The Benefits of Vitamin D3 Injections

Most people know it’s essential to go outside and get sun exposure daily. Still, you may not know why it’s essential. This is because when the sun’s ultraviolet rays reach your skin cells, it provides the energy for cholesterol in the cells to produce vitamin D, also known as “the sunshine vitamin.” 

Vitamin D is extremely important to the healthy functioning of our bodies, and it can be dangerous if there aren’t adequate levels of it within the body.

Some people require extra supplementation of vitamin D to maintain the levels required for both health and happiness. There are natural ways of boosting your body’s levels, through your diet and exposure to sunlight. Still, people can also supplement using manufactured vitamin D. This is where vitamin D shot benefits come into play for a number of reasons.

They can choose to take oral supplements in a pill form, or to get injections with a higher concentration of vitamin D. Compared to the orally ingested version of vitamin D; however, the vitamin D3 injection benefits outshine the oral form of the vitamin most times.

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The Basics: What Is Vitamin D? The Benefits of Vitamin D Injections

Vitamin D is essential to the healthy functioning of the body and especially for building and maintaining strong and healthy bones. Vitamin D is naturally produced by the body and is also found naturally in several foods. 

There are two forms of vitamin D, vitamin D2 and D3. Vitamin D2 is known as ergocalciferol, and can be found in plants and mushrooms. Vitamin D3, known as cholecalciferol, is more commonly found in meats, animal foods, fatty fish, and egg yolks. 

25 (OH) D, the parent molecule of vitamin D3, is the significantly more effective form of Vitamin D in terms of increasing and maintaining appropriate blood levels. Vitamin D3 is the more active form of vitamin D in the body.

Vitamin D promotes the gut absorption of calcium and phosphorus minerals, which are important for bone structure and health. Calcium is a mineral that is maintained in very tight control in the blood and body. It is essential for the function of many tissues, such as muscle and bones. 

Calcium is stored in the bone and released into the blood when needed. Vitamin D is required to provide the calcium needed to store in bones. Vitamin D clearly plays an important role in the healthy functioning of our entire body, and when someone doesn’t have sufficient levels of this key vitamin in their bloodstream, it can lead to problems with cell growth, nerve and muscle function, and glucose metabolism (NIH, 2020).

Other potential benefits from vitamin D3 injections include, but are not limited to:

• Improved function of the immune system
• Protection against heart disease
• Improved blood pressure levels
• Reduced risks associated with obesity
• Lower rise in glucose levels, which may lower risk of diabetes
• Reduced risk of cognitive decline, especially among the elderly population, is one of the essential vitamin D3 injection benefits

Understanding Vitamin D2 

Vitamin D2 helps in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, supporting strong bones and preventing conditions like osteoporosis.It modulates the immune system, enhancing its ability to fight infections and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. 

It’s also great for lowering the risk of heart disease. While the benefits of vitamin D shots are seemingly endless, it’s important to consult with a medical professional before starting any supplementation.

Understanding Vitamin D3

Vitamin D3’s benefits are manifold. First and foremost, it plays a pivotal role in supporting bone health by aiding the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, which is essential for maintaining strong and healthy bones. 

This makes it an essential nutrient for preventing conditions like osteoporosis and rickets. Additionally, vitamin D3 is known to boost the immune system, promoting better defense against infections and reducing the risk of chronic diseases.

Moreover, vitamin D3 has been linked to improved cardiovascular health, helping to regulate blood pressure and reducing the risk of heart disease. It also plays a role in mood regulation by influencing serotonin levels, potentially reducing the risk of depression and supporting overall mental well-being.H2: Sunshine And Vitamin D

As we already know, vitamin D is the “sunshine vitamin.” This is because when the sun’s ultraviolet rays hit your skin cells, your skin produces vitamin D from cholesterol. The sunlight gives our body the energy needed to synthesize vitamin D. But you probably also know that if people get too much sun exposure, it can lead to skin aging and skin cancer. 

Too much sunlight also puts you at risk for sunburn, heatstroke, eye damage, and skin changes such as moles, freckles, and leathery skin. Sunscreen is important to prevent the sun from being harmful to your skin and your body, but it can also decrease your body’s ability to produce vitamin D.

Scientists recommend allowing your skin time in the sunlight without sunscreen. Some studies suggest that you should wear an SPF of 30 or lower, as higher levels of SPF sunscreen inhibit the body’s ability to produce vitamin D. 

It is important to take caution with exposure to UV light, so it is recommended that people supplement their Vitamin D levels through their diet or additional supplementation if they are at higher risk from sun exposure or cannot get enough sun exposure. People with more pigment in their skin, over age 50, and those who live further from the equator cannot convert as much vitamin D in their skin.

Your skin’s amount of vitamin D depends on various factors, mainly where you live and your personal lifestyle. The amount of vitamin D you produce depends on the time of day, the season, latitude, and skin tone. 

Studies show that the best time to get exposure to sunlight is midday because the sun is at its peak around noon. Your body requires less time outside to absorb UV rays to convert vitamin D. Depending on the location you live you will need anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes in the sun three times per week to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D. Scientists recommend that you expose about a third of your skin area to allow your body to absorb sufficient levels of sunlight.

