This is the WORST Form of Vitamin D (Use THIS Instead)

Summary

This video script delves into the complexities of vitamin D synthesis and metabolism, highlighting three main sources: sunlight, food, and supplementation. It discusses the process of vitamin D conversion in the body and the advantages of each source, emphasizing the importance of supporting nutrients and co-factors for optimal vitamin D function. The script also addresses the sustainability of vitamin D from different sources, suggesting sunlight as the most efficient with a sustained release effect, and touches on supplementation as a practical intervention for specific populations.

Takeaways

• 🌞 Sunlight is a primary source of vitamin D, with UVB rays triggering the synthesis of pre-vitamin D in the skin, which then converts to its active form.
• 🥗 Vitamin D can also be obtained through food, but it often requires consuming large quantities due to the varying bioavailability depending on factors like the biome and absorption.
• 💊 Supplementation is a convenient method to increase vitamin D levels, especially for those who may not get enough from sunlight or food.
• 🔁 The body processes vitamin D from the sun, food, and supplements similarly, with the main difference being the initial absorption and conversion steps.
• 🧬 The conversion of vitamin D in the body involves several stages, including the formation of 25-hydroxy vitamin D in the liver and its activation in the kidneys to its active form.
• 🥩 Consuming vitamin D-rich foods like liver, sardines, or cod liver oil provides not only the vitamin but also supporting nutrients that aid its function.
• 🤔 The efficiency of vitamin D absorption from food can be affected by the individual's gut microbiome and other factors, making it less predictable than sunlight or supplementation.
• 💡 Vitamin D2 from plant sources like mushrooms has a lower affinity for the vitamin D binding protein compared to vitamin D3 from animal sources or sunlight.
• ☀️ Regular exposure to sunlight provides a sustained release of vitamin D, with effects lasting longer in the body compared to oral intake.
• 🏠 People living in regions with limited sunlight, such as Alaska, or those with darker skin tones, may benefit from vitamin D supplementation to overcome potential deficiencies.
• 📉 Vitamin D from sunlight binds more effectively to the vitamin D binding protein and lasts longer in the body, suggesting a preference for natural sunlight exposure over supplementation for long-term sustainability.

Q & A

What are the three primary ways to obtain vitamin D as mentioned in the script?

The three primary ways to obtain vitamin D are through sunlight, food, and supplementation.

How does the body synthesize vitamin D from sunlight?

The body synthesizes vitamin D from sunlight by absorbing UVB light, which then binds to 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D) in the skin, converting it to previtamin D, and eventually to vitamin D through a series of isomerization processes.

What is the role of vitamin D binding protein in the body?

Vitamin D binding protein carries vitamin D molecules to the liver, where it is converted into 25-hydroxy vitamin D, the primary circulatory form of the vitamin.

What is the significance of 25-hydroxy vitamin D in the body?

25-hydroxy vitamin D is the primary circulatory form of vitamin D and is what is typically measured to assess a person's vitamin D levels.

How does the vitamin D from food differ from that obtained through sunlight or supplementation?

The process of vitamin D from food converging with sunlight or supplementation begins after it is converted into its normal form and binds to the vitamin D binding protein. The differences lie in the initial absorption and the supporting nutrients that come with food sources.

What are some food sources of vitamin D mentioned in the script?

Some food sources of vitamin D mentioned in the script include liver, sardines, and cod liver oil.

Why might someone choose to supplement vitamin D instead of relying solely on sunlight or food?

Supplementing vitamin D can be beneficial for individuals who cannot get enough vitamin D from sunlight or food, such as those with limited sun exposure, certain dietary restrictions, or specific health conditions.

What is the difference between vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 in terms of binding to the vitamin D binding protein?

Vitamin D3 has a higher affinity for the vitamin D binding protein compared to vitamin D2, which means it binds more effectively and is more efficiently utilized by the body.

According to the script, which form of vitamin D was found to have a longer lasting effect in the body?

Vitamin D obtained from sunlight was found to have a longer lasting effect in the body compared to orally ingested vitamin D.

What are some situations where vitamin D supplementation might be necessary or beneficial?

Vitamin D supplementation might be necessary or beneficial for individuals who are obese, have certain religious clothing practices that limit sun exposure, have darker skin which may reduce the body's ability to produce vitamin D, or live in regions with limited sunlight.

