Everybody absorbs vitamin D from foods and synthesizes it from the sun at different rates. One person might take 4000 IU of vitamin D every day yet have a lower blood level than a person who takes none. Because of this, the best way to determine vitamin D status is with a simple blood test. The Endocrine Society recommended in 2011 a target level of vitamin D in the blood of greater than 30 ng/mL, but other studies suggest that optimal levels should be higher than that. In patients with inflammatory bowel disease, for example, those with blood levels of vitamin D greater than 50 ng/mL consistently had the highest health-related quality of life.[iii] Achieving these levels often requires taking supplemental vitamin D at relatively high doses.
At the Care Group, we routinely monitor our patients’ vitamin D levels. Ask us to check your levels
References:
[i] Shaffer JA, Edmondson D, Wasson LT, et al. Vitamin D supplementation for depressive symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Psychosom Med. 2014;76(3):190-196.
[ii] Wranicz J, Szostak-Węgierek D. Health outcomes of vitamin D. Part II. Role in prevention of diseases. Rocz Panstw Zakl Hig. 2014;65(4):273-279.
[iii] Hlavaty T, Krajcovicova A, Koller T, et al. Higher vitamin D serum concentration increases health related quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases. World J Gastroenterol. 2014;20(42):15787-15796.
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About The Care Group: We promote optimal wellness by providing an individualized, functional medicine approach to address root causes rather than simply treating symptoms. We help patients with a wide range of issues including autoimmune/ inflammatory disease, digestive disorders, hormone imbalances, and mood disorders. To learn more about our practice, click here.
About the Author: Dr. Gerard Guillory, MD is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and has published two books on Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). In 1985, he opened The Care Group, PC. Today, his clinic is a Primary Care facility that is a hybrid of functional and traditional medicine treating patients with digestive disorders, autoimmune disease, and other conditions. You can learn more about Dr. Guillory here.