Magnesium and Vitamin D...Equally Important

Vitamin D, an essential vitamin for the human body is often deficient for many.  But this doesn’t just stem from not getting enough sun/ supplements, if you have a low level of magnesium you may not be able to absorb vitamin D your body is given/ exposed to.  Sufficient magnesium level allows vital nutrient that works synergistically with vitamin D, while also essential for absorption and metabolism not only for vitamin D but calcium as well.  Magnesium converts vitamin D into its active form so that it can help with calcium absorption.   

This thing that we call vitamin D is actually a steroid hormone our bodies produce when we have enough sunshine.  It is produced as a response to sun exposure.  While it can also be consumed in food for supplement.  It is not something the body can create on it’s own. 

Vitamin D plays important roles in our body:

• Contribution to the formation and preservation of healthy bones and teeth 
• support the health of the immune system, brain, and nervous systems  
• Help the muscles function
• Regulate insulin levels and aid diabetes management 
• Support lung function and cardiovascular health 
• Influence the expression of genes involved in cancer development

Vitamin D deficiency is widespread in the US today.  The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that 50% of children ages between one and five, and 70% of those between ages six and eleven, have insufficient vitamin D levels.  Teenagers and adults fare worse.  Research from 2009 fare that around three-quarters are deficient.   

It is estimated that sensible sun exposure to the bare skin for 5-10 minutes 2-3 times per week would be suffice for people to produce vitamin D.  However, vitamin D breaks down quite quickly, meaning storage can run low especially in the winter.  Those at risks for Vitamin D deficiency: 

• Over 50 years old: our skin doesn’t make as much vitamin D from the sun.  At the same time our kidneys convert less vitamin D into the form our bodies need 
• Have Dark Skin: skin pigment acts as natural sunscreen, so the darker skin the more sun it needs (African Americans need 10x more of sunshine than pale skin)
• Overweight/ Obese: vitamin D is fat-soluble.  This means that the more fat one have the more vitamin D one will need. 
• Digestive Issues: This means the intestine ability to absorb Vitamin D from food would be affected. 
• Type of Climate: if you live in an area with less or no sun then your body won’t be able to get enough sun to make it into Vitamin D 
• Vegan/ Vegetarian: most dietary sources of Vitamin D is from meat

Conclusively, vitamin D (an essential steroid hormone for our body) cannot be metabolized without sufficient magnesium levels.  Meaning that it remains stored and inactive for as many as 50% of Americans.   Such matters can be remedied through getting some magnesium oil and rubbing it on your skin.  As they get absorbed much better that way.  








sources:
https://www.organicfacts.net/vitamin-d-magnesium 
http://www.naturallivingideas.com/?s=vitamin+d 
http://www.naturallivingideas.com/9-warning-signs-you-are-vitamin-d-deficient-how-to-fix-it/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/161618.php 
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20110615/Magnesium-essential-for-absorption-and-metabolism-of-vitamin-D-and-calcium.aspx
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20180226/Vitamin-D-cannot-be-metabolized-without-sufficient-magnesium-levels-review-finds.aspx