Are you getting enough vitamin D? ?

• Introduction
• How the Immune System Works
• What the Immune System Needs to Function Properly
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin D Deficiency
• Sunshine – a Source of Vitamin D
• Key Takeaways

Introduction

Are you getting enough vitamin D? If you’re a fan of our fermented cod liver oil, you probably are, but past studies have suggested that about 4 out of every 10 Americans aren’t getting enough vitamin D. (1)

That’s a big deal. Why?

Not only does vitamin D support strong bones and teeth, it also plays an important role in the immune system. With winter and flu season upon us, the need for sufficient amounts of vitamin D becomes much more immediate.

Our immune system is a layered defense system that requires the proper nutrients to function correctly. Understanding how this layered defense works, and the need for proper nutrients, especially vitamin D, serves to demonstrate the need of good wholesome nutrient-rich foods. In today’s modern world these foods can be difficult to find.

How the Immune System Works

The human body is amazingly complex. Just take a look at how it defends itself from invasions of viruses, bacteria, and other harmful microbes.(2) This task is performed by our immune system. We talk about our immune system as if it is one thing, but that is so far from the truth. It is called a system because it is made up of a network of biological processes. These processes require the right molecules, cells, tissues, and biochemical pathways to work together perfectly – all the time. If there is a breakdown anywhere in these processes the human body suffers the consequences.

Layered Defense System

To better the odds, the immune system is uniquely designed to be a layered defense system. The first layer includes chemical, mechanical, and biological barriers. Our skin is a great example of a mechanical barrier. It is our first line of defense against invading microbes.

Innate Immune System

Next up is the innate immune system layer, which is basically the first responders’ layer. Cells and mechanisms in the innate immune system sound the alarm and trigger an immediate response when invading microbes have successfully crossed the barrier layer. The response is rapid, but not specific, or long lasting. This is where you first encounter phagocytic cells, inflammation, and antibodies production.

Adaptive Immune System

The final layer is the adaptive immune system. Here you find the educated specialists. The cells in this layer have been taught to recognize specific microbes, and carry out targeted responses.

What the Immune System Needs to Function Properly

Each layer relies on the availability of the necessary building blocks in the construction of the cells, molecules, and particles that they require. These building blocks are manufactured in our bodies through biochemical pathways using molecules absorbed through our skin and digestive tracts. If those molecules aren’t there, our entire immune system suffers.

This is why good nutrition is so important and why some people refer to food as medicine.

Vitamin D

One key nutrient that plays an integral part in both the innate and adaptive immune responses is vitamin D. (3)

Vitamin D helps regulate the innate immune response by influencing the intensity of the response. It is very important that the response is aggressive enough, but not to the point of causing excessive damage. In both the innate and adaptive immune responses, vitamin D binds to specific receptors on the immune cells, initiating their intended functions.

If you don’t get enough vitamin D, your immune system is compromised.

Great, but how does that relate to real life? Don’t we as Americans get plenty of vitamin D? Well, not so fast.

Vitamin D Deficiency

If you live in the US, and spend most of your day indoors, because of work, school, or any other activities that are predominantly indoors, you might have a vitamin D deficiency without even knowing it. In fact, 35% of American adults are vitamin D deficient, and the odds of being deficient only increase if you are an older adult, have more color to your skin, or suffer from malabsorption.(4)

In order to combat this problem in the US, vitamin D has been added to several foods. When you see the word ‘fortified’ that means it was added and not necessarily present naturally.

One great example of a vitamin D fortified food is milk. This worked great at first. People drank lots of milk, but in more recent years it has become less popular, and as a result vitamin D deficiency is again a potential issue. Adding it to milk was a brilliant idea. Milk contains fat, and in order for our bodies to absorb vitamin D we need fat. This is why the current trend of non-fat foods can actually be quite harmful to the human body.

Sunshine – a Source of Vitamin D

The simplest way to get vitamin D is to go outside. In fact, 50-90% comes from exposure to the sun.(4) All it takes is twenty minutes and 40% skin exposure on a daily basis and you get vitamin D.

Sounds simple right? But it still isn’t enough, and if you are covered up because of the cold, or layered on the sunscreen to prevent skin cancer, you have an even greater need for additional vitamin D.

Back to square one right?

Maybe not.

There is an old tried and true natural source of vitamin D – cod liver oil. For a very long time cod liver oil has been recognized as a superior source of natural vitamin D.(5) Your grandmother probably had it shoved down her throat as a child. Why? Because they knew the health benefits of vitamin D even back then.

Key Takeaways

Your body’s immune system is a complex system that employs numerous biological processes where various nutrients, including vitamin D, are essentials.

There is a good chance your body could use a little more vitamin D, especially in the cold dark winter months. Give your body a fighting chance and boost your vitamin D today with a good wholesome source – cod liver oil.

References

1. Parva, Naveen R et al. “Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency and Associated Risk Factors in the US Population (2011-2012).” Cureus vol. 10,6 e2741. 5 Jun. 2018, doi:10.7759/cureus.2741

2. Maggini, S., Wintergerst, E., Beveridge, S., & Hornig, D. (2007). “Selected vitamins and trace elements support immune function by strengthening epithelial barriers and cellular and humoral immune responses.” British Journal of Nutrition, 98(S1), S29-S35. doi:10.1017/S0007114507832971

3. Aranow, Cynthia. “Vitamin D and the immune system.” Journal of investigative medicine : the official publication of the American Federation for Clinical Research vol. 59,6 (2011): 881-6. doi:10.2310/JIM.0b013e31821b8755

4. Sizar, Omeed, et al. “Vitamin D Deficiency.” StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing, 21 July 2020.

5. Nair, Rathish, and Arun Maseeh. “Vitamin D: The “sunshine” vitamin.” Journal of pharmacology & pharmacotherapeutics vol. 3,2 (2012): 118-26.