Is Vitamin D For Me?

Of the vitamins that are needed by the body for any number of physiological processes, vitamin D, also known as cholecalciferol, has generated a lot of buzz lately. As a chiropractor who utilizes blood testing and phlebotomy to assess and diagnose musculoskeletal pain, vitamin D, and testing for serum levels of this vitamin, is a topic that is of particular importance. 

Cholecalciferol is a fat-soluable substance, meaning that it is stored within the adipose tissue or fat, and has many uses within the human body, most notably in the development and strengthening of adolescent bones. Dietary vitamin D is provided primarily by foods of animal origin, especially beef, veal, liver, eggs and in dairy products. 

Most famously, however, vitamin D is synthesized through exposure to sunlight and UV rays. A form of cholesterol is stored within glands in the skin and when UV rays are exposed to that reservoir, a previtamin to active vitamin D is created. A few days following that process, active vitamin D is produced. The process by which vitamin D is created through supplemental or dietary process differs from the sunlight exposure route, but by far and away the predominant way that humans obtain vitamin D is through UV exposure. 

For you, the patient, speaking generally, baseline levels of vitamin D should be between 30-50 ng/dl, with optimal levels above 50 ng/dl. Suboptimal levels of this essential nutrient can manifest in many different illnesses and conditions, but often times can be linked with generalized musculoskeletal pain. Additionally, a review article in the New England Journal of Medicine, noted that "observational studies in large cohorts have shown significant associations between low levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and an increased risk of metabolic, neoplastic and immune disorders such as type 1 diabetes mellitus and multiple sclerosis."

In order to optimize levels of vitamin D to combat the aforementioned conditions, you have to ensure the quality of the product. Unfortunately, vitamin D content in over-the-counter supplements is both low and unpredictable. A study presented at the meeting of the Joint Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers noted, "the mean vitamin D content from 10 OTC brands was only 33% of what the label claimed, with the actual content ranging from less than 1% to 82% of the advertised level." 

At RASC Rockford, we use two forms of vitamin D, one in tablet form and one in liquid drop form. Both are quality controlled and have had wonderful success in increasing the vitamin D levels in all patients.