Vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin, which the body creates when skin is exposed to ultraviolet light. It is essential for immune function, calcium absorption, building and maintaining strong bones and teeth, and overall health. Many individuals lack sufficient vitamin D, and vitamin D supplementation is widely recommended throughout life.

USES & BENEFITS

Supports healthy immune system function
Aids in the normal development and maintenance of bones and teeth
Helps reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis when combined with adequate calcium, a healthy diet, and regular exercise
Helps prevent vitamin D deficiency

Natural Factors SunVitamin D3 provides a convenient, high-potency dose of vitamin D as cholecalciferol to help prevent vitamin D deficiency, and for the development and maintenance of strong bones and teeth. Vitamin D3 is the natural form of this vital nutrient and is most effective at raising blood levels of active vitamin D.

Vitamin D plays a key role in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, two minerals that are vital for proper bone mineralization and turnover. Vitamin D is also required for the body’s innate and adaptive immune responses.

Each softgel delivers a single 2500 IU (62.5 mcg) dose of vitamin D3 for convenient maintenance of adequate vitamin D levels in people who are deficient due to a low dietary intake, minimal sun exposure, or inadequate absorption. When combined with an adequate calcium intake, a healthy diet, and regular exercise, vitamin D3 helps reduce the risk of developing the brittle, weak bones of osteoporosis.

SunVitamin D3 2500 IU is certified non-GMO and is available in multiple sizes. This formula contains no artificial colours, preservatives, sweeteners, and is suitable for use during pregnancy and while nursing an infant.

INGREDIENTS

Each Softgel Contains:
Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) .................. 2500 IU (62.5 mcg)

Non-medicinal Ingredients: Softgel (gelatin, glycerin, purified water), organic flaxseed oil.

HOW IT WORKS

Vitamin D3 is a fat-soluble vitamin made naturally in skin exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. The liver converts this form of vitamin D3 (called calciol) into calcidiol (25-hydroxyvitamin D3), the inactive storage form of vitamin D3. Calcidiol is then converted into the active form of vitamin D3 called calcitriol (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3), primarily in the kidneys, through the action of the 1α-hydroxylase enzyme. The kidneys are not the only place in the body where this conversion happens, however; 1α-hydroxylase is also present in parts of the respiratory system, including the airway epithelium and alveolar macrophages, as well as in immune system cells called dendritic cells and lymphocytes (Hansdottir & Monick, 2011).

Vitamin D activates T cells, the killer cells of the immune system (von Essen et al., 2010), and is involved in regulating cell growth, neuromuscular and immune function, and infl ammation (NIH, 2021). Vitamin D3 helps increase the number of receptors on immune system cells, may infl uence the release of protective proteins when there is an infection, and helps white blood cells recognize foreign invaders.

Vitamin D also promotes calcium and phosphorus absorption, which is necessary to build and maintain bones and teeth; enable dietary calcium absorption from the intestines and resorption of calcium by the kidneys; and facilitate calcium incorporation in bone for proper bone mineralization (Stargrove et al., 2008; Margulies et al., 2015).

RESEARCH

Vitamin D supports the absorption and use of calcium and phosphorus to help increase bone mineralization. These nutrients work synergistically to sustain peak bone mass and prevent bone loss with age. A 10-year study of 9,382 men and women found a significant relationship between bone mineral density and supplementation with vitamin D and calcium. Over time, women ages 25 and older who took more than 400 IU vitamin D per day were found to have greater bone mineral density in their lumbar spine, hips, and femoral neck bones. Men ages 16–24 with a daily vitamin D intake above 400 IU were found to have greater bone mineral density in their hip and femoral neck bones (Zhou et al., 2013). In people who have experienced hip fractures, vitamin D deficiency can slow recovery. Patients with serum levels below 12 ng/mL were found to have more difficulty regaining their ability to walk after surgery (Hao et al., 2020).

Osteoporosis is the outcome of thin and weakened bones and is a significant health concern for aging women. Fortunately, it can be prevented by maintaining bone mineral density through diet and exercise. In a clinical study, participants were supplemented with a daily dose of 2000 IU of vitamin D, 100 mcg of vitamin K2, and 25 mg of magnesium. After 12 months, bone mineral density in the hip, spine, and femoral neck of participants had increased by 4%, 8%, and 4%, respectively (Genuis & Bouchard, 2012).

Vitamin D plays a key role in the body’s innate immunity and natural antimicrobial defense system. It is an important nutrient for endurance athletes because of their susceptibility to upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) caused by the immune suppression that follows long and intense periods of physical activity. A clinical study found that endurance athletes who were deficient in vitamin D (blood concentrations <30 nmol/L) had a 40% greater frequency of URTIs than those with optimal levels (blood concentrations >120 nmol/L). URTI symptoms were also observed to last an average of eight days longer in athletes who were deficient in vitamin D compared to those with optimal levels (He et al., 2013).

In some populations, a moderately higher dose of vitamin D is needed to have a measurable effect on blood levels and health outcomes. In a randomized, controlled intervention, women who supplemented with 2000 IU of vitamin D3 per day during their second and third trimesters of pregnancy were found to have 36% higher levels of the immune system’s T cells than women who supplemented with 400 IU per day (Zerofsky et al., 2016).

Health surveys show that more than 27% of Canadians ages 3–79 years have inadequate vitamin D levels, putting them at an increased risk for osteomalacia, osteoporosis, bone loss, and fractures, along with URTIs and some chronic health problems (Statistics Canada, 2019; Lips et al., 2019; He et al., 2013). Certain populations have an increased risk of vitamin D deficiency, including people with limited UVB exposure from living at northern latitudes or regularly wearing sunscreen and protective clothing, people over 70 years of age, and those with a limited intake of foods containing vitamin D, such as oily fish, dairy products, and other fortified foods (Lips et al., 2019). Additionally, malabsorption syndromes, such as inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease, are associated with a higher incidence of vitamin D deficiency than in healthy populations (Margulies et al., 2015).