Can I share a secret with you? I live in the sun…. It’s my happy place. The beach, pool, riding my bike on the beltline, Run day Monday’s and let’s not forget our Thursday circuit training workouts. I’m also a pescatarian, I eat lots of tuna, salmon etc., yet I suffer from vitamin D deficiency.
My lowest level was 17ng/ml, I felt weak, sad and I was getting more injuries. My doctor placed me on 50,000IU pills and after taking them as prescribed my levels only went up to 33ng/ml. It wasn’t until I started to give myself the vitamin D3 injections that my levels became therapeutic, above and around 60 ng/ml and I was truly back to a happier state of mind and my body started to transform producing more muscles and generating more energy.
So, imagine people who hide from the sun and eat a poor diet, what do you think their levels look like?
Vitamin D is a unique vitamin that most people don’t get enough of. In fact, it’s estimated that more than 40% of American adults have a Vitamin D deficiency. This Vitamin is made from cholesterol in your skin when it’s exposed to the sun. Getting enough sunlight is important for maintaining optimal Vitamin D levels. We had a lot of heat this summer, with at least one person at every outdoor session complaining about how hot it was and every time “I said we are not going to complain about it being hot in Summer in Atlanta.” This summer temperatures soared to record levels across metro Atlanta, reaching up to 98o and on to 105o at its highest. However, this doesn’t mean with all that heat and sunlight that you were producing Vitamin D, while out there on Monday run days and outdoor day Thursdays, even for the 6 pm crew, which probably experienced the most intense heat, because midday is the best time to get vitamin D, as the sun is at its highest point. However, there are many reasons why even during the middle of the day when the sun may seem to be at its hottest, you won’t make vitamin D.
One of the main reasons is our melanin. People with darker skin typically have more melanin, which helps protect the skin against damage from excess sunlight, acting as a natural sunscreen. However, this creates a big dilemma because darker-skinned people need to spend longer time in the sun than lighter-skinned people to produce the same amount of Vitamin D. And most people use sunscreen which reduces Vitamin D production in the body.
While sunlight is great for Vitamin D production, there are dangers to too much sunlight.
- Sunburns
- Eye damage
- Aging skin
- Skin changes
- Heat stroke
- Skin cancer
Vitamin D has many roles in the body and is essential for optimal health. For example, it instructs the cells in your gut to absorb calcium and phosphorous – two minerals that are essential for creating strong and healthy bones.
Low Vitamin D levels have been linked to serious health consequences, including
- Osteoporosis
- Cancer
- Depression
- Muscle weakness
- Hypertension
- Prediabetes
- Cognitive decline
Additionally, only a handful of foods contain significant amounts of Vitamin D, these include cod liver oil, swordfish, salmon, canned tuna, beef liver, egg yolks and sardines. That said you would need to eat them nearly every day to get enough Vitamin D.
If you do not get enough sunlight or eat enough foods high in Vitamin D or naturally suffer from Vitamin D deficiency like me, it’s often recommended to utilize supplements to increase your Vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D supplements come in two forms:
· Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol)
· Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol)
Vitamin D3 is often preferred as a supplement because it tends to do a better job at raising the blood levels of vitamin D. Vitamin D3 can be taken in pill form or can be included in an intravenous (IV treatment). However, one of the quickest ways to obtain it is through a Vitamin D3 shot.
Well, once again, here comes Nurse Tadda to the rescue. TFC has been offering pills at 5,000 IU for daily maintenance for years, but we will now be offering Vitamin D3 injections. Vitamin D3 injections benefits are numerous. An intramuscular injection is better than an oral supplement, because the benefits occur more quickly compared to oral intake. Vitamin D3 injections can help you feel your best, which starts from within. Vitamin D3 injections get the Vitamin D3 into the bloodstream right away for maximum absorption.
The potential benefits of Vitamin D3 injections are:
- Strong bones
- A healthy heart
- A responsive immune system
- Elevated mood
- Cognitive health
- Manage diabetes symptoms
- Enhance weight loss efforts
The frequency of the injections varies, depending on your specific vitamin D levels, however usually patients receive (one) 1 injection per month. Come discuss your vitamin D3 levels with Nurse Tasha today and see if a Vitamin D3 injection is right for you. No Mess