What does the script suggest about the sustainability of different sources of vitamin D in the body?

The script suggests that vitamin D from sunlight is more sustainable in the body due to its higher binding efficiency to the vitamin D binding protein and its sustained release effect over time.

Outlines

00:00

🌞 Understanding Vitamin D Synthesis and Metabolism

This paragraph delves into the complex process of vitamin D synthesis and metabolism within the body. It explains the three primary ways to obtain vitamin D: through sunlight, food, and supplementation, each with its pros and cons. The focus is on the body's synthesis of vitamin D from UVB light exposure, the transformation of pro-vitamin D into pre-vitamin D, and its eventual conversion into the bioavailable form through the liver and kidneys. The paragraph also touches on the importance of vitamin D binding protein in transporting the vitamin through the bloodstream and the significance of 25-hydroxy vitamin D as the primary circulatory form. It concludes with a comparison of vitamin D absorption from sunlight versus ingestion, highlighting the nuances of bioavailability and the convergence of these pathways in the liver.

05:01

🍽 The Benefits and Drawbacks of Vitamin D from Food

This section of the script emphasizes the advantages of obtaining vitamin D from food sources, such as sardines, liver, and cod liver oil, which provide supporting nutrients that may enhance vitamin D's functionality in the body. It acknowledges the challenge of needing to consume large quantities of certain foods to achieve adequate vitamin D levels and suggests that while food is a beneficial source, reliance solely on it may not be practical. The paragraph also introduces the concept of vitamin D2 from sources like mushrooms, which has a lower affinity for the vitamin D binding protein compared to vitamin D3, and discusses the implications of this difference based on a study published in the Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism.

10:01

💊 The Role of Vitamin D Supplements and Their Sustainability

The final paragraph discusses the role of vitamin D supplementation as a practical intervention for increasing vitamin D levels, especially for individuals who may not be able to obtain sufficient amounts through sunlight or food. It references a meta-analysis from Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition that shows supplementation can significantly raise vitamin D levels compared to sunlight exposure. However, the paragraph also expresses a preference for natural sources over synthetic supplements, citing concerns about the long-term use of synthetic vitamins. It identifies specific groups that may benefit from supplementation, such as obese individuals, those with darker skin, and people living in regions with limited sunlight. The paragraph concludes with a study from the Journal of Clinical Investigation that highlights the superior binding efficiency and longer-lasting effects of vitamin D from sunlight compared to oral ingestion, suggesting that sunlight is the most sustainable and efficient source of vitamin D.

Keywords

💡Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for various bodily functions, including calcium absorption and bone health. It is a central theme of the video, as it discusses the different ways to obtain and maintain optimal levels of vitamin D. The script mentions that vitamin D can be synthesized from sunlight, obtained through food, or supplemented, highlighting the importance of this nutrient for long-term health.

💡Sunlight

Sunlight is a natural source of vitamin D, as UVB rays stimulate the synthesis of the vitamin in the skin. The video explains that exposure to sunlight leads to the creation of pre-vitamin D, which is then converted into a form that can enter the bloodstream. The script emphasizes the role of sunlight in vitamin D synthesis and its efficiency compared to other sources.

💡Supplementation

Supplementation refers to the intake of vitamins and minerals through pills or other forms of dietary additives. In the context of the video, supplementation is presented as a convenient way to increase vitamin D levels, especially for those who may not get enough from sunlight or food. However, the script also discusses the potential drawbacks and the preference for natural sources when possible.

💡Food

Food is one of the natural ways to obtain vitamin D, with certain items like fatty fish, egg yolks, and liver being particularly rich in this nutrient. The video script mentions that while food can provide vitamin D along with supporting nutrients, it often requires consuming large amounts to achieve desired levels.

💡Vitamin D Binding Protein

Vitamin D Binding Protein (DBP) is a protein in the blood that transports vitamin D metabolites. The script explains that vitamin D from sunlight binds to DBP more efficiently than when ingested orally, which affects the absorption and utilization of the vitamin in the body.

💡UVB Light

UVB light is a type of ultraviolet radiation present in sunlight that plays a crucial role in the synthesis of vitamin D. The video script describes how UVB light interacts with the skin to produce pre-vitamin D, initiating the process of vitamin D production.

