No Synthetic Vitamin D for Me

“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority,
it’s time to pause & reflect.” Mark Twain

What’s the Truth About Vitamin D?

I recently posted about synthetic Vitamin D and immunity on Instagram and Facebook, and it turned into such a stimulating conversation that I wanted to share it with you here on the blog!

For obvious reasons, viral prevention is at the top of everyone’s mind this year. Certain nutrients are making the rounds as virus fighters, the main one being Vitamin D.

It seems like everyone is recommending some form of Vitamin D these days, doesn’t it?

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure

I’m definitely not arguing whether or not humans require Vitamin D. We do! I’m addressing the TYPE and SOURCE of the vitamin because that’s where I think the misinformation exists. Typical nutritionists, chiropractors and doctors do not know the full research on D.

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” “My people are gone into captivity
because they have no knowledge: and their honorable men are famished,
and their multitude dried up with thirst.” Hosea 4:6 and Isaiah 5:13

“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things,
which thou knowest not.” Jeremiah 33:3

I agree with my fellow practitioners that addressing deficiencies before illness is absolutely the way to go. But the majority of Americans don’t do that, do they? As a certified nutrition professional, I believe that resolving deficits goes beyond supplementing with man-made synthetics.

In instances of acute illness in the standard American, certain synthetic protocols are appropriate in the short-term. My opinion is not factoring acute intervention. It’s addressing the everyday-ness of nutrition.

Whole-food, God-made sources are the way to go!

Today, you’ll learn what Vitamin D is and why true Vitamin D is important for immune wellness, why I quit taking Vitamin D supplements (yep, totally quit), why that did not scare me, and how I support my immune system without the negatives that synthetic Vitamin D may confer.

What is Vitamin D?

1. As one of the four fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K ) it blesses the body in many ways.
2. Nicknamed the “Sunshine Vitamin” for its clever ability to absorb UV-B rays from the sun, D synthesizes sunshine with the cholesterol in our skin to produce the hormone we know as “Vitamin D.”
3. Yes, you read that correctly! Vitamin D is a secosteroid hormone, not a true vitamin.
4. You’ve probably heard that Vitamin D is important for bone health, and you’re right! It’s a key player in the matrix of nutrients that support bone integrity and mitigate weak bones. (4)
5. Have you heard it can benefit all aspects of Type 2 Diabetes? A remarkable 2015 study showed Vitamin D carries the potential to help control the disease and confers a beneficial effect on diabetic complications. (5)
6. Multiple studies reiterate Vitamin D’s important role in bettering the outcomes of cancer, autoimmunity, skin disorders, cognition, mood and depression. See these resources: (6), (7), (8), (9), (10).

Why is Vitamin D Important for Immunity?

1. Vitamin D can modulate the innate and adaptive immune responses. Deficiency in Vitamin D is associated with increased autoimmunity and an increased susceptibility to infection. (1)
2. It modulates immune responses and can benefit immune expression in those with autoimmune conditions. (2)
3. Vitamin D appears to play a role in the regulation of innate immunity (a first-line defense against infections) in the upper respiratory tract. Optimal Vitamin D levels and appropriate dosing schedules have yet to be determined. (3)

Here’s Why I Quit Taking Synthetic Vitamin D

D is needful, its unintended consequences are the issue.

1. It is rat killer! D-Con, anyone? (11)
2. Low D actually masks low magnesium. Raising magnesium is HARD WORK. This is why as a Root Cause Protocol Consultant, I use the RCP to balance my minerals. (12)
3. Renal potassium wasting. Meaning, it sucks potassium out of kidneys. Lovely.
4. It’s a hormone. It isn’t a vitamin. Who in their right mind would ever take 1,000 or 5,000 or 100,000 units of estrogen, progesterone or thyroid hormone?! (13)
5. It calcifies (hardens) soft tissues. Not good! (14)
6. Low D wasn’t considered “low” until the “experts” moved the threshold to 30-50. There’s no proven clinical benefit above 21. (Kind of like the parameters changed for blood pressure numbers). (15)
7. Virus studies are not considering active D. They’re looking at storage D, which is like comparing apples to oranges!

PS: I don’t take a set dose of Vitamin D per day. I give myself the form of D it recognizes through food, and allow my body to choose how much it needs to absorb. The body is wise! (12)

Quick Vitamin D Points to Ponder

1. Most of what people buy in stores is synthetic. No matter the form – drops, gummies, pills, liquid, tablets – it is still synthetic D, unless it is in food form.
2. Vegan Vitamin D sourced from lichen is poorly absorbed. D3 from animal sources is what humans have ancestrally craved.
3. Synthetic Vitamin D is added to many processed foods, especially nut and grain milks that Paleo, Keto, Candida, Vegan and GAPS people think are so healthy!
4. Manmade is never, ever as good as God-made.
5. “Low D” is not the cause of infection and/or inflammation. It is a result of it. (12)
6. Bones need a lot more than a Vitamin D & K pill to stay strong!

How Do I Get My Vitamin D?

Here’s the part you’ve been wanting! God created so many options for sourcing real Vitamin D!

1. Sunshine! I aim for 15-20 minutes of daily sunshine on my arms and legs, taking care to avoid the heat-of-the-day sun.
2. High quality cod liver oil: Jigsaw and Rosita through Perfect Supplements are my choices. (Use WELLMADE10 as a coupon to save.)
3. Wild caught fish roe: It’s yummy on salads or any cracker that fits your dietary needs. Grab some at Vital Choice and get free shipping on orders of $99+:
4. Raw, A2 milk and cheese
5. Pastured eggs
6. Pork lard: I like the Epic Brand available through Thrive Market. (Get a $20 shopping credit when you sign up for a membership.)
7. Beef liver pills: from Perfect Supplements. (Use WELLMADE10 as a coupon to save.)

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17

CliffNotes Conclusion

1. Vitamin D is technically a hormone, not a vitamin.
2. It requires balance with Vitamin A in the form of Retinol.
3. Using a synthetic Vitamin D all on its own isn’t the optimal long-term solution for answering the body’s cry for more D, in my view.
4. Cod liver oil is the best whole-food source rich in proper and balanced ratios of D, Retinol A, as well as Omega-3 fatty acids.

Okay, so here’s where we’ve landed.

Today’s article barely scrapes the surface of complexities surrounding Vitamin D. For more, the Weston A. Price Foundation gives tons of solid information on this as does Morley Robbins’ Root Cause Protocol.

For help finding natural products that I’ve personally vetted or to learn more about your vitamin and mineral status, please email: jessica@wellmadewellness.com.

Finally, I’ve worked in holistic nutrition for 16 years, studied it for 30 years, and I’m super picky with what I think is safe and beneficial. I’m okay “swimming upstream” in my Vitamin D conviction. 🐟 🐠

Thanks for sticking around this long! Hope you learned something new. If so, post in the comments!

With love and butter,
Jessica

References:

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21527855/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21067953/
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20067648/
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22461123/
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25495839/
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3355893/
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31323357/
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583884/
9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17138809/
10. Gangwar AK, et al. Role of vitamin-D in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. 2015;59:94.
11. https://www.drugs.com/answers/cholecalciferol-is-main-ingredient-in-rat-poison-336757.html
12. https://therootcauseprotocol.com/vitamin-d-deficiency-mg-deficiency-period/
13. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/publications/otc/2019/OTCguide-2029/vitamin-d-is-the-new-hormone
14. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17218831/
15. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/

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