Vitamin D3, also know as Cholecalciferol, is essential to our good health. D vitamins aren’t actually vitamins, they are pro hormones and, they are the only vitamins which are produced by our bodies.
What are Sources of vitamin D3 ?
Our natural source of vitamin D3 comes from sunlight which promotes vitamin D synthesis from cholesterol in the skin. This is fine for those of us who live in tropical climates but for those of us who live in colder climates, with dull, dark winters, it can be a problem getting enough D3. People with darker skin will also need more vitamin D3 than those with fair complexions, as the extra melanin found in darker skin slows down the absorption of vitamin D3.
Other sun blockers include: –
Using sun block
Heavy pollution
Living in cities with sky scrapers constantly blocking the sunlight
Not venturing outdoors
Vitamin D3 can be found in the following foods:-
Cod liver oil
Sardines
Salmon
Mackerel
Swordfish
Herring
Tuna
Raw milk
Caviar
Eggs
It’s important to note that when a product say’s it’s fortified with vitamin D, it’s usually referring to vitamin D2 and not B3.
What Does Vitamin D3 Protect Us Against ?
|Rickets is the most common disease of old that comes to mind when we think of vitamin D3 deficiency but today, we have a far greater knowledge of the health problems that are associated with a lack of vitamin D3. It is therefore vital that we keep up our vitamin D3 intake, either through sunlight, food or supplements, to potentially help us prevent the following problems occurring:-
Weakened immune system
Osteopenia or Osteoporosis
Bone and muscle pain
Stress fractures
Hair loss
Hypertension
Neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s
Autoimmune disease
Depression
Cancer, especially breast, prostate and cancer of the colon
Eczema
Psoriasis
Type 1 diabetes
