Persona Vitamin D 1000iu
Persona uses vitamin D3 sourced from Vitashine, which is a plant-based form of the vitamin.
As its name suggests, the tablet contains 1,000 IU of vitamin D3. It is vegan and free of all major allergens, including soy, dairy, wheat, fish, nuts, eggs, and shellfish.
Persona claims that its vitamins are backed by science, tested for quality and purity, and inspected by a professional before shipping.
Foods Naturally High In Vitamin D
While there are a handful of foods fortified with vitamin D, few foods contain vitamin D naturally. Those that do are usually animal-based.
Based on the numbers above, you can consume the RDA of vitamin D by eating about 4 ounces of salmon, 13 eggs or a little over ½ a tablespoon of cod liver oil.
If you follow a vegan diet, getting vitamin D from food is going to be more difficult than if you eat animal products. So, in addition to making sure youre getting mushrooms in your diet, look for fortified plant-based milks and talk with your doctor or registered dietitian nutritionist about taking a supplement, experts suggest.
Can Vitamin D Given Intravenously
An IV treatment of vitamin D consists of placing an IV line usually in the antecubital fossa of the arm. Vitamin D is then infused in the IV bag and thus infused to the body. The IV vitamin D drip is introduced to the body via IV bypassing digestion by the liver and thus is absorbed at much higher concentrations.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Atherosclerotic Calcification
Often, calcification causes no symptoms at all in the early stages, but over time, the buildup of calcium deposits causes arteries to harden. This can eventually affect blood flow. When this occurs in the heart, you may experience shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat, or a heavy feeling in your chest. Calcification that restricts blood flow to the brain may cause symptoms of a stroke like dizziness, memory loss, slurred speech, and an intense headache. Blockages in the legs, arms, or hips can cause muscle spasms, numbness, and weakness.
Taking It Late In The Day May Affect Sleep
Research links vitamin D levels to sleep quality.
In fact, several studies associate low levels of vitamin D in your blood to a higher risk of sleep disturbances, poorer sleep quality and reduced sleep duration .
Conversely, one small study suggested that higher blood levels of vitamin D may be linked to lower levels of melatonin the hormone responsible for regulating your sleep cycle in people with multiple sclerosis .
Some anecdotal reports claim that taking vitamin D at night can negatively influence sleep quality by interfering with melatonin production.
However, scientific research to determine how supplementing with vitamin D at night may affect sleep is currently unavailable.
Until studies exist, it may be best to simply experiment and find what works best for you.
Summary
Vitamin D deficiency may negatively impact sleep quality. Some anecdotal reports assert that supplementing with vitamin D at nighttime may interfere with sleep, but scientific data to that effect is unavailable.
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The Benefits Of Vitamin D
In general, we all need vitamin D, and most of us don’t get enough. The most natural source of vitamin D is sunshine, and spending time outdoors helps to raise our vitamin D levels. However, unless you’re someone who works outside all day, every day, you may need to change your diet or take a supplement to meet your vitamin D requirements: at least 600 international units , according to the Mayo Clinic. Most vitamin D supplements offer between 1,000 and 2,000 IU, which the Mayo Clinic also says is generally safe for adults. As we age, we may even need more vitamin D, around 800 IU.
If you don’t think you quite need a supplementor your doctor didn’t recommend oneyou should try to balance your diet to include vitamin D-rich foods, like egg yolks, beef liver, cheese, fatty fish, including salmon, mackerel, and tuna. Also, many dairy or dairy-alternative products are fortified with vitamin D, like milk , cereals, and orange juice.
Vitamin D Benefits Are Enhanced If Meal Contains Fat Absorbing More From Supplements
Dont just pop a couple pills in your mouth and think youre getting the most out of your vitamin D supplements. According to a new Pfizer-funded study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, eating a meal with fat can actually enhance vitamin D absorption.
Vitamin D is fat soluble and the absorption process is similar to that of dietary fats, the studys lead author Dr. Bess Dawson-Hughes, a senior scientist at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University told Medical Daily. Ingestion of fat stimulates the secretion of bile and promotes the formation of micelles, small structures which transport the fat and vitamin D to the gut absorptive surface, thereby promoting their absorption.
Researchers studied 50 healthy men who were randomly assigned to one of the three meal options along with a vitamin D supplement. One group ate a fat-free meal, the second group ate a low-fat meal, and the third ate a high-fat meal. Those who ate a meal containing fat absorbed up to 32 percent more of the vitamin D supplement than those who had a fat-free meal. Dawson-Hughes and her team thought the types of monosaturated or polyunsaturdated fats would influence vitamin D absorption, but their results said otherwise.
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Benefits Of Testing Your Vitamin D Levels
If youâre experiencing any of the symptoms of vitamin D insufficiency noted aboveâor are experiencing signs of too much vitamin Dâyour intake may be imbalanced in some way. Testing your vitamin D levels can help you determine if your levels are normal or if you may need to make adjustments and have a discussion with your healthcare provider.
