Vitamin D is essential for immune health – make sure you are getting enough

The global coronavirus pandemic has definitely left people wondering how to keep up. You know this social distance, Working at home and staying indoors in general is a way to protect yourself – but are there other steps you can take?

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Boosting the immune system is one of the best things you can do, because it is your body’s main defense when it comes to fighting a virus. Even if you are exposed to a virus, the coronavirus or others, if your immune system is strong, you have a better chance of not getting sick. Vitamin C is a popular choice to support immunity, but another key nutrient for your immune system is vitamin D. Once considered the vitamin for strong bones, vitamin D actually does a lot more for your body – including support for your immune system.

Studies suggest that vitamin D can help prevent respiratory infections or reduce their severity, especially if you have a deficiency. They decided how exactly it can protect you from the coronavirus, but some medical experts recommend taking a vitamin D supplement to help boost your immune system.

Below, Jacyln Tolentino, a doctor at Parsley Health in Los Angeles, explains how vitamin D works, how to get enough of it, what happens when you have a deficiency, and whether it can help protect your immune system.

Why is vitamin D important?

Vitamin D is unique because it is one of the only two vitamins your body can produce on its own (the other is vitamin K), and you can also get it from other sources, such as food or supplements. It is also technically a hormone that regulates the amount of calcium in the blood. Unlike other vitamins, it requires conversion in the liver and kidneys to become an active hormone. “Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that our bodies use to absorb and maintain healthy levels of calcium and phosphorus, which are necessary for the growth and maintenance of our bones,” says Tolentino.

You have probably heard that vitamin D is important for your bones, but it supports your body in other ways as well. “Although we generally associate vitamin D with musculoskeletal health, it actually has several functions in the body, including the role it plays in immune function and reducing inflammation,” says Tolentino.

Vitamin D and immune health

Research shows that vitamin D plays an important role in immune function, and a deficiency in it increases your susceptibility to infections. “Some studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency is still associated with an increased risk of self-reported infections of the upper respiratory tract,” said Tolentino. In addition, “low serum calcidiol levels [a form of vitamin D] they are also associated with greater susceptibility to infections like tuberculosis, flu and viral infections of the upper respiratory tract “, says Tolentino.

One of the main functions of vitamin D is to help activate T cells, also known as “killer cells” in the body. T cells actually detect and destroy foreign pathogens – like viruses. “This makes vitamin D especially crucial for maintaining a functioning immune system, capable of fighting foreign pathogens,” says Tolentino.

It is important to know that although the coronavirus affects the respiratory system, researchers and doctors know little about how vitamin D affects the risk of contracting COVID-19 at this time. The best way to reduce your risk of being infected with the coronavirus is to follow the guidelines of the CDC and WHO, what the local authorities say and take care of your health as much as you can in general. Vitamin D is known to help the immune system, which is promising to protect you from many different types of diseases.

How to get enough vitamin D

In 2014, experts predicted that about 1 billion people worldwide had low levels of vitamin D or a deficiency, making it one of the most common vitamin deficiencies. If you suspect you are low in vitamin D, ask your doctor for a test. That way, you can be sure that you are supplementing the correct levels if you need more. Always ask your doctor before starting a new supplement.

The vitamin D recommendation for adults is between 600-800 IU, although that number is under debate between the scientific and medical community.

There are three ways to get vitamin D: through food (since it occurs naturally in some foods), through direct sun exposure on the skin and through supplements.

Dietary sources of vitamin D

“Vitamin D occurs naturally in egg yolks, beef liver, fatty fish like salmon, tuna, swordfish or sardines and fish liver oils. Unfortunately, vitamin D does not occur naturally in many foods, which is why some foods have vitamin D added to them. Vitamin D is added to cereals, dairy and vegetable milks and orange juice, “says Tolentino.

Even though you can get vitamin D from food, it is difficult to get enough of this source on your own, as the amount of vitamin D in most foods is very small. “It is not so easy to get the recommended daily intake of vitamin D from food. We are simply not eating large quantities of most of these foods. How much beef liver or sardines do you really eat every day?” Tolentino says.

Exposure to sunlight and vitamin D

Vitamin D is associated with the sun for a reason – your body can produce its own vitamin D when you expose your skin to the sun for a period of time. About 15 minutes of sun exposure a day is what many experts say is enough to produce vitamin D. This means that you want to have a good amount of skin uncovered by clothing or sunscreen (like arms and legs), because these things inhibit vitamin D production, according to Tolentino.

The amount of sun you should get is also a little bit tricky. “UVB radiation from the sun triggers the synthesis of vitamin D in our bodies, but there are many factors to be considered here,” says Tolentino

She continues: “Where you live (your geographic location), the use and coverage of sunscreen and the amount of melanin in your skin can impact the absorption of vitamin D. This makes it really difficult to provide general guidelines for the proper amount of sun exposure. What may be a sufficient or healthy amount of time in the sun, without sun protection for one person, may not be advisable for another. “

Vitamin D Supplements

Since it is difficult to get enough vitamin D from food and you can spend most of your time indoors, many people need supplements to get enough vitamin D.

“Vitamin D supplementation may be the most practical solution for many people, especially if you live in the northern half of the country (latitudes above 37º north parallel), you have been advised not to venture out into the sun for long periods of time – – especially without sun protection due to the risk of skin cancer, or having a poor diet in the foods listed above, “says Tolentino.

You can find vitamin D in many different types of supplements, including multivitamins and vitamin D capsules. “Vitamin D supplements usually come in two forms – D3 and D2. D2 is a plant-derived form and is the form often found in fortified foods. D3 is vitamin D produced naturally by our bodies and is the type found in animal sources, “says Tolentino.

Tolentino prefers D3 with vitamin K2, as she says that K2 works synergistically with D3. “Research suggests that vitamin D3 – the type of vitamin D produced naturally in the human body – tends to increase blood concentrations further and maintain them for a longer period of time.” She also says that a liquid vitamin D in the form of a tincture that includes fat (like coconut oil or MCT) can be useful, as a liquid supplement can be taken under the tongue, which speeds up absorption. Since vitamin D is fat-soluble, eating it with a fat source also helps the body absorb it better.

What can happen if you are deficient in vitamin D

Vitamin D deficiencies may mean that your immune system is more vulnerable, but there are other important conditions that you should be aware of.

“Severe vitamin D deficiency can lead to a condition called rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Osteomalacia is the softening and weakening of bones, and symptoms include joint and bone pain, muscle weakness, difficulty walking and bones that are easily fractured “. Tolentino says.

Another connection that scientists are researching is the link between mood disorders and vitamin D deficiency. Many studies have specifically examined the risk of depression, like this one that found a link between vitamin D deficiency and the risk of depression in older adults. . In another study, adults with depression received vitamin D supplementation, which helped to improve symptoms in many of them.

Too much of a good thing: overdoing vitamin D

It is important not to overdo vitamin D supplements, as taking unsafe amounts can have negative health effects, such as kidney problems, kidney stones or hypercalcemia, a toxic condition in which there is excess calcium in the blood. Generally, consuming more than 4,000 IU per day is considered too much.

So it is important to talk to your doctor before taking a supplement and also to order a test. If you think you get a decent amount of sunshine, eat vitamin D foods regularly and your levels are healthy, your doctor will probably tell you that you don’t need anything else.

The information in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended for medical or health advice. Always consult a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health goals.