The “Sunshine” Supplement: Lacking this almost universally causes weight gain, depression, bone problems and a potential domino effect of other problems:

The very best way to get vitamin D is to be in the sun.  Those north of about Atlanta Georgia or so struggle to have adequate vitamin D levels on a chronic basis, and in greater numbers than are being recognized.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, so it *can* be over-dosed on.

However, this is exceedingly rare, and the only known cases of this happening were in instances where the vitamin D supplement or enrichment was manufactured incorrectly, putting far too much D in the pill or the milk product for example (you’ll often see the term “enriched” on a milk label…I don’t drink grocery store milk by the way…and this word means that they have added vitamins and/or minerals to the product in an attempt to increase its nutritional value, much of the time, in my opinion, is done for marketing reasons over any actual health benefits, a topic for another time).

My go-to guy for Vitamin D information is Dr. Holick.  There are several experts in the field of vitamin D research, but I have modeled most of my opinions off of his work, and have been experimenting with my vitamin D levels for many years now.  I do consider vitamin D, and especially the sun, to be a “must” part of my overall system of hard body and health.  You’ve seen what I look like for years now on my video content, and I would not be without my favorite forms of vitamin D to help me accomplish what I demonstrate.

Food sources are going to be a favorite outside of sun exposure.  But the problem is that the amounts of D available from food sources can be exceedingly low for our best results, and I do not eat mushrooms at all in my approach, eliminating that source that is often rich in D.

If I am going to use a supplement of D (which I do) I go only for the “D3” variety which has been conclusively proven to be superior both in effectiveness and safety over the D2 version.  We will unfortunately find D2 to be about as common, or even more so, in the enrichment of our foods when we analyze the food labels.  I believe this is likely due to simple costs, manufacturers preferring to have the “D” on their label, but using an inferior and cheaper source to provide that D, essentially giving people less opportunity to benefit from the vitamin due to it’s inferior source.

Dr. Holick was one of the few…thank goodness…that finally began to shed light (pun) on using tanning salons for vitamin D production.  He published a study you can easily search showing how six weeks use of responsible and moderate tanning bed/booth use, aiming for the UVB exposure, effectively increases vitamin D levels in people.  I have been using this means as my main go-to source of vitamin D when I cannot get my half hour to forty minutes worth of near-naked sun exposure in a day.  (The more skin exposure, the less time you need).  The way I use the tanning salon, it is also extremely affordable.  I pay for minutes, and I never ever burn, and spend only enough time to feel the pink…to get just a little color going on my skin.  That is the signal the vitamin D production process is in place.

Folks with darker skin, such as African American and the Latin folks, have a harder time, sometimes much harder time, getting that vitamin D production due to their darker skin tone.  I would encourage anyone with darker skin tone to see their favorite alternative doctor and have their D levels tested.  I personally feel that the recommended D levels in western medical areas are below where they should be, and I’m supported by Dr. Holick in this opinion.  Western standards are good at discussing survival levels of nutrition…but rarely to ever THRIVING levels of nutrition.  I shoot for the latter, and so much every over-40-er in my opinion.  Certain forms of supplementation are simply too beneficial and on too many levels to ignore.