Vegan Vitamin D3
Vitamin D, also commonly known as the sunshine vitamin, has the properties of both a vitamin and a hormone! That’s because it can be synthesised in the skin using sunlight, can be found in food, or through a supplement for your body to then go on and use. As vitamin D is an essential nutrient that helps regulate various activities in the body, it’s essential to make sure you’re getting enough all year round!
Unfortunately, due to limited sun exposure as a result of winter, paired with the fact that we’re spending more time indoors due to the pandemic, ensuring that we’re getting enough vitamin D has never been more important! We’re excited to introduce our new plant-derived vitamin D3 supplement that is sourced from Lichen, a plant organism that is naturally rich in vitamin D3 (the most bioavailable form of vitamin D). Each soft gel delivers 1000iu (25μg) of vegan-friendly vitamin D3. Many vitamin D products are sourced from lanolin (sheep's wool) and are therefore not suitable for vegans. However, our new Vitamin D soft gels are 100% plant-origin and are therefore suitable for vegans.
Why is vitamin D important?
In the body, vitamin D promotes calcium absorption in the gut, thereby helping to form and support strong bones and teeth. It also supports the immune system by triggering the body’s immune cells to produce infection-fighting antibodies, maintains joint and muscle strength, and studies even suggest that vitamin D can improve brain function, boost the production of serotonin (the happy hormone linked to positive mood) and may even improve heart health.
What are the symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency?
Symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency can vary from person to person and often causes no symptoms at all (at first). The signs are usually subtle and can go on to trigger low mood (due to a lowered production of serotonin), muscle weakness, aching bones/ heavy legs, a weakened immune system manifesting as frequent coughs and colds, and possibly fatigue. Emerging research also indicates that low levels of vitamin D are associated with weight gain, an increased risk of high blood pressure, and an increased risk of pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes and low birth weight. So it’s really important to ensure you’re getting your daily dose of vitamin D no matter your age!
What's the difference between vitamin D2 and D3?
Vitamin D2 is known as ergocalciferol and comes from plants such as mushrooms, or fortified foods. Whereas vitamin D3 is known as cholecalciferol and is predominantly found in animal-sourced foods such as egg yolk and oily fish or it can be found in plant-based lichen supplements. When it comes to boosting vitamin D levels in the body, the liver metabolises vitamin D2 and D3 in different ways, and research suggests that vitamin D3 is more active in the body than vitamin D2.
When it comes to vitamin D intake, striking a good balance between getting sunshine, eating vitamin D-rich foods, and supplementing with a high-quality vitamin D3 supplement is essential. That’s why we’ve created our vegan Vitamin D3 formula- it’s ideal for those looking to support their vitamin D intake all year round.