In this episode I'm unraveling some of the downstream -not so great - side effects that come from taking too much supplemental vitamin D.
It's kinda funny how we tend to pick out single nutrients and treat them as a god unto themselves, isn't it?
Such as the hormone-vitamin D craze we are currently observing due to the
v-i-r-u-s of the year.
But, this is treating a single nutrient (which is actually a hormone to vitamin conversion inside the body) as if it were a drug IMO.
That's not how a nutritional therapist works with nutrients/nutrition.
So, I thought I'd share about a mineral that can get 'drained' by excessive high dose D supplementation.
I see it occurring in people who take the fake sunshine in a bottle in high doses, several thousand IU per day (yes, even paired with K2 in many cases) for months on end.
I see it in people who test stored D levels and in people who don't. I see it in people who's doctors put them on it without follow up. I also see it in people who are guessing all on their own.
The problem is, the supplemental form skips steps in vitamin D metabolism. It's really good at raising tissue calcium which in turn can decrease tissue potassium when the calcium isn't being taken where it needs to go (yes, even with K2 -you need much more than that for effective calcium metabolism).
This increase in tissue calcium and decrease in tissue potassium actually antagonizes thyroid function (creating what we call a thyroid hormone resistance pattern).
And this is just ONE of the problems that can occur with excess D supplementation over time.
So, when you have this pattern, you likely have much less energy, slower metabolism, slow cognitive function but also more anxiety. Basically, all the symptoms of 'hypothyroidism' could occur or increase.
So in light of this, I'm curious, is it worth is to push a stored level of a hormone-vitamin on paper, yet increase the chance of total body meltdown?
Anyway, one nutrient I know for sure is safe to consume more of, because most people aren't getting enough of... which, by the way, will also provide you with numerous other nutrients and benefits is POTASSIUM.
It's one of my favorite minerals. I encourage you to check in with your daily intake to see if you are actually consuming enough.
If you aren't, consider playing a little game for a week or two and challenge yourself to get more in your daily consumption.
*Side benefit: its a powerful anti-anxiety mineral (perhaps something many of us need more of right now?).
In this episode, I explain the downstream impact of excess D on tissue calcium levels that leads to a demand for more magnesium and eventually drains sodium and potassium. Then I share how the excess of calcium and decrease of potassium affects thyroid health by creating a thyroid hormone resistance pattern.
The pro of this approach is you won't be isolating one nutrient apart from others or throwing your biochemistry completely out of balance, therefore your health!
Learn more about my program REMINERALIZE so you can learn how to approach your vitamin and minerals in an effective and balanced way that doesn't throw your entire system off balance!