You've probably heard of vitamin D before. In this article, we'll explain why it's so important for your body, how it's produced, what your daily requirement is, and our recommendations for taking and buying vitamin D supplements.
Table of contents
- What is vitamin D?
- How does vitamin D absorption and production work?
- How much vitamin D does a person need?
- How does a vitamin D deficiency arise and how can it be recognized?
- How does the body get additional vitamin D?
- What should I keep in mind when taking vitamin D?
- Buy Vitamin D
- Conclusion
- Sources
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1. What is vitamin D?
Vitamin D is a vital substance , also known as the " sunshine vitamin ." Sunlight is the primary source from which the body produces vitamin D, although you can also obtain very small amounts of vitamin D from food .
Curiously, it doesn't work like a vitamin at all, but rather like a hormone that performs numerous functions in the body.
What is vitamin D3?
Vitamin D3 is a form of vitamin D that your body produces through exposure to sunlight.
What effect does vitamin D have?
Vitamin D performs many functions in your body. You'll learn more about them below.
How does vitamin D affect the body?
Vitamin D contributes to the normal function of your immune system and ensures the maintenance of normal calcium levels in the blood through the absorption and utilization of calcium and phosphorus.
If vitamin D is deficient, your body excretes the available calcium instead of utilizing it. Vitamin D also plays a role in the maintenance of normal teeth , as well as normal bone and muscle function . It also plays a role in cell division .
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2. How does vitamin D absorption and production work?
Your body produces vitamin D in your skin through sunlight (more specifically, with the help of UV-B rays ). Cholesterol is then converted into previtamin D3 through a process called photolysis, which is then converted into vitamin D3 (also known as cholecalciferol) by the heat of the sun's rays. Further processes then follow, in which enzymes produce the active form of vitamin D.
In the gray season: Do you also absorb vitamin D by sitting by the window?
In winter, your body often doesn't produce as much vitamin D as it needs. One reason for this may be the low sun's position. But even if the sun were in a favorable position, the glass panes in your office, for example, filter out the essential UV-B rays needed for vitamin D production.
This means that you should spend a lot of time in the sun, eat foods containing vitamin D, or alternatively consider taking a vitamin D supplement .
Can you get vitamin D by visiting a tanning salon?
While using a tanning bed can generally have a positive effect on vitamin D production, it also carries risks. Your entire body is exposed to UVB radiation while in a tanning bed, allowing a larger amount of the vitamin to be produced.
However, if you spend too much time on a sunbed , you may be exposed to too many of the strong UV-B rays , which correspond to the midday sun in the Mediterranean in midsummer.
Additionally , UV-A light is used, which is about six times more intense than sunlight and doesn't contribute to vitamin D production at all. This will be detrimental to your skin in the long run .
How can you improve your body's vitamin D absorption?
These 3 tips can help you optimize your body's vitamin D absorption:
- Regular sun exposure with 20-25% skin exposed, especially during the months of April to September. [1]
- Don't shower immediately after tanning. It's better to wait 4-6 hours and avoid using shower gel.
- Don't apply sunscreen and sunglasses immediately. They inhibit vitamin D production. Instead, sunbathe for 15-20 minutes, soak up vitamin D, and then apply sunscreen.
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3. How much vitamin D does a person need?
The lighter your skin type , the easier it is for your body to produce vitamin D. Those with dark skin need to be prepared for prolonged sunbathing to achieve a reasonable vitamin D level.
The correct vitamin D dosage: What is the daily requirement of vitamin D?
For children and adults, the official recommendation of the German Nutrition Society (DGE) is 20 µg/day or 80 IU . However, this value has come under heavy criticism, and there is heated debate about whether the actual daily requirement is not significantly higher .
Is the vitamin D supply in Germany sufficient for the body?
In Germany , which stretches from latitude 47 to 55°N, only about half of the year is ideal for vitamin D production . [2]
From October to March , sunlight in this country is n't strong enough to provide a sufficient supply of vitamin D. However, if you replenish your stores in the summer, your body can still draw on it in the winter. [3]
What happens if you overdose on vitamin D?
A vitamin D overdose is impossible naturally because your body has a kind of built-in protective mechanism: sunburn. The redness of your skin builds a protective barrier that prevents further vitamin D production.
Excessive vitamin D can therefore only be administered orally. However , vitamin D poisoning only occurs if more than 100 micrograms are taken per day on a sustained basis .
What are the symptoms of a vitamin D overdose?
The consequences of a vitamin D overdose range from nausea and vomiting to muscle weakness and persistent drowsiness .
What is the normal vitamin D level?
The vitamin D normal values provide information about the supply in the blood and allow conclusions to be drawn as to whether or not you have a vitamin D deficiency. [4]
| Value ng/ml | Value nmol/l* | Interpretation of results |
| 11 - 30 | < 30 | Long-term vitamin D deficiency |
| 31 - 40 | 50 – 80 | Adequate vitamin D supply |
| 41 - 60 | 80 – 150 | Good and preventive vitamin D supply |
Determine your own vitamin D status with a vitamin D test
The cerascreen Vitamin D Test is a convenient, at-home kit. The test is used to determine vitamin D concentrations in cases of suspected vitamin D deficiency and to monitor 25-OH vitamin D levels.
