Vitamin D deficiency is something we see consistently in clinic. If you are supplementing with vitamin D, it might be a good idea to read on.
Before supplementing, it helps to understand what may be contributing to low vitamin D levels. Unfortunately, it is not always as simple as taking a supplement, and supplementing without understanding the bigger picture may not give you the result you are hoping for. Vitamin D levels can be checked with a blood test through your GP, and please don’t stop anything your doctor has prescribed without talking to them first.
What Affects Your Vitamin D Status?
- Where you live and how much sun exposure you have
- The colour of your skin (people with darker skin need more sun exposure)
- Sunscreen use, as sunscreen blocks UV light
- Your magnesium status (an HTMA test can give insight into your tissue magnesium levels)
- How much fat tissue you have
- Gut health, and how well you digest and absorb foods that contain vitamin D, such as egg yolks and cod liver oil
- Stress levels, as stress can affect your magnesium levels and therefore how well your body uses vitamin D
Why Magnesium Matters for Vitamin D
The enzymes your body needs to metabolise vitamin D all require magnesium.
Not all forms of magnesium are absorbed equally well, which is another reason to consider an HTMA test!
So if you want to address low vitamin D levels, it might be a good idea to test before supplementing. Test, don’t guess!
If you’d like to understand what may be affecting your health, book a free 30-minute phone call.