Vitamin D Deficiencies

It is more common to have a vitamin D deficiency than you may think. In fact, a little over 40% of Americans are vitamin D deficient (Parva et al., 2018). That means that four out of ten people in the United States have a vitamin D deficiency. Although it varies, typically, the recommended dose of Vitamin D is 600 International Units (IUs) daily. 

The recommended amount is less for babies during their first year of life, around 400 IU. And as we age, our bodies tend to naturally produce less vitamin D, so it is recommended that adults who are 71 years old and older get about 800 IUs of vitamin D every day. Even these numbers vary from person to person, especially if someone is battling an illness or disease. (NIH, 2020)

Symptoms and signs of vitamin D deficiency include fatigue or tiredness, bone, muscle, joint pain, low mood, low energy, frequent illness, anxiety, irritability, and weight gain. However, many people will only experience subtle symptoms if they have a vitamin D deficiency. To confirm a vitamin D deficiency, you must consult with a doctor who can order blood tests that will assess the levels of vitamin D. 

Then, they will be able to determine if supplementation and injection therapy will be beneficial for you and your personal health needs.

There are several reasons that someone may be deficient in vitamin D. Either they didn’t get enough of the vitamin from their diet, or sometimes there is a malabsorption problem, which means that your body isn’t taking the necessary nutrients from the food you’re eating. 

It is also possible that someone’s liver or kidney cannot effectively convert vitamin D into its active form, or that the medications they are taking are interfering with the body’s ability to absorb and convert it. It is common for those who don’t get enough exposure to sunlight, especially people who work the night shift and people who live in dark environments or locations, to experience vitamin D deficiencies.

Other people who are at high risk of vitamin D deficiencies include:

• Adults over the age of 70, because your body doesn’t naturally make enough vitamin D when exposed to sunlight as efficiently as when people are young
• People with dark skin, because the melanin prevents their ability to produce vitamin D from exposure to sunlight
• People who live in areas far from the equator, especially during the winter months
• People with Crohn’s disease or celiac disease who don’t handle fat properly, as vitamin D needs fat to be absorbed and effectively activated
• People who are obese
• People who have had gastric bypass surgery
• People with osteoporosis
• People with chronic kidney or liver disease
• Breastfed infants, because human milk is a poor source of vitamin D
• People with granulomatous disease, which is caused by chronic inflammation (granulomatous diseases include sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, and histoplasmosis)
• People with lymphoma, which is a type of cancer of the lymphatic system (tumors found on lymph nodes, spleen, thymus gland, and bone marrow)
• People who take medicines that affect vitamin D metabolism, such as anti-seizure drugs, antifungal drugs, and HIV/AIDS medicines (Holick & Gordon, 2011)                                                         

While these people listed above are at a higher risk of being deficient in vitamin D3, anybody in the general population might have a vitamin D deficiency. Deficiencies can pose dangerous symptoms, complications, and can lead to more severe illnesses and diseases, so it is important to find deficiencies early on before they cause further problems. 

For example, a vitamin D deficiency can lead to a loss of bone density, leading to osteoporosis, osteomalacia, and broken bones. In children, a vitamin D deficiency can cause rickets. 

There are also associations with low levels of vitamin D and illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, and multiple sclerosis. Whether a vitamin D deficiency causes these medical conditions or is a byproduct or symptom is unclear. 

Supplementing with vitamin D3 injections benefits the immune, nervous, and bone health.

Where To Get A Vitamin D3 Injection

Clearly, there are various vitamin D3 injection benefits and minimal risk associated with vitamin D supplementation. If you already know that you’re vitamin D deficient, or you have confirmed your deficiency with blood tests, then you might be ready to start your journey with vitamin D3 injections. 

Vitamin D3 injections can help you feel your best, which starts from within. You may be wondering where to start, or you may be feeling overwhelmed by the options. Consider starting at Invigor Medical, a facility that is based in the United States.

Invigor Medical is an online clinic. Our highly qualified staff are experts in their field, so you can have confidence that you receive the best, high-quality care when you work with Invigor Medical.

DISCLAIMER

While we strive to always provide accurate, current, and safe advice in all of our articles and guides, it’s important to stress that they are no substitute for medical advice from a doctor or healthcare provider.  You should always consult a practicing professional who can diagnose your specific case.  The content we’ve included in this guide is merely meant to be informational and does not constitute medical advice. 

References:

1. Parva, N. R., Tadepalli, S., Singh, P., Qian, A., Joshi, R., Kandala, H., Nookala, V. K., & Cheriyath, P. (2018). Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency and Associated Risk Factors in the US Population (2011-2012). Cureus, 10(6), e2741. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.2741
2. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements – Vitamin D. (2020). Retrieved from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/
3. BU School of Medicine. (2020). Adequate levels of vitamin D reduces complications, death among COVID-19 patients. Retrieved from https://www.bumc.bu.edu/busm/2020/09/25/adequate-levels-of-vitamin-d-reduces-complications-death-among-covid-19-patients/
4. Michael F. Holick, PhD, MD, Catherine M. Gordon, MD, Patient Guide to Vitamin D Deficiency, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 96, Issue 7, 1 July 2011, Pages 1–2, https://doi.org/10.1210/jcem.96.7.zeg33a

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