Often called the 'sunshine vitamin', vitamin D plays an integral role in skin protection and rejuvenation. In its active form as calcitriol, vitamin D contributes to skin cell growth, repair, and metabolism. It enhances the skin's immune system and helps to destroy free radicals that can cause premature ageing.
Vitamin D has antimicrobial properties that might calm symptoms. A 2016 study found that vitamin D supplements resulted in clearer skin after 8 weeks. Also, keeping your D levels on fleek might help with acne inflammation. The hormone has anti-inflammatory properties that could reduce redness and swelling.
Benefits of Vitamin D for Skin
Decreases inflammation: "The most important practical use of Vitamin D in the skin to date is as a mild-to-moderate anti-inflammatory, used clinically as a cream in the treatment of conditions like psoriasis, eczema, and vitiligo," Dhingra says.
Numerous functions of the skin are regulated by vitamin D and/or its receptor. These include inhibition of proliferation, stimulation of differentiation including formation of the permeability barrier, promotion of innate immunity, regulation of the hair follicle cycle, and suppression of tumor formation.
If you're lacking in vitamin D, your skin may tell on you. For example, if you're not getting enough vitamin D, your complexion might be dull, lacking that desired glow and you might also experience dry, flaky skin on your face and other areas of your body.
You may experience red, dry and itchy skin due to vitamin D deficiency. Intake of vitamin D can help you treat such skin problems. It can also reduce skin rashes. Vitamin D is also beneficial for treating eczema which is also a skin condition.
1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 increases collagen production in dermal fibroblasts.
“Adding an over-the-counter vitamin D supplement can make improvements in just three to four months time. Vitamin D with a strength of 1000-2000 international units daily is the recommended dose for most adults,” Dr.
According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin D promotes calcium absorption in the gut and helps regulate the concentration of calcium and phosphorus in the blood, which supports building and maintaining healthy, strong bones and helps regulate skeletal and neuromuscular function.
There's no set time of day that's best to take vitamin D supplements. Some people say taking vitamin D supplements at night is an insomnia risk. There's no research to confirm this, but you might want to take your supplement earlier in the day if you think it's screwing with your sleep.
Growing evidence has demonstrated that vitamin D has a role in sleep regulation [12]. Specifically, vitamin D deficiency (VDD) can increase risk of sleep disorders and is associated with sleep difficulties, shorter sleep duration, and nocturnal awakenings in children and adults [13,14,15].
In general, the two main causes of vitamin D deficiency are: Not getting enough vitamin D in your diet and/or through sunlight. Your body isn't properly absorbing or using vitamin D.
Having inadequate levels of vitamin D may correlate with unintentional weight gain. A study on women over the age of 65 found that participants with a lower vitamin D level experienced more weight gain. A systematic review of 23 different studies found similar associations between vitamin D deficiency and obesity.
Therefore, conditions that affect the gut and digestion, like celiac disease, chronic pancreatitis, Crohn's disease, and cystic fibrosis, can reduce vitamin D absorption.
Vitamin D3 also stimulates collagen production which improves elasticity and lessens fine lines and wrinkles. It reduces pigment discoloration and the appearance of dark spots and redness.
Normal levels of vitamin D are capable of maintaining these processes at their normal low rates and this slows down the ageing process and also helps to prevent the onset of a number of age-related diseases (e.g. Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, hypertension and cardiovascular disease).
A daily dose of vitamin D 800 IU should prevent very low vitamin D levels, and should be sufficient to help most aging adults get the benefit — whatever it may be — of vitamin D. Furthermore, vitamin D 800 IU/day is highly unlikely to cause harm to most older adults.
Use the CVS Health At Home Vitamin D Test Kit to get accurate and comprehensive results in the privacy and comfort of your own home. Simply collect your blood sample using this convenient kit, mail it to the lab, and receive your results through a secure online portal in just a few days.
"Adequate levels of magnesium in the body are essential for the absorption and metabolism not only of vitamin D but of calcium as well," Dean states. "Magnesium converts vitamin D into its active form so that it can help calcium absorption.
Can you take vitamin D and magnesium together? Yes. In fact, it's probably best to take both together. Because so many people have low magnesium levels, vitamin D supplements on their own aren't very helpful for a large portion of the population.
Melatonin production relies on vitamin D: Vitamin D helps the body produce melatonin, a hormone that supports sleep. Low levels of vitamin D could result in low levels of melatonin, leading to sleep problems.