Vitamin D

About 7 years ago, I would go for a run and feel like I was carrying two lumps of lead for legs. Just a half mile was a struggle and my goal was a mere 3 mile loop near my house. Each time I would take a step, it felt like moving through deep water. That year, I ran the Thanksgiving Day Tiger Turkey Chase and returned home to sleep for 5 hours! Needless to say, I was late to my family’s dinner. The next day I awoke with a massive cold.

A visit to my primary care doctor resulted in my learning this struggle to run was not due to my being “out of shape.” It was far more serious - an “abominable Vitamin D deficiency.” While this was a surprise, it explained a lot. I was always tired, no matter how much sleep I got; I always felt like I was gaining weight no matter how good my nutrition was; cuts never seemed to heal; and my hair was falling out. Instead of the prescription dose of Vitamin D my doctor suggested, I began to spend more time in the sun, I took 15,000 IU of Vitamin D daily, and I began to drink more milk. Slowly, things began to change.

Now, I can go for a 5 mile run and come back feeling refreshed and energized. Cuts heal faster, my hair is thicker, and sleep is amazing! I don’t take massive doses of Vitamin D anymore, but I do supplement with it a few times a week, especially during the winter.

I live in New England where it is too cold to spend a lot of time outside in the winter. Therefore, my body cannot make Vitamin D on its own and needs some help. Without getting into the science and technical data, it is important to get your Vitamin D levels checked and supplement as necessary, especially if you live in northern climates. An additional complication is the danger of skin cancer from too much sun exposure. So, even if you do spend enough time in the sun, if you use sunscreen you could also be at risk. Vitamin D deficiency is, in fact, very common worldwide.

How do you increase your vitamin D intake? The easiest way is to supplement, but you can also increase your intake of food sources including cold water fish such as wild mackerel, wild herring, wild tuna, wild sardines, and wild shrimp. Many mushrooms also contain Vitamin D, however it is in the form of Vitamin D2 which your body needs to convert into Vitamin D3. Yolk from pasture raised eggs is also high in Vitamin D, containing almost as much as a serving of shrimp.

So, if you are more tired than you think you ought to be, your hair is falling out, your bones or muscles are inexplicably sore, or cuts and wounds don’t seem to be healing, get your Vitamin D levels checked and start supplementing. You will feel like a new person!