The Importance of Vitamin D

Let’s talk about the importance of Vitamin D!

Your body naturally produces Vitamin D when it’s directly exposed to sunlight or when you consume certain foods & supplements. During the winter months, it’s much harder to get natural Vitamin D exposure, so many people compensate with daily doses of supplements to make sure their immune systems stay strong.

Getting enough vitamin D is not only important for your immune system, it’s important for growth and development of bones and teeth. But it doesn’t stop there! Vitamin D may fight diseases, like Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and heart disease, Autoimmune diseases, such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Type 1 Diabetes, and IBS, as well as prevent severe illnesses.

Vitamin D may also regulate mood and reduce depression. A study of almost 8,000 people found that receiving vitamin D reduced their negative emotions. Another study found that low Vitamin D levels made participants more likely to experience anxiety. 

Lastly, it might support weight loss. In one study, obese participants who received Vitamin D supplements and followed a weight loss plan lost more weight and fat mass than members of the placebo group, who only followed the diet plan. 

So how do you know if you have adequate Vitamin D levels? There are a few factors that may make you less likely to absorb enough Vitamin D from the sun:

  • Living in an area with high pollution

  • Using sunscreen

  • Spending most of your time indoors

  • Living in a big city where buildings block sunlight

  • Having darker skin (The higher the levels of melanin, the less Vitamin D your skin can absorb.)


If any of these are true for you and you regularly experience tiredness, aches & pains, severe bone or muscle pain/weakness, or stress fractures, you should chat with your doctor. They can diagnose and evaluate you for a deficiency by performing a simple blood test!

On the other hand, you can also get TOO much Vitamin D. If you take excessive amounts of Vitamin D supplements, you can negatively affect your health but it’s unlikely that natural sun exposure will cause the same effect. 

So, what’s the “just right” amount of Vitamin D for you? Most adults should be taking at least 600IUs daily, with the option for more during Winter months. You can also focus on consuming foods that naturally contain Vitamin D naturally, such as:

  • Salmon

  • Canned Tuna

  • Egg Yolk

  • Shrimp

  • Fortified Milk

  • Fortified Yogurt

  • Fortified Orange Juice

If you’d like a supplement plan specific to your body and health needs, reach out to your healthcare professional for a detailed plan, but if you’d like to try and increase your Vitamin D levels through nutrition, schedule a complimentary consultation with me to go over your needs!

Christine Leone