VITAMINS C and D – ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH?

There’s been a lot of talk, lately, about Vitamin C and Vitamin D because they can help your body fight infection. But how do you know you’re getting enough of these vitamins to make a difference?

The best way to get your vitamins and minerals is by eating fresh whole foods with an emphasis on fruits and vegetables. Sometimes, however, it’s necessary to use supplements to bolster your intake.

PLEASE NOTE: People with underlying health conditions should consult their physician before beginning supplementation.

What is a safe amount of Vitamin C

Vitamin C plays a key role in immune function, antioxidant activity, connective tissue health, and hormonal balance, and is currently being studied for its benefits in healing diseases, including acute respiratory illness, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Humans can’t produce vitamin C, which means we must ingest it in one form or another. According to the USDA, the upper limit of vitamin C for adults is 2000 mg/day. Vitamin C has low toxicity and is not believed to cause serious adverse effects at high intakes[1].  I believe that most of us can tolerate 2000 mg/day in addition to what we ingest in our foods.

What is the right amount of Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is responsible for many functions in the body, including the regulation of immune responses to disease, inflammation, bone health, and cellular growth. Unlike Vitamin C, our bodies can manufacture Vitamin D when our skin is exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D deficiency is a common condition among children and adults living in areas that get limited sunlight at certain times of the year.

The minimum daily requirement of vitamin D is 600 IU for adults, and more for adults over 70.

People, who are deficient in vitamin D, will need doses closer to 4000 IU/day, which is considered the upper limit by the USDA.  I believe that most Mainers who have just spent the winter months inside and under layers of heavy clothing are deficient in this vitamin by the time spring roles around.  I think that it is safe, under these circumstances, to take up to 5000 IU/day.  As we make our way outside in the summer months, we can lower or eliminate our daily dose. When supplementing with oral vitamin D, you want to take it in the form of cholecalciferol or Vitamin D3.  Please note that your body can store vitamin D, so it is possible to reach toxic levels of vitamin D if you supplement with high doses (10,000-40,000 IU) on a long-term basis.[2]  It is best to have your vitamin D levels checked by your physician prior to beginning large doses.

Vitamin quality

It’s important to note that the FDA does not regulate the quality of nutritional supplements. Therefore, there is great variation in the quality of vitamins sold in this country.  Often, there are binders and fillers added to the pills that can hamper absorption or affect the potency of a product.

In my practice, I use supplements from companies that engage in research and test their products independently in much the same way that pharmaceutical companies test their medications for quality assurance.

If you have questions about vitamins, or if you are unsure of the best vitamin supplements, I can help. Contact me for your free initial consultation. Stay safe –Ginny!

[1]Institute of Medicine. Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, and CarotenoidsWashington, DC: National Academy Press, 2000

[2] Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2010.

Other references:

https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/

https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-10175/vitamin-d3-oral/details

---