In just 3 steps you can get your personal vitamin D result:
- A small blood sample is taken from the fingertip and sent to the laboratory.
- The laboratory analyzes and evaluates the blood sample.
- You will receive a detailed results report by email after a few days.
4. How does a vitamin D deficiency arise and how can it be recognized?
A vitamin D deficiency can result from our modern lifestyle and insufficient sun exposure . In short, we spend too little time in the sun . [5]
Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include a weakened immune system , dizziness , fatigue and difficulty concentrating .
When is it important to take additional vitamin D?
Since vitamin D production is generally unhindered in summer, the question arises as to what you can do in the other, sunnier seasons.
In which season is it recommended to take additional vitamin D?
Although your body can store the vitamin D it produces, your supply will eventually be depleted if you do not replenish it.
For this reason, if you have an unbalanced lifestyle, we recommend that you take additional vitamin D from October onwards , when the grey season begins.
5. How does the body get additional vitamin D?
In addition to adequate sun exposure , there are various ways you can supply your body with vitamin D. The vitamin is found in foods , and you can also take supplements .
Which foods contain vitamin D?
Foods containing vitamin D are especially animal products such as fatty fish (herring, salmon, mackerel), eggs, beef liver, cheese and butter.
Among plant-based mushrooms, it is mainly the chanterelle and button mushroom varieties that contain relatively high levels of vitamin D.
Vitamin D supplements for adequate vitamin D levels
If you're unable to ensure your optimal vitamin D intake due to stress and an unbalanced diet , vitamin D supplements can help maintain adequate vitamin D levels even during the darker months of the year. Vitamin D supplements are available as tablets, capsules, and drops.
BRAINEFFECT HACK : We offer vitamin D in individually dosed drop form. Our VITAMIN D3+OIL ensures particularly effective utilization of vitamin D in your body thanks to MCT oil and the K2 it contains.
6. What should I keep in mind when taking vitamin D?
Which vitamin D dosage is right for me?
The vitamin D dosage should be considered individually and adapted to your lifestyle. A good guideline , however, is 50 IU (International Units) of vitamin D in combination with 2-3 µg of vitamin K2 per kilogram of body weight . We also recommend ensuring you consume sufficient magnesium.
Do vitamin D supplements need to be taken at a specific time of day?
It's important to pay attention to your circadian rhythm and take the sunshine vitamin during the day. Ideally, you should take it in the morning or at lunch with a high-fat meal. This has the advantage of preventing you from forgetting to take it.
7. Buy vitamin D
Unfortunately, there are many inferior products on the market. It's therefore advisable to pay attention to the quality of the ingredients . The correct dosage ultimately determines good value for money.
Quality over quantity: What should I look for when buying vitamin D tablets, drops, and oil?
It's most important that you consume vitamin D3 with fat (e.g., oil), as this is the only way your body can utilize it. It's also best absorbed in combination with vitamin K2 , as this allows the calcium you absorb from your food to be better utilized.
You can usually find this mix in liquid form as an oil . The better the raw materials and the higher the D3 content per drop, the better the preparation is.
For the dark season: Support your vitamin D levels with Vitamin D3+ Oil from BRAINEFFECT
With our BRAINEFFECT VITAMIN D3+OIL, you supply your body with both vitamin D3 and vitamin K2. Thanks to K2, the body can utilize available calcium, which contributes to normal bone function.
8. Conclusion
Vitamin D is a vitamin that your body can only produce when your skin is exposed to sunlight. In our latitudes, sunlight is only strong enough for us to produce sufficient vitamin D between March and October.
A high level of vitamin D benefits you in many ways. Your immune system is strengthened, and many other important processes in your body function more effectively.
9. Sources
[1] Holick, M. (2004) Sunlight and vitamin D for bone health and prevention of autoimmune diseases, cancers, and cardiovascular disease. Vol. 80, Issue 6, p.1678–1688
[ https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/80/6/1678S/4690512 ]
[2] Joint FAQ of the BfR, the DGE and the MRI (2012) Selected questions and answers on vitamin D.
[ https://www.dge.de/wissenschaft/weitere-publikationen/faqs/vitamin-d/#sonnenexposition ]
[3] Kift, R.; Rhodes, L.E.; Farrar, MD; Webb, AR (2018) Int J Environ Res Public Health. Vol. 15, Issue 8, p. 1624 Is Sunlight Exposure Enough to Avoid Wintertime Vitamin D Deficiency in United Kingdom Population Groups? [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6121420/]
[4] Cerascreen Vitamin D3 test results (2019) [ https://www.cerascreen.de/products/vitamin-d3-test ]
[5] Kipshoven, C. (2010) Cross-sectional study to assess vitamin D status in the German population. [https://d-nb.info/100610531X/34]
