Vitamin D Supplements: Benefits, Side Effects and Dosage

When it comes to boosting health and function, sometimes our best option is to actually look within the body, rather than to look for specific external compounds. You see, the body runs efficiently by using thousands of little micronutrients found within the food that we eat.

Interestingly, increasing your consumption of some of these micronutrients (through supplementation or diet) has been shown to have far reaching effects throughout the entire body – causing vast improvements in health and function as a result.

And one of the most effective vitamins to supplement?

Vitamin D.

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a type of fat-soluble vitamin that is essential to health and function. It is commonly known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’.  This is because while it can either be obtained through the food that you eat (and of course, dietary supplements), it can also be synthesized within the skin upon exposure to light from the sun.

Although Vitamin D is technically classified as a vitamin, it is also considered to act as a potent prohormone. This is because of the way in which it involves itself in the many metabolic processes throughout the human body.

With this in mind, Vitamin D plays a role in the maintenance of normal calcium and phosphorus balance. As such it is thought to be important for bone health, nerve activity, and muscle function. It has also been shown to help regulates blood pressure, assist immune system function, and even aid cell production.

It has even be said to play a potential role in the prevention of various chronic conditions such as autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disease.

So in short, it’s pretty damn important.

What are the Benefits of Supplementing with Vitamin D?

Given the many roles that vitamin D plays throughout the body, it seems likely that its supplementation is going to offer some pretty large benefits. With this in mind we have taken an objective look at the research to determine where it does offer the most value.

Does Vitamin D Improve Bone Health?

Both calcium and phosphorous are key components of bone tissue. Vitamin D enhances calcium and phosphorus absorption from your digestive system, reabsorption form your kidney, and mobilization in your bone. It also supresses hormones that promote bone degradation.

As a result, the supplementation of vitamin D can reduce bone degradation and increase bone density, thus having a positive impact on bone health. With this in mind, it may also offer a viable means of assisting in the prevention of osteoporosis, bone fractures, and bone breaks.

Does Vitamin D Protect Against Cancer?

There is some interesting research demonstrating that both Vitamin D and its many by-products have the capacity to inhibit cancer cell growth, thus helping stop the spread of cancer. As a result, the supplementation of vitamin D appears to reduce the risk of developing cancer, suggesting potent anti-cancer effects.

Does Vitamin D Improve Cognitive Function and Brain Health?

Vitamin D has been shown to increase the production of the potent antioxidant glutathione. Through this mechanism, it has been shown to reduce oxidative stress placed on the neural tissue of the body, which can slow age related declines in cognitive function, while also helping stave off Alzheimer’s disease.

Moreover, low levels of vitamin D have also shown strong associations with general impairments in cognitive function, memory, and learning. As such, its supplementation is likely to enhance general cognitive ability in the short term.

Does Vitamin D Help Treat Depression?

There has been a link demonstrated between Vitamin D deficiency and an increased incidence of depression. With this in mind, the regular supplementation of vitamin D has been shown to reduce depressive symptoms, suggesting a potential addition to traditional treatment modalities.

Does Vitamin D Improve Sleep?

While the exact mechanism remain unclear, there is also some interesting research suggesting that Vitamin D can enhance sleep quality. Those individuals with higher vitamin intakes D appear to be able to fall asleep easier, and spend more time through the night in a state of deep sleep, demonstrating enhanced sleep quality.

Does Vitamin D Help Cardiovascular Disease?

Vitamin D deficiency has shown strong associations with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, incidence of heart attack, peripheral arterial disease, and incidence of stroke.

As a result, vitamin D supplementation is believed to have the capacity to lower blood pressure, improve blood pressure control, and regress heart enlargement – thus reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Does Vitamin D Help Diabetes?

And finally, vitamin D has also been shown to impact diabetes in a very positive manner. You see, its deficiency has been shown to result in impaired glucose management and altered insulin secretion – leading to an increased risk of type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

As a result, its supplementation has been shown to improve blood glucose levels and increase insulin sensitivity, thus assisting in the prevention and treatment of these diseases.

Best Vitamin D Supplement Product Reviews

Given the incredible effects that vitamin D supplements can have on health, we wanted to give you some great options that you can implement immediately.

Premier Research Labs Vitamin D3 Liquid Supplement

Our first option on this list also happens to be one of the more unique products available to us. Different to many Vitamin D supplements, this great product comes in liquid form – meaning that it is actually absorbed into the body’s system a little quicker than many other capsule based supplements.

Combine this with the fact that it is produced using some of the highest quality processes on the planet, and you have a recipe for success. Seriously, this is a great option for those after an extremely potent and effective Vitamin D supplement.

NOW Vitamin D3 Supplement

NOW have long been producing top quality supplements at excellent price points – which is why our next product on the list is a fantastic choice.

Providing a potent dose of 5000IU of high quality Vitamin D3 per serve, you really can’t go wrong here.

Solimo Vitamin D3

Our final option on this list also happens to be the most affordable. This has been designed to provide a top quality vitamin d supplement to those people on a strict budget – and boy does it deliver.

Using great quality production processes, and providing a scientifically supported dosage of 2000IU per serving, this is perfect for those individuals who are after a good quality product that won’t break the bank.

What’s the Optimal Dosage of Vitamin D?

Now it’s important to note that there is actually a little bit of conjecture around the recommended daily dosage of Vitamin D.

The recommended daily intake for Vitamin D is currently set at around 800 IU per day, however research suggests that this is way too low for adults. And furthermore, while the safe upper limit in the United States is set at 4,000 IU per day, research suggests that the normal adult can tolerate up to 10,000 IU per day.

As such, a dosage of 2000-5000 IU per day appears appropriate to meet the needs of most people.

It is also important to note that Vitamin D3 (a specific form of Vitamin D) offers the most effective method of supplementation, as it is absorbed into the body extremely easily.

Does Vitamin D have any Side Effects?

If you exceed the regular recommended dosage of 10,000 IU per day, you may experience some side effects. These can include:

• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Sleepiness
• Headaches
• Loss of appetite
• Dry mouth
• Nausea and vomiting

Conclusion

Vitamin D is arguably the most important nutrient in the entire body, in which it plays multiple roles to ensure the health of the body’s many physiological systems.

With this in mind, its supplementation appears to enhance brain health and cognitive function, stave off depression, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, enhance sleep and bone health, and even protect against cancer.

As always, if you have had any experience using this incredible vitamin, then we would love to hear about it – so drop us a comment and we will get back to you ASAP!