Many years ago I wrote an article about new research for naturopaths on the importance of vitamin D in seriously ill children. I remember when studies started on the importance of vitamin D and immune health.
Many years later, more and more research has become available on the importance of vitamin D and we now see that in some people genes can influence the way vitamin D is absorbed from synthetic supplements. That has led some natural health companies to create activated vitamin D for people like me, who can only absorb it from the sun.
Did you know that 30 minutes of sunshine provides you with more than 20,000 IU of vitamin D that can be absorbed by everyone, regardless of your genes. However, this should be done without sunscreen and not immediately after jumping into the ocean. Because vitamin D is fat-soluble, it requires fat to be transported. If you remove all your oil from your skin, it will be difficult to absorb vitamin D.
Since 2012, we’ve seen the importance of vitamin D levels in upper respiratory infections, asthma and even influenza. Over the past two years we have come to realize how much people hate vitamin D. It has both an antiviral and ant-microbial effect on the body.
Even 100 years ago, it was common knowledge that sunshine could help people with tuberculosis and later research was done on the antimicrobial effect of vitamin D.
Vitamin D has also been shown to prevent invading pathogens from entering the body.
It is recommended to be between 120 nmol/l and 150 nmol/l to stop invading pathogens and strengthen the immune system.
Other natural sources of vitamin D are cod liver oil, oily fish and vegetable mushrooms. Vitamin D2 is often made from mushrooms or algae.
Your levels can be tested through a blood test.
Only a few studies Studies
Vitamin D deficiency and seriously ill children
Crazy K, Veldman H, Ellen M. SmithB.S., Catherine M Gordon, MD, et al. 2012. Vitamin D deficiency in critically ill children. Pediatrics 2011-3328. Published ahead of print on August 6, 2012.
Vitamin D and respiratory health https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2759054/
Vitamin D and respiratory infections in adults https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22115013/
This is for information only. It is important to talk to your healthcare provider before starting any supplement.