Many people are told that they need to supplement Vitamin D due to low levels of the storage form of the molecule in blood tests (25-Hydroxy Vitamin D). It is important to understand that low levels of the storage form of the molecule may indicate inflammation - but not necessarily a causal factor for that inflammation. Adding more synthetic D-3 supplementation may not cause any benefit and there is evidence that it could increase mineral dysregulation through renal potassium wasting and increase the magnesium burn rate. Vitamin D is also known to lower retinol in the liver and blood, which may increase the production of free radicals and inflammation in the body.
Check out this podcast by Myers Detox with Morley Robbins on Vitamin D supplementation.
What should you do instead of synthetic vitamin D?
Focus on food sources of Vitamin D and try to get 20 minutes of sunshine per day. If you live somewhere where this is impossible, consider a Sperti Vitamin D lamp - one of the only lamps that actually helps the body synthesize vitamin D.
The Root Cause Protocol provides ample dietary Vitamin D in proper ration to other nutrients, especially retinol. Excellent sources include egg yolks, salmon, cod liver oil, butter, whole milk, cheese and mushrooms. Review the Weston A Price Foundation dietary guidelines for more guidance on proper ancestral diets.
From Morley Robbin's article, "12 Reasons to RETHINK Hormone-D Supplementation":
Critical Concept to Understand: LOW Storage-D is not a “Low Gas Tank” marker. It is, for a fact, a sign of “low MPG!” When was the last time that adding more gas improved your car’s MPG?
1) No clinical benefit to storage-D being >21 ng/dL: Amer M et al, 2013 https://www.amjmed.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0002-9343%2813%2900084-3 2) Hormone-D metabolism is magnesium-dependent: Deng X et al, 2013 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3765911/
3) Low Storage-D is a marker for high Inflammation, it does not cause it!: Mangin M et al, 2014 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4160567/
4) Supplemental-D causes renal potassium wasting: Ferris J et al, 1962 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC291035/
5) Supplemental-D causes increased iron absorption and decreased ATP production: Zager RA, 1999 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1866639/
6) High hepatic iron causes low hepatic magnesium and low storage-D: Chow LH et al, 1985; Wood JC et al, 2008 (25-Hydroxy Enzyme acts in the Liver and is Mg-dependent.) Chow: https://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(85)80001-9/pdf Wood: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2892922/
7) Supplementation of hormone-D blocks absorption and use of retinol: Arbuto & Britton, 1998a (Yes, this is a “Chicken Study,” but it is referenced in two esteemed studies on Vitamin A and D metabolism that both cite this antagonistic relationship between the Heliodynamic Hormones.) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9565243/
8) Supplemental-D is not Sulfated, and therefor not water-soluble: Seneff S et al, 2015 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4456713/
9) Supplemental-D does not reduce risk of cancer!: Lappe JM et al, 2017; 2007 2017 Study: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2613159 2007 Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17556697/ (Abstract)
10) Active-D stimulates the synthesis of metallothionein, which has known properties to bind up copper atoms 1,000X stronger than zinc: Karasawa M et al, 1987 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC299640/
11) Active-D is a Hepcidin antagonist: Zughaier SM et al, 2014 (The implications of this one effect are staggering as calcitriol is disrupting the conserved process of iron RES (REcycling System) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25097830/
12) Active-D inhibits HIF-1 (The master “Smoke Alarm”): Ben-Shoshan M et al, 2007 (Given that HIF controls ~2,500 Genes responding to functional “Hypoxia,” suppressing the master “Smoke Alarm” mechanism would appear “short-sighted” and “symptom-focused,” with no regard for how and why the Inflammation occurred in the 1st place). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17431122/
(Copyright © 2020. Morley M. Robbins All Rights Reserved) 12 Reasons to RETHINK Hormone-D Supplementation