Regular vitamin D supplement Intake Might In Fact Decrease Your Vitamin D3 Quantities
As autumn approaches in the Northern Hemisphere, health experts are emphasising the importance of Vitamin D supplementation. This essential vitamin, crucial for regulating calcium and phosphate in the body, helping maintain bone, teeth, and muscle health, comes in two main forms: Vitamin D2, found in plants and mushrooms, and Vitamin D3, produced in the skin when exposed to sunlight and found in animal products such as oily fish.
Vitamin D3 is more efficiently converted into the active form of the vitamin compared to Vitamin D2, making it potentially a better choice for supplementation. However, a new study published in Nutrition Reviews suggests that taking Vitamin D2 supplements may reduce the levels of Vitamin D3 in the body.
This finding is especially relevant for vegans, who cannot obtain D3 from traditional dietary sources. Vegan-friendly D3 can be made from lichen, but it is less widely available than D2.
Emily Brown, a PhD research fellow, analysed 20 randomised controlled trials to explore the effects of Vitamin D2 supplementation. In 18 of these trials, participants who received Vitamin D2 had lower levels of Vitamin D3 compared with placebo or control groups.
The study's findings could have potential long-term implications. If people do not reach the required vitamin D levels or, worse, the situation is made worse, it could lead to health issues related to bone and muscle health.
Prof. Dr. Gabriele Stangl from Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, a researcher focusing on vitamin D, including biomarkers and physiological effects, plans to conduct future studies on the effects of vitamin D3 supplements on vitamin D2 levels in humans.
Meanwhile, scientists are also exploring innovative ways to increase vitamin D levels. In 2022, a genetically modified tomato capable of producing vitamin D3 was engineered. Lanham-New's team is now testing whether this genetically modified tomato can boost vitamin D levels in humans.
It's worth noting that Vitamin D2 is not dangerous, but Vitamin D3 is preferable as it raises total vitamin D levels. Brown plans to investigate the reverse effect: what happens to D2 when people take D3.
In higher latitudes, people can usually make enough Vitamin D through sunlight exposure during the summer, but not in autumn and winter. A simple rule of thumb is that unless your shadow is shorter than your height, the Sun is not strong enough for Vitamin D3 production.
Deficiency of Vitamin D is common worldwide, with rates as high as 31% among non-Hispanic Black adults in the US. With the onset of autumn and the decrease in sunlight exposure, it's crucial for people, especially those in higher latitudes, to consider supplementing with Vitamin D, particularly Vitamin D3, to maintain optimal health.
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