Articles about vitamins, their functions, and their importance for health.
Vitamin D Supplementation
Vitamin D, often called the “sunshine hormone,” plays a vital role in overall health. Many people in the Western world are deficient in it, but before deciding to supplement, it’s essential to test your blood levels (Calcifediol). This can help you understand whether supplementation is necessary and how much you need to reach optimal levels.
Key considerations include your current blood levels, lifestyle, UVB exposure, skin tone, BMI, and health conditions. Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) is the preferred supplement form, as it is more effective than Vitamin D2. Individuals with higher BMIs or certain health conditions may require higher doses or specialized forms like Calcifediol or Calcitriol.
Calciol Production
Cholecalciferol Production
When our skin is exposed to UVB rays, e.g., during sun exposure, Cholecalciferol aka Calciol is produced from 7-Dehydrocholesterol. In a 1977 publication, PC Beadle estimated that about 160 IU Cholecalciferol could be produced at 40° Latitude when exposing 1 $cm^{2}$ of skin to the sun for the whole day. Dark skin would produce around 70 IU under the same conditions. This information is suboptimal to drive the decision of how to expose oneself to the sun.
Ergocalciferol
Ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) is made by plants and is similar to Cholecalciferol (vitamin D3), but it’s less effective for humans. D3 is better at raising vitamin D levels and has stronger effects in the body, while D2 binds less efficiently to the vitamin D receptors.
Studies have shown that D3 is more effective at improving vitamin D stores and lowering parathyroid hormone. Though some medications use high doses of D2, newer research suggests D3 supplements are a better choice. Plants like mushrooms and algae produce D2 when exposed to UVB light, but D2 levels are much lower than D3 found in fatty fish, for example.
In summary, D2 is similar to D3 but provides less bang for the buck.
Vitamin K Overview
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is not one molecule. It is a family of fat-soluble vitamins with related chemical structures. The two natural forms we usually discuss are Vitamin K1 / Phylloquinone and Vitamin K2 / Menaquinone. K1 is mostly associated with green leafy vegetables, while K2 refers to a group of menaquinones, often named MK-4, MK-7, MK-9, and so on.
Vitamin K is best known for its role in blood clotting. The “K” comes from the German/Danish word Koagulation, meaning coagulation. This is the process that stops bleeding after injury. Without enough vitamin K activity, several clotting proteins cannot work properly.
Vitamins
What is a vitamin? A vitamin is an organic compound that the human body requires in small amounts to carry out essential biochemical functions, such as metabolism, immune support, and cellular repair. Unlike other nutrients, vitamins cannot be synthesized by the body and must be obtained through diet or supplementation. This reliance on external sources highlights their crucial role in maintaining health and well-being.
Many vitamins have been found, with vitamin D being a historical misinterpretation. Deficiencies in vitamins do not necessarily equate to imminent death, but there will be some health repercussions. Below is a list of vitamins that you can follow once I add some information, which will take some time. Let’s first have a look at a very crude classification of vitamins into fat- and water-soluble ones.
Vitamin D Unit Converter
Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol) used to be measured in micrograms (mcg). At one point, international units were introduced (IU). Today, either or both IU and mcg are found on supplement labels. Sometimes, it is beneficial to know the amount in IU and the amount in mcg. Especially when you want to use the correct ratio of several vitamins simultaneously. An important example in this context would be the combination of vitamin D and vitamin K. While Cholecalciferol ensures that there is enough calcium in the blood, vitamin K is involved in bringing calcium to the correct location (bones). Calcification of soft tissues such as cartilage and arteries is definitely something no one wants. Therefore, both vitamins should be used together. How much of each is a discussion for another time. However, once you decide and settle on a ratio between vitamins D and K, you can use the below converter to ensure that you use the correct amounts.
Vitamin D Regulation
Calcitriol, the active form of vitamin D, is a powerful hormone that needs tight regulation in the body. It acts like a “key” that fits into specific “locks” (receptors) to manage important functions like calcium and phosphate balance. Too much or too little can cause harm, so the body carefully controls how much is made.
The body converts stored vitamin D (Calcifediol) into Calcitriol in the kidneys, but if Calcitriol levels get too high, enzymes slow down its production and break it down. Calcium and phosphate levels in the blood also help regulate this process.
Low calcium triggers the production of more Calcitriol, while high calcium or phosphate slows it down. Additionally, low phosphate increases Calcitriol, while high phosphate decreases it. These processes work together to maintain balance, ensuring proper calcium and phosphate levels in the blood.
If vitamin D stores are low, the body can’t produce enough Calcitriol, which can lead to health problems.
Calcitriol
The name Calcitriol (aka vitamin D) refers to a hormone that is produced via hydroxylation of Calcifediol in the human liver. Calcitriol is typically bound by the D-binding protein (DBP) but has a lower affinity DBP than Calcifediol but higher than Cholecalciferol. Calcitriol is the active form of the hormone and facilitates calcium uptake among a myriad of other functions, such as immune system-related ones.
