

We are lucky to be living in a time and place where there are so many natural and safe ways available to get the vitamins and nutrients we need to thrive and feel our best. Through sunlight, the food we eat, and even supplementation, we are able to restore our Vitamin D3 levels to the place they need to be. We highly recommend doing a yearly checkup with your doctor or naturopath to check your essential levels such as Vitamin D3. Since we’re a company that’s committed to your health and wellness, feel free to leave us a comment or reach out with any questions or feedback you may have! We’re happy to answer and help you champion your life!