Your Definitive Guide To Boosting Vitamin D

Functional Medicine Practitioner By William Cole, D.C., IFMCP
Functional Medicine Practitioner

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Sometimes our lives get so busy that we forget to appreciate the wonders of the body and everything it allows us to do. But the truth is that you are alive because of brilliant biochemistry, and as you go about living your life, 60,000 miles of blood vessels run through you, and your body is producing 25 million new cells each second.

What's even more amazing is that the trillions of diverse cells in your body were formed from the same carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen in stars that shined brightly billions of years ago. In other words: You are literally made of stardust. And while these trillions of cells all have their own unique purpose, they also have one thing in common: They need vitamin D to thrive.

Allow me to introduce you to the sunshine vitamin.

Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin because we cannot get ample amounts of it from food. Instead, our awesome bodies make it from the biggest star in the sky—the sun. Your body absorbs sunlight using cholesterol, which helps convert sunlight into a form of vitamin D that your body can use. Vitamin D is fat-soluble and is actually more like a hormone than a vitamin, regulating hundreds of different pathways in your body. Your vitamin D (along with your thyroid hormones) are the only two hormones every cell needs, making them the king and queen of all hormones.

Want to know exactly how important the sunshine vitamin is? Here is your definitive guide to all things vitamin D.

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1. Antidepressant

One of the reasons for the "winter blues" is decreasing amounts of sunshine during the colder months. Low levels of vitamin D are linked to a 14 percent increase in depression and a 50 percent increase in suicide rates! Now you can start to see just how important vitamin D is.

2. Asthma reducer

Studies show that higher vitamin D intake by pregnant moms reduces their baby's risk of asthma by 40 percent. And other research suggests that vitamin D has a protective effect against upper-respiratory infections.

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3. Autoimmune balancer

Vitamin D is an integral part of balancing your immune system. It's no surprise then that low levels of vitamin D are associated with autoimmune conditions such as MS, Parkinson's, type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disorders, and autoimmune thyroid problems (like Hashimoto's disease and rheumatoid arthritis). Conversely, optimal levels are linked with improved symptoms.

4. Bone strengthener

Most people know this already, but it's still worth mentioning. Vitamin D prevents the breakdown of bones and increases the strength of your skeletal system.

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5. Brain booster

Vitamin D is essential when it comes to a healthy noggin. Low levels of D are linked to decreased memory and increased rates of brain conditions like Alzheimer's.

6. Cancer fighter

People who have optimal vitamin D levels have lower levels of breast, prostate, colon, ovarian, and pancreatic cancer. This vitamin also seems to be able to kill and prevent growth of cancer cells by up to 50 percent!

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7. Fertility booster

Healthy vitamin D levels have been shown to be an integral part to making healthy sperm and increasing rates of a healthy pregnancy.

8. Heart protector


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9. Inflammation calmer

Inflammation is the common link between most chronic health problems, and vitamin D has the unique capability to squelch the inflammatory storm in myriad ways.

10. Metabolism energizer

In one study, supplementing with D for 12 weeks decreased body fat by 7 percent. Low levels are also linked to metabolic syndrome, which is a precursor to type 2 diabetes.

11. Physical performance enhancer

Supplementing this important vitamin has been shown to boost muscle strength and physical performance. Vitamin D has also been shown to increase balance—decreasing falls by 20 percent in some studies.

12. Sleep improver

Sleep is so important for feeling and looking your best. Healthy levels of D are associated with increased sleep quality.

OK, vitamin D is super important; so what can I do about it?

Here's your new vitamin D-boosting lifestyle plan:

1. Test your vitamin D levels.

In functional medicine we want to shoot for optimally healthy levels (not just within the lab's reference range). Optimal vitamin D levels are somewhere between 60 and 80, depending on the person.

2. Get some sunlight!

Spending some time out in the sun, about 20 to 60 minutes (depending on where you live in the world and your skin tone) is a great way to boost your D levels.

3. Optimize your vitamin D from food.


4. Supplement accordingly.

Since it's difficult to get vitamin D exclusively through food—and most of us don't spend enough time outside—supplementation is sometimes necessary. Based on where your starting level is I typically suggest supplementing with anywhere between 2,000 and 6,000 IU each day of vitamin D. Because vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, I prefer the drops and capsules that include mct or coconut oil. And always make sure there are no added fillers or colors.

Always retest every two or three months to ensure your levels don't go too high, which isn't good either. As with everything in the body, vitamin D follows the Goldilocks Principle: not too high or too low but just right.

5. Take advantage of vitamin synergy.

When getting your vitamin D levels up to where they should be, it's best to include the other fat-soluble vitamins: A, E, and K2. These vitamins are uber important in their own right and help balance out the vitamin D, making it more bioavailable and preventing levels from getting too high. You can supplement with these, but I also suggest focusing on food jam-packed with these fat-soluble vitamins. Check out my article on the subject to learn more.

William Cole, D.C., IFMCP
William Cole, D.C., IFMCP
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