Health
The Profound Significance of Getting More D in Your Life
Contemplations and existential musings on supplementing
There is a school of thought that I grew up with that medications should be minimized and avoided until necessary. Maybe that spills over into my view of supplements, as well. The belief that we should be natural… how we were made. What would we have done if modern medicine hadn’t come about? And is that how we were meant to be?
Recently, at the age of 46, I started struggling with several health issues, which was even more disappointing because I had made major health-focused changes about four years ago. I had started lifting weights regularly, combined with cardio. I had been cleaning up my diet and had been losing weight and fat.
Early last year, I found myself in a state of debilitating depression. It had never been that bad. I felt I had no choice but to start taking an anti-depressant for the first time in my life.
I got bloodwork in the late fall, and it wasn’t good. My blood pressure was running alarmingly high (155-160 for the top number) and it seemed the high BP had started to have some preliminary effects on my kidney function. I needed to start medication right away.
Soon thereafter, I noticed hair thinning right in front, right above my forehead. I inquired when I got my hair cut and the stylists suggested biotin shampoo and a biotin supplement as well. I bought some expensive shampoos and ordered a biotin supplement.
A few years ago, when I started lifting, I had noticed random joint issues. Knees, one hip or the other, elbows. And back pain. All very mild, and it would come and go. Nothing consistent.
My bloodwork also showed that my levothyroxine needed to be increased. And my vitamin D was very low.
I started taking one and a half of my levothyroxine pills, and I started supplementing with a vitamin D 2500 IU on a daily basis.
My blood pressure started getting better pretty quickly. My kidney function indicators got back to normal within three months. My TSH levels got into the normal range within three months.
And I did actually notice a lot of new hair growth in front — the hair was filling in, before I even used any of the biotin products. Some of the strands might have even gotten thicker (if I wasn’t imagining things).
But… the vitamin D was still low. In fact, it had gotten lower (I suspect the supplement had somehow taken effect, though, based on the hair growth). I was very hesitant to take the crazy (as it seemed to me) dose of 50,000 IU that my doctor had wanted me to take. But, to give it a fair shot, I finally took a serious look at the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency (instead of just thinking my body would take care of everything it needed on its own).
The list of symptoms was uncanny: back or joint pain, hair loss, headache, fatigue, low mood and depression, muscle weakness, and sleep disturbances.
I think the only one I could say with certainty that I hadn’t been experiencing is headaches.
My psychiatrist confirmed during my next visit with her that both the vitamin D deficiency and the TSH levels being off do commonly result in depression, lethargy, and lack of energy.
Were we just meant to live in the sun? Are the effects of not living outside under the sun so profound? I think they are… I think they are…
Maybe even the fitness industry’s recent obsession with steps — maybe it is so beneficial because of our natural roots… we were designed to live outside, walking from place to place.
How short modern life falls from what we actually, naturally, need… We are living indoors with artificially conditioned air… We are on computers and phones and screens so much of the time. We sit in chairs most of the day. We are eating processed foods that we get at the grocery store, instead of having to do physical work to obtain the food. How mind-numbing is it to go through the mail? And… how many times do we have to fill out a form with our name, address, phone number, and email address?
So… at the end of the day… maybe taking vitamin D supplements is not “unnatural.” Maybe it is simply filling the void in our physical and mental health that is caused by not living outdoors, with the sun’s UV rays touching our skin every day.
