Vitamin D 3000 IU 180 capsules

This product contains 75 mcg of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), expressed in 3000 IU (International Units), extracted from sheep wool fat. This dosage is suitable for situations where there is an increased vitamin D requirement, such as during the winter months.

Cholecalciferol is the form of vitamin D, which is produced by humans in the skin under the influence of (ultraviolet) sunlight. Cholecalciferol is then converted in the body into the metabolite calcidiol (25-hydroxyvitamin D), and then - as required - into the biologically active hormone calcitriol (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D).

Vitamin D requirement
With enough sunlight, more than enough vitamin D is produced in the skin. In principle, Westerners can therefore meet their vitamin D needs during the summer months by spending at least half an hour outside in the sun between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. every day. However:
• Many people work indoors during the day
• The weather is often cloudy
• In good and sunny weather, many people use a sunscreen that blocks ultraviolet light.
• Outside the summer months, the sun is not strong enough.
• People with dark skin produce much less vitamin D.

The reality is, therefore, that the majority of people in the West over the year, are producing far too little vitamin D, and not getting enough vitamin D from their diet.

Optimal vitamin D blood levels
An official guideline is, the optimal vitamin D level should be 30 nanomoles per liter of blood (nmol / l), and 50 nmol / l from the age of 70. However, there are increasing indications that these values ​​are on the low side. Today many vitamin D experts state that the optimal vitamin D level for everyone should be at least 75 nmol / l.
It is a fact of experience that the vitamin D content in many people outside the summer months falls to 20 - 50 nmol / l, and sometimes even lower. It is therefore good advice to have the vitamin D value of the blood tested regularly. A second good advice is to take vitamin D in the form of nutritional supplements outside the summer months to maintain the vitamin D level in the blood.

How much vitamin D should you take daily? That is a very good question, which is not easy to answer, because every person is unique. Yet there is a general guideline that can be followed:
• At an initial value of 20 nmol / l, an adult Western human needs 100 mcg (4000 IU) daily to reach a blood value of 75 nmol / l after one month.
• At an initial value of 50 nmol / l, an adult Western human needs 50 mcg (2000 IU) daily to reach a blood value of 75 nmol / l after one month.
• After reaching a blood value of 75 nmol / l, an adult Western human needs 25 - 50 mg (1000 - 2000 IU) daily to maintain a blood value of 75 nmol / l.

Please note, these are general guidelines, it is recommended to have the vitamin D level in the blood determined every 3 - 6 months, and to adjust the daily dosage accordingly.

The science.
The body does not just like that produce large amounts of vitamin D under the influence of sunlight; this vitamin D is badly needed and is used by the body for a large number of essential metabolic processes. On this basis, the EU has approved the following scientifically proven health claims:
• Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of the immune system
• Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and teeth
• Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal muscles
• Vitamin D plays a role in the cell division process

The fact is, vitamin D receptors have been found in over 30 different types of tissues and organs, including immune cells, muscles and bones. This means that vitamin D has a broad scope and supports health in various ways. Recently, much attention has been paid to the role of vitamin D in the functioning of the immune system. Almost all cells of the immune system are found to have receptors for vitamin D, including so-called monocytes, B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, white blood cells, macrophages and dendritic cells. Vitamin D receptors have also been found in the epithelial cells of the lungs. The latter is important, because sufficient vitamin D in the blood can trigger these cells to produce certain substances called AMPs (Anti Microbial Peptides). These substances are known for their action against microbes (bacteria, fungi) and viruses.

AMPs play an important role in the defense of the respiratory tract, and are common in saliva and mucus in the throat and nasal cavities, and lungs. The effect is based on the fact that AMPs bind to membranes of invaders, causing them to be damaged and the organism in question to die. In addition, AMPs also have properties that affect the immune system