Our at-home vitamin D test kit lets you check your levels easilyâit only requires a simple finger prick blood sample, and shipping is free both ways. Plus, youâll get to conveniently view your results on our secure, online platform just days after the lab receives your sample.
Other Things You Can Do To Address Calcification
While research into reversing coronary artery calcification with vitamin K2 has yielded promising results, more studies are needed to verify the early findings. Because of this, experts generally recommend that vitamin D3 and K2 be used alongside other interventions for addressing hardening of the arteries due to calcification. Here are some other things you can do to promote heart health:
- Quit smoking. Kicking the habit will not only benefit your lungs, but it may also cut down on the hardening of the arteries.
- Exercise regularly. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly to support heart health.
- Reach and maintain a healthy weight. Losing weight by restricting calories and exercising may decrease the risk of complications due to the hardening of the arteries.
- Eat more healthy foods. A diet that consists of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains helps support heart health.
- Cut down on fats and sugars. Saturated fats and added sugars have been shown to have detrimental effects on the heart. Eating more natural whole foods and cooking with monounsaturated fats like olive oil can help promote a healthier cardiovascular system.
- Practice stress management techniques. Stress can strain the heart, mainly when it is a regular feature of everyday life. Try incorporating deep breathing exercises, mindfulness, meditation, or yoga into your daily routine to counteract the effects of stress.
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Ritual Essential For Women 18+
Ritual is a vitamin subscription service that offers products with simple, traceable ingredients. This goes for its multivitamin for women ages 18 years and over.
This multivitamin contains 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 sourced from lichen. This is more than enough of the vitamin needed for this age group per day.
Ritual claims that all of its vitamins are Made Traceable and have a visible supply chain that users can map out online. The Essentials for Women 18+ multivitamin is vegan, gluten-free, allergen-free, and United States Pharmacopeia verified.
Food Sources Of Vitamin D
Unlike the other essential vitamins, there are not many foods that supply a sufficient amount of vitamin D to meet the daily requirements.
Along with sun exposure, however, you can increase your levels of vitamin D by eating food like cod liver oil egg yolks oily fish, including salmon, sardines, and herring fortified milk and other dairy products fortified orange juice and mushrooms grown in ultraviolet light.
Youll absorb your vitamin D supplement best if you take it along with a meal containing healthy fats, such as avocado, nuts, lean meat, or eggs.
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May Help Heal Stomach And Gut Ulcers
Ulcers are small breaks in the lining of the stomach or gut. They may cause symptoms of nausea, upper abdominal pain and discomfort.
They are often caused by bacterial infections, smoking, excess use of anti-inflammatory medications or too much acid in the stomach .
Animal studies indicate that cod liver oil may help treat ulcers, particularly in the stomach and gut.
In one animal study, researchers found that low and high doses of cod liver oil helped heal ulcers in both the stomach and gut .
Another animal study found that cod liver oil suppressed genes that are linked with gut inflammation and reduced inflammation and ulceration in the gut .
While the use of cod liver oil to help heal ulcers seems promising, more studies in humans are needed to make clear recommendations.
Summary:
Cod liver oil may help treat ulcers in the stomach and gut, but more human studies are needed before making recommendations.
Who Needs A Vitamin D Supplement
- All adults and children over the age of one should consider taking a daily supplement containing ten micrograms of Vitamin D especially during autumn and winter.
- Those in the at risk groups, as above, should consider taking a supplement containing ten micrograms of Vitamin D all year round.
- All babies under one year should be given a daily supplement of 8.5 to ten micrograms unless they have more than 500ml of fortified formula milk.
Taking a vitamin D supplement as well as eating foods rich in vitamin D and spending a lot of time outside in sunshine is not a problem.
However do not take more than one supplement containing vitamin D as you could exceed the ten microgram recommendation. Always choose a supplement tailored to the age group or condition, as fish liver oils and high dose multivitamin supplements often contain vitamin A, too much of which can cause liver and bone problems, especially in very young children, and the elderly.
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May Reduce Heart Disease Risk
Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, affecting over 17.5 million people annually .
Studies have shown people who regularly eat fish have a much lower risk of heart disease. This effect can be attributed to its omega-3 fatty acid content (
- 43 ).
While taking fish oil supplements like cod liver oil may reduce risk factors for heart disease, there is little evidence that it can prevent heart disease or strokes .
Unfortunately, few studies have specifically examined the association of cod liver oil and heart diseas, as many studies classify cod liver oil as regular fish oil.
Thus, more specific research on cod liver oil and heart disease risk factors are needed to make a clear link between the two.
Summary:
Cod liver oil may help reduce risk factors for heart disease. Studies specifically on cod liver oil and heart disease risk factors are needed, as most studies group cod liver oil with regular fish oils.