💡25-Hydroxy Vitamin D

25-Hydroxy Vitamin D, also known as calcifediol, is the primary form of vitamin D in the bloodstream and is used to measure a person's vitamin D levels. The video script discusses the conversion process of vitamin D into this form in the liver, which is essential for understanding the body's vitamin D status.

💡Metabolism

Metabolism in the context of the video refers to the biochemical processes that the body undergoes to convert ingested or synthesized vitamin D into its active forms. The script details the steps of vitamin D metabolism, from its synthesis in the skin to its activation in the liver and kidneys.

💡Pre-Vitamin D

Pre-vitamin D is an intermediate form of vitamin D produced in the skin after exposure to UVB light. The video script explains that pre-vitamin D is created from pro-vitamin D and is then converted into a form that can enter the bloodstream and be metabolized by the body.

💡1,25-Dihydroxy Vitamin D

1,25-Dihydroxy Vitamin D, also known as calcitriol, is the active form of vitamin D produced in the kidneys. The video script mentions this form as the final product of vitamin D metabolism, which is crucial for regulating calcium and phosphate levels in the body.

💡Sustainability

In the context of the video, sustainability refers to the duration that different sources of vitamin D can maintain adequate levels in the body. The script discusses a study that found vitamin D from sunlight lasted longer in the body compared to orally ingested forms, suggesting sunlight as a more sustainable source of vitamin D.

Highlights

Three primary methods of obtaining vitamin D are sunlight, food, and supplementation, each with its own pros and cons.

Vitamin D synthesis involves UVB light binding to pro-vitamin D, converting it into pre-vitamin D stored in fat cells.

Pre-vitamin D molecules stabilize and enter the bloodstream, where they are transported to the liver by a vitamin D binding protein.

In the liver, vitamin D is converted into 25-hydroxy vitamin D, the primary form measured in blood tests.

Vitamin D from food and supplements converge at the stage of binding to the vitamin D binding protein.

Food sources of vitamin D often provide supporting nutrients that aid in vitamin D's function in the body.

Obtaining vitamin D from food requires consuming large amounts due to its low concentration in most foods.

Sunlight exposure is suggested as a sustainable method for maintaining vitamin D levels with minimal time required.

Vitamin D2 from sources like mushrooms has a lower affinity for the vitamin D binding protein compared to D3.

Supplementation can rapidly increase vitamin D levels but may lack the sustained release effect of sunlight exposure.

A meta-analysis showed that vitamin D supplementation resulted in significantly higher levels compared to sunlight exposure alone.

Sunlight exposure's efficiency is suggested to be higher due to a sustained release effect over several days.

Certain populations, such as obese individuals, may benefit from vitamin D supplementation due to fat sequestration.

People with darker skin or those living in regions with limited sunlight may require supplementation.

Vitamin D from sunlight was found to last two to three times longer in the body than when ingested orally.

The study suggests a hierarchy of vitamin D sources, with sunlight being the most sustainable and efficient.

The video promotes Thrive Market as a convenient source for vitamin D rich foods with a discount offer for first-time orders.

Transcripts

[Music]

