Joan and Donald had been trying to get pregnant for over a year. They didn’t know why they hadn’t conceived, as everything was normal for both of them. With vitamin D deficiency in the news so much, they asked their primary care physician to check their level. They were both low. They started getting more sunshine (luckily it was summer), eating foods high in D, and taking fermented cod liver oil and within 3 months they were pregnant!
Vitamin D protects against these diseases that affect your trying to conceive:
*Infertility
*Obesity
*Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
*Diabetes
*Autoimmune diseases
*Radiation sickness
Low vitamin D is definitely associated with infertility. Research shows D supports the production of estrogen in men and women. It is one of the fat soluble vitamins, all of which are critical to making your hormones. Obesity, PCOS and diabetes can all affect your ability to conceive. They are all associated with this deficiency.
A common autoimmune disease that affects fertility is Hashimoto’s, especially when it causes hypothyroid. Check to make sure you are not vitamin D deficient. Protect yourself from known or unexpected radiation sickness by having adequate vitamin D. Radioactive particles can affect your fertility, especially cesium.
What are three ways I can get vitamin D?
1) Sunshine
2) Food
3) Supplement (least desirable; never do alone)
1) Sunshine and Vitamin D
This is the most natural and safest way to get vitamin D. The body has protective mechanisms to prevent getting too much D from sunlight. Get plenty of sunshine in the summer, because latitudes above 30 degrees (California, S. Carolina and Massachusetts) lack adequate sun in winter to make enough. But your body can store it. Also, clouds and buildings, ozone and aerosol pollution, altitude and reflective surfaces such as snow all have an effect on making vitamin D from sunshine. Darker skin does not make as much, so these people need even more time in the sun. And sunscreen contains toxic chemicals and prevents vitamin D synthesis.
Vitamin D is made during UVB sunlight exposure, which is highest mid-day. Absolutely do not get sunburned. Sunburn is associated with certain kinds of skin cancer and sun damage, not sunlight itself. Expose yourself gradually and consistently to sunshine.
2) Vitamin D Foods
Cod Liver Oil
Lard (pig fat)
Herring
Oysters
Water-packed sardines
Fish
Egg yolks
Butter
Liver
Pork
Blood sausage
***All sources must come from animals raised in the sunlight and/or consuming their natural diet for adequate amounts to be present.***
Cod Liver Oil is an excellent source of vitamin D as well as vitamin A. Choose a brand that is high in vitamin D content, and is processed minimally to prevent destroying the natural vitamins. A potential problem with many cod liver oil products is getting too much vitamin A without adequate D. Read more in the article: What Vitamins Does Cod Liver Oil Supply?
3) Vitamin D Supplement
The safety and effectiveness of taking vitamin D3 supplements is controversial. Even the accuracy and relevance of testing your blood for 25-hydroxyvitamin D is not clear. Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, and must be in the correct ratio with vitamin A and K2 to prevent toxicity. Natural vitamin D is far more complex than simply the D3 that is given as a supplement.
How much vitamin D do I need?
*3,000 to 4,000 IU per day from food and cod liver oil.
*This is the amount recommended by leading researchers
*This is the amount consumed by traditional cultures for thousands of years
*Your need will vary with many factors, including your exposure to sunshine and the quality of your vitamin D foods
Prevent vitamin D toxicity by getting plenty of the other fat soluble vitamins in your diet. This includes vitamin A, E and K2. Foods that are high in D usually contain them all, plus many co-factors and other nutrients we have not even identified yet. All of these nutrients help support your vibrant health in ways that the wisdom of nature provides.
A very small number of people with certain conditions need to be cautious before supplementing with D or consuming large amounts of vitamin D rich foods. These conditions may include liver or kidney failure, tuberculosis, lymphoma, sarcoidosis, and hyperparathyroidism. Talk to your health care provider about your specific situation.
Adequate levels are associated with improved fertility, mental clarity, better moods, less colds, and less general aches and pains.
To Your Vibrant Health!
Veronica Tilden, D.O.