According to a 2009 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, 77 percent of Americans have insufficient levels of vitamin D in their bodies.

The northern 25% of the earth (anywhere north of Atlanta, GA) experiences 8-9 months of the year where the sun doesn’t get high enough in the sky or show itself long enough for your skin to produce enough vitamin D naturally. Plus if you don't get outside with your shirt off for long enough even during those 3 months of the year you won't make enough vitamin D from the sun anyways, making supplementing it pretty much the only way to get enough on a daily basis. 

The benefits listed below and many others max out with a vitamin D blood value of 70. I recommend you get your vitamin D tested prior to adding in a supplement to see if increasing or maintaining where you’re at is necessary.

Vitamin D is super important for optimal health due to its direct communication with over 2000 genes in your body.

Just to name a few benefits:

• Improved resistance to gaining surface body fat

• Lowers blood sugar levels

• Lowers blood lipid levels

• Reduces bone and joint pain

• Increases strength

• Improves mood and energy

• Reduces severity of seasonal affective disorder

• Increases deep sleep totals 

• Lowers blood pressure

• Increases testosterone

• Increased immune system and viral defense

• Inhibits tumor growth

• Increases cancer killer cell function

• Lowers inflammation

What are normal and optimal blood values?

<40nmol/L = Too Low

41-69nmol/L = Normal

70-80nmol/L = Optimal

>125nmol/L = Too high

It’s recommended to get your vitamin D tested every 6 months to see where you are at. I recommend you get your vitamin D tested prior to adding in a supplement to see if increasing or maintaining where you’re at is necessary.

How do I test where I am at?

You can ask your doctor for a vitamin D test (make sure they order the 25 Hydroxyvitamin D or 25(OH)D test vs the vitamin D2 test), however if you don’t complain about feeling low energy, having troubles getting good quality sleep, feeling depressed sometimes, they may or may not do it for you. Any time my doctor won’t do a test, Direct Labs is a great resource to get any test, usually cheaper than through your insurance with lots of testing sites in your area. 

How do I figure what dose to purchase and take daily?

The vitamin D council recommends that people take 27ius of vitamin D for every pound that they weigh to slowly increase their levels up to the optimal range.

Lifestyle Protocol

• Take your optimal vitamin D dosage (using the formula above) after breakfast that must contain a healthy fat source