we have a three-headed monster right we

we have a bunch of people that want

vitamin d but three real ways to get it

through the sunlight

through our food

or everyone's favorite through

supplementation

there are drawbacks to each and pros to

each but we need to understand which one

might be best for long-term

vitamin d levels really getting our

vitamin d levels where we want them in

order to understand this we have to look

at the synthesis and metabolism of

vitamin d within the body because it's

not like we're just ingesting

vitamin d in its magical bioavailable

form it still goes through a process in

the body so let's start with how it's

synthesized from the sun so when you go

out in the sun you absorb uvb light okay

these uvb lights then bind to when the

absorbs it binds to dna it binds to rna

and it binds to different proteins

then there is something called seven

okay this is also known as pro vitamin d

this basically sits between the

triglyceride fatty acid hydrocarbon

tails so it's kind of like stored

somewhat in our fat okay well what

happens is this pro vitamin d then acts

upon the uvb light and it ultimately

creates

what's called pre-vitamin d so it's kind

of complicated it goes from pro vitamin

d into what is called pre-vitamin d now

these pre-vitamin d molecules then get

acted upon by isomers that make them

more stable so what that means is these

pre-vitamin ds are now thermodynamically

stable which means that they can leave a

cell and go into the capillary beds they

can now essentially go into the

bloodstream and once they're ready to go

here then they circulate to the liver

but we're going to pause right there

because they bind to something called a

vitamin d binding protein and i want to

pause here because now i want to talk

about when we ingest vitamin d because

they kind of come together at this point

okay so now we know the process when we

absorb it from the sun but when we

ingest vitamin d it's a very similar

process except we have some nuancy stuff

some would say that maybe we don't

absorb all the vitamin d from our food

because it all depends on the biome it

all depends on absorption it all depends

on clio microns all this kind of stuff

which is absolutely true but once it has

become its normal vitamin d form that's

bound to vitamin d binding protein

the fates converge

sunlight food supplement they all kind

of come together at this point so at

this point they bind to vitamin d

binding protein which carries them to

the liver

now in the liver cytochrome p450a

converts this vitamin d into what is

called 25 hydroxy vitamin d this is the

primary circulatory form so this is what

you are measuring generally is what the

liver has converted okay so at this

point it doesn't matter if you got your

vitamin d from a mushroom if you got it

from fish or if you got it from the sun

at this point it's all the same okay

so once it's in this circulatory form of

25 hydroxy vitamin d

then it gets acted upon by an enzyme in

the kidneys when it's ready to be called

to action

now it gets converted into 25 dew

hydroxy vitamin d which is more it's

called the arms version and again it

doesn't matter where you got it at this

point this is it's you know

massive amounts of distillation

enzymatic reactions have created this

right

so then we have to ask the question well

what's the best way to get it well with

food i love getting it from food because

you get supporting nutrients you get

supporting things like vitamin a along

with it like if you eat liver or if you

eat sardines or if you eat cod liver oil

things like that that don't sound super

exciting but i guess they are if you do

the right things with them but then

you're getting supporting vitamins that

actually might help vitamin d do its job

there's one thing to have vitamin d

levels elevated it's another thing to

have vitamin d along with cofactors

along with other support and nutrients

for it to actually do its job because it

does however 100 different things in the

body that we are only aware of now right

so the problem we face with vitamin d

from food is you typically have to eat a

large amount of it

so

then we run into this issue okay well i

have to eat a ton of egg yolks i have to

eat a ton of sardines

well you don't want to be getting all

your vitamin d from food i mean unless

you're in a specific situation you know

you really have no need to get it all

from food but it makes sense to get it

in different sources right sunlight

food and if you can't get it from there

then get it from supplementation i

usually recommend try to get as much

vitamin d rich food as you possibly can

because getting the sunlight it really

doesn't take much it only takes like 10

or 15 minutes of sunlight but also it

only takes 10 or 15 minutes of not going

in the sun to lower your levels of

vitamin d for that day so if you keep

your levels stable by consistently

having food in the equation that is rich

in vitamin d then that's really good too

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just to get this out of the way vitamin

