It depends on what disease they are looking at. For example bone health or rickets would take a lower vitamin D level to prevent than cancers or autoimmune diseases. In 2010, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) now the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) completed a review of vitamin D considering bone health research and determined that people should achieve a vitamin D blood level or 25(OH)D level of 50 nmol/L or 20 ng/ml (USA). Subsequent to that the Endocrine Society (USA) completed a broader review of diseases and published a vitamin D recommendation of 75 nmol/L or 30 ng/ml (USA). The vitamin D scientists have found that to help prevent serious diseases such as cancers and autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis requires higher vitamin D levels than what is needed to prevent bone diseases. This is why the vitamin D scientists at GrassrootsHealth recommend a 25(OH)D blood level of between 100-150 nmol/L or 40-60 ng/ml (USA). This is the optimal level for overall health for everyone, all ages, all people. Here is a chart showing disease reductions at different vitamin d blood levels. Interestingly studies on tribes living in East Africa naturally outdoors in the sun provide a glimpse of the levels our ancestors had of 115 nmol/L or 46 ng/ml (USA). See Chart

Vitamin D controls the switches that guide cellular life in your body. Vitamin D tells your genes and DNA what to do. It controls cell growth, cell death and cell repair. If you don’t have enough vitamin D circulating in your blood body communications between body systems can break down. Vitamin D strengthens your immune system and modulates immune response. Optimal levels of vitamin D have been shown to reduce the risk of serious diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, infections, osteoporosis, fractures and many more.

Vitamin D deficiency is a global problem, a global health crisis. It is caused by sunlight deficiency. It has been estimated that over 1 billion people are vitamin D deficient worldwide. This has happened mainly during the last 200 years. People used to work outdoors and were outdoors in the sunshine for the majority of their day. This allowed them to make ample vitamin D especially during the summer months which carried them through the winter. Unfortunately now we are working indoors, relaxing indoors and our bodies just do not receive the sunlight they were designed for. This leads to vitamin D deficiency.

Using recent Canadian statistics:

• 38% of Canadians are below the Institute of Medicine/Health Canada recommended 25(OH)D blood serum level of 50 nmol/L (20 ng/ml USA)

• 77% of Canadians are below 75 nmol/L (30 ng/ml USA) the level recommended by Osteoporosis Canada, the Endocrine Society, and the American Geriatric Society

• 93% of Canadians are below 100 nmol/L the level that the expert consensus of 48 top vitamin D scientists, doctors and researchers recommend for optimal overall health

Test! The great thing about vitamin D is that there is a blood test that you can do that will tell you what your vitamin D blood level is or your 25(OH)D level. You don’t have to guess. Compare your score to levels recommended up above to see if you have a problem and are vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D blood levels tend to be at the highest levels after summer in early autumn and at their lowest in late winter, early spring. So if you test in early autumn and are vitamin D deficient you know that your levels will be worse throughout winter so you need to take action immediately and increase your vitamin D intake from the sources outlined above. You can talk to your personal physician about a blood test or have a home test done through one of our partners GrassrootsHealth.