Eat More Fatty Fish And Seafood
Aside from sunlight, the food you eat is the next best source for receiving adequate vitamin D. Fatty fish and seafood are two foods that boost vitamin D levels significantly. Salmon is especially beneficial, offering nearly 50% of your daily recommended dose of vitamin D in just one 4 ounce filet. Certain studies show that farm-raised salmon only offers a fraction of the vitamin D levels youll get from eating the wild-caught variety.
Other kinds of seafood rich in vitamin D include tuna, shrimp, oysters, mackerel, sardines, and anchovies.
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Vitamin D Sources Other Than Sunlight
Vitamin D is essential for the human body in more ways than one. It helps boost bone health as it promotes absorption of calcium from the diet consumed. It also helps boost a strong immune system.
Dr Geetika posted an Instagram Reels titled, “How to boost vitamin D levels” with an aim to inform people about the different .
The dermatologist clarifies that sun is not the only source of vitamin D. She adds “UVB light can cause skin cancer”. Therefore, exposure to sunlight should be limited and one should consider getting vitamin D from nutritional supplements and vitamin D- fortified foods.
Dr Geetika also suggested some food items to boost intake of Vitamin D. “Vitamin D can be found in some dairy products, fortified orange juice, soy milk and cereals.” Milk and dairy products are well known sources of calcium and can provide vitamin D as well. She also advised to opt for vitamin D supplements, if prescribed by your nutritionist.
The Best Boosters Are Sleep And Exercise
Earlier in the week, Dr. Fauci said something similar to another actress, Tiffany Haddish. “You know, to be honest with you, Tiffany, the things that so-called ‘boost the immune system,’ when you do really good clinical studies, it doesn’t really help much unless you have some sort of a deficiency,” he told her via an Instagram chat. “Like if you’re vitamin D deficient, you just work hard all the time, you don’t get outside. Then taking vitamin D is good. If you want an antioxidant, vitamin C. But a lot of these herbs that claim to boost your immune system in so many respects, either do nothing, or, if you take too much of them, they harm you.”
“They give you diarrhea,” Haddish interrupted. “I’m just mad. Like at first I was like, Oh, I know what I’ll do. I’llI take more vitamin D, I add ginger, turmeric. Now I just got spicysituation coming up.”
After laughing, Fauci said: “The best way to keep your immune system’s good is to just lead a healthy life, get good sleep, exercise. Those are the things that are so much better than a bunch of herbs that really have never really been shown to do that.”
As for yourself: sleep, exercise, don’t get yourself into any “spicy situations,” and to get through this pandemic at your healthiest, don’t miss these 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID.
Eat This, Not That!
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What Is Calcification
Calcification is what happens when calcium mineral salts form deposits. The process is vital to developing and maintaining bones and teeth, but it can also occur in other body areas. Doctors call it atherosclerotic or vascular calcification when it happens in the blood vessels. A buildup of calcium in the heart is usually referred to as aortic calcification or coronary artery calcification. No matter which term is used, this type of calcification refers to calcium deposits forming in areas where they should not.
How Vitamin D Works
Vitamin D helps control how much calcium and phosphate you absorb from food.
Calcium is essential for bone health. Phosphate is needed for healthy bones, teeth, muscles, nerves, and basic bodily functions.
Vitamin D comes in two forms:
- Vitamin D2 is naturally found in some plants.
- Vitamin D3 is naturally found in animals and is produced by the skin when its exposed to sunlight.
You can meet your vitamin D needs with either form. But healthcare providers generally suggest D3 supplements. That’s because it:
- Raises your overall vitamin D level more than D2
- Lasts longer in the body than D2
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Overweight People Tend To Have Lower Vitamin D Levels
Studies show that a higher body mass index and body fat percentage are associated with lower blood levels of vitamin D .
Several different theories speculate about the relationship between low vitamin D levels and obesity.
Some claim that obese people tend to consume fewer vitamin D-rich foods, thus explaining the association.
Others point to behavioral differences, noting that obese individuals tend to expose less skin and may not be absorbing as much vitamin D from the sun.
Furthermore, certain enzymes are needed to convert vitamin D into its active form, and levels of these enzymes may differ between obese and non-obese individuals .
However, a 2012 study noted that once vitamin D levels in obese individuals are adjusted for body size, theres no difference between levels in obese and non-obese individuals .
This indicates that your vitamin D needs depend on body size, meaning obese individuals need more than normal-weight people to reach the same blood levels. This could help explain why obese people are more likely to be deficient.
Interestingly, losing weight can also affect your vitamin D levels.
In theory, a reduction in body size would mean a decrease in your vitamin D requirement. However, since the amount of it in your body remains the same when you lose weight, your levels would actually increase .
And the degree of weight loss may affect the extent to which its levels increase.
