Getting enough Vitamin D

Dr John Cannell at the Vitamin D Council did a thorough review of the literature and found that 10,000 IU of Vit D3 is safe for long-term supplementation.  The skin can make that much Vit D after a relatively short exposure to the sun (well before it turns pink). In some parts of the world (such as the UK), local atmospheric conditions absorb significant amounts of UV light, so even being outside in the sun isn’t a guarantee of having enough Vit D.

It’s not uncommon these days for people to need one to three months of 50,000 IU/day to get their levels corrected.  Always take Vit D3, not D2, and take it in the morning.  Bio-Tech is a good brand; they are a high-quality manufacturer.  I've used them for years, and have followed-up with lab tests to verify levels, with excellent results.

[[MORE]]One Vit D site I like:
http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/

Dr T at Nephropal talks a lot about it:
http://nephropal.blogspot.com/search/label/vitamin%20d

Dr Joe Prendergast’s talk to the Smart Life Forum is also worthwhile:
http://smartlifeforum.org/wiki/2007/02
He suggests a target range of 100-200 ng/mL (250-500 nmol/L)

Carlson makes a liquid version, with 2000 IU per drop, in a coconut oil base (sugar free):
http://www.iherb.com/Carlson-Labs-Ddrops-Vitamin-D3-2000-IU-10-ml/10364
Adding the drops to a little cream works great.

Vit D isn’t really a vitamin in the usual sense; it’s actually a pro-hormone.

Vit D is a strong immune booster; my family and I take a loading dose at the first sign of a cold or sore throat (or before being in a confined space with many other people for an extended period, such as on a plane flight overseas), and have found it to be very effective (much better than Vit C).  It’s also important for vasodilatation (blood pressure) and insulin sensitivity.

One interesting statistic I remember is that although cancers seem to start in any season, the most common season people die from cancer is in the Winter, when Vit D levels are at their lowest.

If you shop at iHerb (my favorite online vitamin store, and they have very inexpensive overseas shipping, too), you can get $5.00 off of your first order by using my referral code, if you like: RIC830 (if you do, they also give me a small credit).