What’s so Important about Vitamin D?

We are all seeing news articles on vitamin D and how it is beneficial and vital to immune function, but why are so many people deficient in vitamin D?

Vitamin D is an oil-based vitamin, found in fatty fish such as mackerel, sardines, and salmon, fortified dairy and grains, and egg yolks. Our bodies also manufacture vitamin D through daily exposure to sunlight. In the “Cold White North,” we have limited quality year-round sun exposure, and limited access to fatty fish. This causes us to all be somewhat deficient in vitamin D. 

Why does vitamin D matter? Vitamin D is vital to many bodily functions: bone health, metabolism, mood, energy, and immunity. When our vitamin D levels are low, we can feel tired, depressed, have a poor immune system, and can be at risk for fractures.

Most people take vitamin D supplements. These supplements vary in quality, and there is no standard dose. It can take months or even up to a year of oral vitamin D supplementation to bring our levels into the normal range, because our bodies use it up quickly rather than storing it.

Here at IFM, we can check your vitamin D level at a reasonable cost: our cash-negotiated price with Quest Laboratories is $25 (plus a $15 draw/transport fee.) We also have high-quality oral supplements as well as high dose injections. Vitamin D is an oil-based vitamin, so we can’t give it through an IV; it must be an injection. We have found that the injections make the levels return to normal faster, and there is a more noticeable difference when compared to oral supplementation. Cost for the injection is $15-$30, depending on the dose: 50,000 or 110,000iu. Depending on how low your level is, we will recommend dose and frequency of injection for you. No appointment with the provider is needed for the 50,000iu injection. If, however, you would like your level checked first, just make an appointment to see a provider for a visit first. 

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