d2 that you might get from like

mushrooms and things like that still an

absolutely viable source of vitamin d

however it does not seem to bind to the

vitamin d binding protein as well as

cola calciferol does from the sun or

from like animal product like egg yolks

like fish like meat things like that

there's a study that was published in

the journal of endocrinology metabolism

that gave subjects 50 000 ius of vitamin

d3 or 50 000 ius of vitamin d2 and they

found that there was one third the

absorption of the vitamin d2 compared to

the vitamin d3 and that's again just

because of the affinity for the vitamin

d receptor or the vitamin d binding

protein excuse me with the vitamin d3

versus d2 okay now we have to talk

supplement though okay we know that

getting it from food is good we know

that getting it from sun is good but

then there is an application for getting

it through supplement form which we all

seem to like because it's the easiest to

get the levels up there's a study that's

published in critical reviews in food

science and nutrition it was a

meta-analysis that looked at seven

different studies okay now in terms of

the dosing for vitamin d

vitamin d synthetic dosing ranged from

400 ius up to 5 000 ius

compared to the sunlight group we didn't

really know how long so that's the hard

part we didn't have the exquisite data

to see

how long they were out in the sun but we

do know that they were exposed to uvb

light in some cases artificial uvb light

anyhow what they found with this was

that the supplement group ended up

having significantly higher levels of

vitamin d

compared to the sunlight group

okay so right here you say oh cool is

thomas going to tell me a supplement or

oh cool i guess i should just take a

supplement no okay

i will tell you my own biased opinion

i'm not a fan of synthetic vitamin d why

because it's synthetic i see a problem

there it might raise our vitamin d

levels and it might have a practical use

case just like

modern medicine has a practical use case

but it doesn't mean that we use it every

day just like antibiotics have a

practical use case we don't use them

every day right synthetic vitamin d

might need to be used as an intervention

to get us over a hump but getting it

from sun and food just makes more sense

to me right i hope it does to you too

but anyway this study continues on the

researchers continue to say that for

people that were in the sun longer if

they had more sun exposure it closed the

gap a lot more there was less of a

significant difference between vitamin d

supplementation and people that actually

spent a long time in the sun now we

don't know what a long time is

but what's interesting is that maybe in

the summertime when you're out in the

sun a lot

you don't need the vitamin d

supplementation so who does need a

vitamin d supplement let's touch on this

really quick because i do think there

are people that need it for one if

you're obese okay because vitamin d gets

sequestered into your fat cells so if

you're overweight you have a lot of fat

on you even if your vitamin d levels are

high it's trapped in your fat so by

taking in vitamin d in a supplement form

you get yourself over the hump until you

lose weight so your vitamin d is no

longer sequestered there another

situation would be certain religions

that cover their skin all the time with

clothing right it's just hard to get

sunlight vitamin d and it's hard to get

it from food at that certain level right

so that makes sense darker skinned

people okay there's also evidence that

maybe darker skinned people face

depression more because they have less

vitamin d actually hitting their body

because more melanin acts as a filter so

if you have dark skin you might want to

supplement a little bit just to kind of

get yourself over a certain hump until

you can start figuring out the proper

numbers for yourself and additionally if

you live in a darker place or a place

where you know like alaska where half

the year it's really dark something like

that right but we need a tie breaker

here because right now it looks like

okay

supplemental works vitamin d from the

sun works vitamin d from food is great

but you need quite a bit of it okay look

again i think

in order of hierarchy sunlight

food

supplemental but let's look at

sustainability

how long does a vitamin d from a

different source last in the body

this is a different world there's a

study that's published in the journal of

clinical investigation that took a look

at the efficiency of vitamin d in terms

of a vitamin d binding protein they

found

a hundred percent of the vitamin d that

came from the sunlight would bind to a

vitamin d binding protein 100 percent it

all bound to the vitamin d binding

protein compare that to the oral form

whether it's food supplement taken

orally what would happen is

it would have to go through a phase of

digestion it would go into what's called

a clio micron and this clio micron would

then take it into the lymphatic system

then the lymphatic system would drop it

off the subclavian vein okay at which

point 60

of the vitamin d would bind to vitamin d

binding protein and 40

would bind to a lipoprotein and just be

gone excreted

so 60 would bind when orally ingested to

the vitamin d binding protein compared

to 100 from sunlight

so that's interesting right then and

there but then it continues and we see

some really interesting stuff 25 hydroxy

vitamin d from the sun

lasted two to three times longer in the

body than orally ingested

whoa what's happening here

well part of the situation could simply

be the vitamin d binding protein okay

that definitely could be a big part of

it but the other part is that it takes

eight hours for pre-vitamin d

to do the whole conversion work on

vitamin d from the sun

so that acts as sort of like a sustained

drip

so it's different it's almost like

getting it from the sun

gives you a sustained release that takes

a while so getting a lot of sunlight one

day can actually have a trickle effect

for two three four five six days maybe

weeks after that depending on how long

it takes to completely diminish whereas

getting uh

like literally like an injection of

vitamin d or an oral infusion of vitamin

d or possibly even eating it you're

gonna have high increases and then it's

gonna drop high increases with lower

efficiency

whereas sunlight you're going to get

high efficiency with sustained release

so although the acute amount and the

acute increase might be the most with

supplement form it seems like from a

sustainability standpoint being able to

last for a longer period of time getting

it from the sun is the best

and it does kind of make sense right

because from a biological or even

evolutionary sense just naturally it's

colder and darker in the winter

so maybe we get sunlight through the

summer and the fall

that's allowing us to absorb more

vitamin d and have a trickle effect that

carries us over a little bit through the

winter it just makes sense to pay

attention to natural rhythms so as

always keep it locked to hear my channel

and i'll see you tomorrow