Chances are you’re not getting enough vitamin D by Taylor Duty

Written By Allison Bowe

Gang, Taylor wrote this short article on Vitamin D for you in the fall of 2021, but I completely spaced on publishing it. I just re-read it this morning and I think it’s as relevant as ever. If you know Taylor, you know she reads physiology research papers in her spare time, just for fun. She’s always after the science of why and how we can move better/live better so we can ultimately thrive more and she integrates her ever-evolving knowledge into every single BBP class she teaches. Want to learn something new about your body? 

Take a Taylor class.

(Other fun facts about Taylor: 1) complete/total Margaret Atwood obsession, 2) savant-level good at puzzles, 3).she’s climbed Mt St Helens 4 times at this point.)

But I digress…! Back to this article she wrote for you, BBP…

Something I find particularly fascinating about Vitamin D is the role it plays in the development of fast-twitch muscle. Since we’re in the middle of BBP Jump Shape this week, this is super important to mention and totally on point for the work we’re doing! (If you’re not doing Jump Shape this week, don’t worry! It’s going to be available to BBP members forever and ever. ) I’ll write you a primer on fast-twitch muscle in the next few days, but know that fast-twitch muscle is muscle you cannot work without STRUGGLING. That heart-pounding, full-on out of breath feeling where you’re sucking air? That’s what I’m talking about. This is critical, especially as we age, if we want to maintain overall metabolic health (not to mention digest and use food for energy in a more efficient way + generally sleep better AND prevent injury/maintain healthy upright posture as we get older.) Research shows that Vitamin D is critical in the use of our fast-twitch muscle and so many other things, as Taylor elucidates below.

All right, BBP…..with that, here’s Taylor:

CHANCES ARE YOU’RE NOT GETTING ENOUGH VITAMIN D

By Taylor Duty

As we head into another COVID winter spring, it's more important than ever that we diligently guard our mental and physical health to avoid getting SAD (both in the regular old dictionary-definition sense and medically defined "Seasonal Affective Disorder"). Of course, we at BBP believe that jumping is about the best thing you can do for your mental and physical health, but I want to take a little time to talk about another game changer: Vitamin D (aka the "Sunshine Vitamin").

I could write volumes about my love for Vitamin D (I've probably sent Meegan a dozen scientific journal articles), but I'll distill today's lesson into three parts:

  1. The impact of Vitamin D on depression and SAD.;

  2. The crucial impact of Vitamin D on our bodies, especially as we age; and

  3. The impact of Vitamin D on COVID-19 symptoms.

I also have a little bonus discussion on supplements and dosing at the end, but before I forget: I am not a medical professional, and please talk to your doctor before starting or changing any supplements.

Part 1: "SAD" and depression impacts.

Most of us in the U.S. have insufficient levels of Vitamin D, and that is especially true in winter months, in places with less sunshine (*ahem* Oregon). There have been numerous studies reporting Seasonal Affective Disorder and depression decreases in people who received vitamin D supplementation. A 2008 study of 1,200 adults aged 65 and older showed (after adjusting for age, sex, BMI, smoking, and chornic condition) adults who had sufficient levels of Vitamin D had 14% lower rates of depression and SAD. In numerous randomized studies, vitamin D supplementation has shown "significant improvements" in depression and mood. A new study by the University of Georgia linked low vitamin D levels with greater risk of SAD.

Scientifically, it's thought the reason for these impacts is that Vitamin D may be important in the production of serotonin in the brain from tryptophan. So, if you experience Seasonal Affective Disorder, talk to your Dr. about getting your Vitamin D levels checked and corrected!

Part 2: Anatomical and musculoskeletal impacts.

Vitamin D increases serum calcium which is essential for muscle contraction and muscle growth and function, AND it has a well-characterized role in calcium and phosphate balance, affecting bone growth and turnover. Vitamin D deficiency causes musculoskeletal pain, muscle weakness, and myopathy (in medical terms, this relates to any disease that affects the muscles that control voluntary movement in the body). Chronic low back pain is prevalent in people with low vitamin D levels and several studies have also shown low vitamin D levels are strongly associated with chronic widespread pain (CWP) conditions.

There are hundreds of studies exploring causal and correlational effects of vitamin D on our minds and bodies. I don't think I could keep your attention long enough to go through all the benefits I've studied, but, bottom line: getting vitamin D is an easy, inexpensive way to have a positive impact on your mental and physical health.

Part 3: COVID-19

I'll keep this one brief—there are a ton of new studies and in-progress studies specifically linking outcomes of COVID-19 and vitamin D status. Scientists are observing "significant" relationships between low vitamin D levels and severity of COVID-19 symptoms, including higher mortality rates. Places where vitamin D deficiency is more prevalent tend to have higher COVID-19 mortality rates. Additionally, BIPOC and people with darker skin (more melanin) are more likely to have vitamin D deficiencies — one study in the UK showed Black people in England and Wales are four times more likely to die from COVID-19 than white people.

Keep an eye on the studies as they progress, but it's important to note that vitamin D has already been shown to protect against acute respiratory infections, which is likely part of the reason it may impact COVID-19 symptoms and mortality so significantly.

BONUS ROUND: Supplements

In general, I am wary of supplementation — but the fact of the matter is: the best and most bioavailable form of Vitamin D is from the sun (UV) on our skin, and modern lifestyles don't allow us to spend enough time outside, so most of us need to supplement if we are deficient.

Rule of thumb for supplementation: 4,000 IU per day of Vitamin D3 has been found to bring most adults who were previously deficient up to "adequate" levels, without toxicity. Keep in mind, the more melanin in your skin (i.e. darker skin) or the more sunscreen you wear, the more body fat you have, the older you are, and the further north you live, the less bioavailable Vitamin D is - meaning (generally speaking) you need to supplement with more of it. What supplement do I use, you ask? I'm a big proponent of Thorne - Certified for Sport Vitamin D (check it: https://www.thorne.com/products/dp/d-5-000-vitamin-d-capsule.

P.S. Individuals with "good" levels of Vitamin D (40 to 60 ng/ml) have the LOWEST ALL-CAUSE MORTALITY. Cool, huh?

 

All right everybody, let us know what you think! We’ve got more guest blogs coming your way VERY soon. Questions? Comments? Let’s hear it.

-Meegan

Allison Bowe
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