Too Much or Too Little Vitamin D Supplementation Can Be Bad for Health

Around 1 in 4 Australians are Vitamin D deficient. Therefore selecting best quality vitamin and supplements is essential, especially so as there many brands available from pharmacies, health food stores and supermarkets, but these are not always reliable supplements. So here are 4 golden rules in selecting the best Vitamin D supplement.

Rule 1
There is good clinical evidence indicating that both high and low levels of Vitamin D are associated with increased health risks. If you check out the smartphone health app Apple A Day RX you will see displayed a number of disease where low levels of Vitamin D are implicated. The most sensible advice is to get your Vitamin D levels checked via a blood test and then seek assistance from a healthcare practitioner in selecting the dosage of Vitamin D. Unless guided avoid taking more than 1,000 IU per day ( unless advised) and beware of symptoms of Vitamin D toxicity such as nausea and weakness.

Rule 2
Soft gels, powders, liquids and capsules are the best form of Vitamin D to take as they are easily absorbed into the system, whereas coated pills may not disintegrate in the stomach resulting in little or no absorption.

Rule 3
There are 2 different forms of Vitamin D:

• Vitamin D2 also known as Ergocalciferol
• Vitamin D3 also known as Choleciferol

Vitamin D2 is produced by fungi and plants, when they are exposed to the sun. Vitamin D2 is available in its synthetic form and though it helps the body absorb calcium and build strong bones, it is not as potent and potent and effective in humans than D3. Heaney et al published a complementary research study in 2010 which revealed that D3 is approximately 87% more potent in raising and maintaining Vitamin D levels in the body and produces 2 to 3-fold greater storage of vitamin D than the same concentration of Vitamin D2. Therefore, the Vitamin D3 is the preferred treatment option when correcting vitamin D deficiency.

Rule 4
Vitamin D3 is best taken after meals to enhance absorption.

Following these four basic rules will help you get the best out of your Vitamin D supplement. However, it is always best to seek the advice from a CAM practitioner as they will guide you to take the most effective and safe therapeutic dosage and advise on intake duration.