Vitamin D from a Medical Perspective

There are lots of claims about what vitamin D does for our health, especially in the age of Covid-19.  Dr. Naomi Albertson explains what vitamin D is, how we create it in our bodies and get it in our diet, and what we know for sure in regards to how it functions in the body.

0:52  Introduction. 

2:44   Vitamin D is fat soluble, so you should take it with a little fat for absorption.

3:34  The two forms of vitamin D:   D2 and D3.

3:51  Your skin starts the process of activating vitamin D.  Sunshine is important, but temperature is important too!

5:44  Kidney or liver problems can affect your ability to create vitamin D.

6:11  All of our cells have receptors for vitamin D.   

7:05  Blood tests for vitamin D.

9:18  Casual exposure to the sun (arms and face) isn't enough to achieve your daily recommended vitamin D intake. 

10:10  Find your recommended daily intake of vitamin D:  https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/#h2

10:59  The ability to create Vitamin D is reduced in elderly individuals.

11:19  Food sources of vitamin D.

12:03  Certain medical conditions can negatively impact the ability to absorb vitamin D through diet. 

12:32  Acid helps us absorb vitamin D, so acid blocking medications can negatively impact how much we get in our diets.

13:05  Many Americans are deficient in vitamin D.

15:14  Your skin type affects how much vitamin D you absorb.

15:53  What we know for sure vitamin D does.   Calcium absorption and calcium regulation.

18:58  Muscle function. 

19:42  The risk of falls in the elderly.

20:05  Cancer risk.

20:30  Respiratory illness.

22:05  Covid-19 mortality.

23:19  Cardiovascular health.

24:11  Pregnancy and birth outcomes.

25:19  The range of normal vitamin D levels.  

25:44  Do low vitamin D levels matter?

27:51  You can take too much vitamin D.

29:02  Symptoms of too much vitamin D or extremely low vitamin D.

31:30  Vitamin D supplementation.