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Everything has good sides and bad sides, but as a busy mom, I needed to know…
Can vitamin D supplements make you tired?
I was trying to get healthier, but I could NOT afford to be MORE tired!
I have twin babies to take care of!
Honestly… I was not a big fan of supplements until recently, so I had little personal experience
So the research began
I needed to know if vitamin D supplements would help me, how to take them, and what to expect
I am a fan of knowing the whole story before I start
But before I get too deep, let’s start with the basics of this vitamin
What is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that aids the absorption of calcium
This aid helps promote healthy bones
Fat-soluble means that it dissolves in fat and oil instead of water
Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in our tissue so that our bodies can access them when needed
As a stand-alone, Vitamin D improves your immune system, digestion, circulatory system, and nervous system
Research suggestions that it can help prevent many illnesses like:
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Heart disease
The key is to get the amount you need
Just like everything, taking too much Vitamin D is harmful
Too much of a good thing becomes a “poison”
Even too much water can make you sick!
What are natural ways to get Vitamin D?
There are many natural sources of Vitamin D around us.
One of the most famous is sunlight!
Vitamin D is referred to as the “sunlight Vitamin” because sunlight is one of the best sources for us
Your skin reacts to sunlight in a way that produces Vitamin D
Because your production of Vitamin D depends on your skin, there are factors that change how much is produced
Factors that include:
- Skin tone
- Age
- Location
- Season
- Sunscreen
- Clothing
Because there are so many variables, knowing if you’ve gotten enough sunlight to have healthy amounts of Vitamin D is hard
You can also get vitamin D by eating fatty fish and seafood
Seafood is one of the best foods for vitamin D, but the amounts you get depend on the seafood of choice
Mushrooms and eggs yolks are also good options to eat
Eating healthy is the most preferred way to get all the nutrients, but it is getting harder and harder to do
One of my favorite things to do is sun treat mushrooms to increase their vitamin D
Then I either capsule them or eat them
But not everyone has the ability, tools, and time to make something like that
High-quality supplements are a great option
It isn’t 100% natural because they are capsules, but natural supplements can fill the gap in your diet effectively
Just make sure that you know how much you need because vitamin D supplements make you tired and may have other side effects that I will talk about in a minute
How do I know if I need a Vitamin D supplement?
The best way to know if you are deficient in anything is by getting tested by a doctor
They will be able to tell you if you need a vitamin D supplement and how much you need to take
I found out that I was severely deficient when I was getting tested for surrogacy
To be a surrogate, I needed all my blood tests to come back pretty much perfect
So a vitamin D supplement was required for me to continue
Aside from getting tested, there are other signs that you may need more vitamin D
People that spend a lot of time indoors are often vitamin D deficient
Or if you don’t get a lot of sun where you live
I was deficient for 2 reasons
- I wore a lot of clothes because I am self-conscious about my psoriasis
- Oregon is rainy for eight months a year
Pretty much everyone in my state is vitamin D deficient
There are symptoms to watch out for, but some people don’t get any until they are VERY deficient
Since vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium, problems with your bones are common
Things that could happen include:
- Weak bones
- Fatigue
- Muscle weakness
- Muscle cramps
- Bone pain
- Mood changes
- Depression
If you think that you are vitamin D deficient, I encourage you to get a blood test done
This will confirm your thoughts and give you a guideline on how much more you need
If you have no starting point or end goal known, overdosing and underdosing become too easy
My doctor put me on 5000 IUs of vitamin D
I had taken supplements before, but none above 500 IUs
I needed more daily intake, but I would not have known that without the blood test
What is the best way to take vitamin D?
The best way to take vitamin D depends on your and your situation
But that answer isn’t helpful so I am going to give you guidelines based on my knowledge!
The best way to get vitamin D is by getting healthy doses of sunshine every day
But that isn’t possible for everyone
Like I said, it rains 8 months of the year where I live
So if you are like me and that isn’t an option, supplements are a great choice
But not all supplements are created equal
Tablets are not easily absorbed
Gummies taste good but are not very effective
Injections are nice, but can be expensive and have some risks
If I wasn’t making my own, soft gels are my personal favorite
They are normally small, easy to swallow, dissolve fast, and are easier on the stomach
But at the end of the day, what is best for me may not be what is best for you
Trying options and talking to your doctor is always a good idea
Can Vitamin D supplements make you tired or have any other side effects?
Vitamin D doesn’t have any side effects if you are taking the correct amount for you
But there are side effects if you take too much
Remember that vitamin D helps you absorb calcium?
Well, that is a good thing but can actually create too much calcium in the blood if you take too much vitamin D
Some time effects that you may experience if you take too much vitamin D include:
- Fatigue
- Dry mouth
- Weakness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Frequent urination
- Kidney problems
- And more
That is why I suggested getting a blood test to find out if you need more and how much you need
These side effects happen because you start getting calcium buildup in your blood when you take too much vitamin D, which is called Hypercalcemia
If you think that your vitamin D supplements make you tired, I highly encourage a doctor’s visit to make sure you aren’t getting vitamin D toxicity
How much vitamin D should I take?
How much vitamin D you need depends on your situation, but it is often recommended to take between 1000 and 4000 IUs
This is enough for most people, but remember that you may need more or less depending on a number of different factors
Personally, I take 5000 IU a day of vitamin D
That is because I only get sun for about 3 months out of the year, and my diet doesn’t include enough
I also had the blood test to confirm that I need that much
People with darker skin or overweight need more vitamin D too
So even though 1000-4000 IUs is a good starting point, finding out your specific needs is always a good idea
If you are already taking it and feel symptoms like being tired, I would take it seriously until you know more
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and cannot give medical advice. This is based on my experiences and my research