Vitamin D and IBS

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There has been a lot of information published lately on the need for vitamin D for good health. There is agreement between policymakers and researchers that the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin D needs to be reassessed since it is estimated that half of the population is deficient in vitamin D. People that are vitamin D deficient include people at northern and southern latitudes, people with dark skin color, older adults & children, pregnant women and exclusively breastfed babies. Also at risk are individuals with malabsorption diseases such as IBS, Crohn’s disease, celiac disease and cystic fibrosis.

Because this vitamin promotes calcium absorption and bone mineralization it is very important that we get enough. If we don’t, our bones will become soft and weak over time, setting the stage for osteoporosis later in life. While this may not seem like something that you need to be concerned about, I urge you to think again.

Physical activity, calcium and vitamin D intake are now known to be major contributors to bone health for individuals of all ages. Even though bone disease often strikes late in life, the importance of beginning prevention at a very young age and continuing it throughout life is now well understood.

One of the big problems in regard to adequate intake is that vitamin D is not prevalent in foods. Good sources of D include fortified milk, cereal, breads and margarine, egg yolks and fatty fish sources such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and herring.

According to studies from the American Dietetic Association, milk consumption in America is low. This is due in part to sugared beverages displacing milk’s place in the diet.

Vitamin D is produced naturally when skin is exposed to sunlight. In order to synthesize Vitamin D through sunlight it is recommended that skin is exposed to the sun for at least 15 to 20 minutes, without block, at least three times per week. This goes against the recommendation for sunscreen but a short time in the sun with maximal skin exposure is necessary. However, be careful to avoid extended exposure to sunlight without sunscreen.

The recommendations for vitamin D are listed as an Adequate Intake in micrograms (mcg) and International Units (IU):

Age	Vitamin D
Birth to 13 years	5 mcg (200 IU)
14 to 18 years	5 mcg (200 IU)
19 to 50 years	5 mcg (200 IU)
51 to 70 years	10 mcg (400 IU)
71+ years	15 mcg (600 IU)

Do I need to take a vitamin D supplement?

When diet is not enough, you may need to take a supplement to help you reach the desired intake of vitamin D. As you will see, vitamin D can be toxic at high levels, so the goal is to reach the appropriate level, not exceed it.

The two primary types of vitamin D supplements are vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). Most experts believe that vitamin D3 is the ideal choice for these reasons:

Vitamin D3 is the most potent form, it’s more stable on the shelf, and it’s less toxic than D2.
Vitamin D3 is the one that is synthesized when the sun hits your skin, so it’s considered to be the most natural.
Most of the research that has been done on vitamin D and its health benefits has used vitamin D3

In addition to its role in bone health, researchers are discovering hopeful connections between vitamin D status and chronic disease such as type 1 diabetes, cancer, heart disease, depression and multiple sclerosis.

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