Vitamin D supplements not working? 3 common mistakes people make, heart surgeon reveals
Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, is freely available, and yet nearly one billion people worldwide are deficient. Something clearly isn’t adding up. People even try to compensate by taking supplements. However, in most cases, even supplementation falls short. Dr Dmitry Yaranov, a leading heart transp
By Toi Lifestyle Desk
Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, is freely available, and yet nearly one billion people worldwide are deficient.
Something clearly isn’t adding up.
People even try to compensate by taking supplements.
However, in most cases, even supplementation falls short.
Dr Dmitry Yaranov, a leading heart transplant cardiologist from Memphis, has explained the real reason behind it.In a video shared on Instagram, the doctor spoke about how supplements fail to provide any meaningful benefit in those with vitamin D deficiency. “The problem usually isn’t the supplement itself.
In most cases, it’s because vitamin D is being taken incorrectly, the dose isn’t appropriate for the degree of deficiency, or the body lacks some of the nutrients needed to properly activate and use it.
I see this all the time in the clinic,” Dr Yaranov said.He added, “Someone has been taking vitamin D faithfully for months, but when we check their labs, their levels are still low.
The good news? The fix is often surprisingly simple.
It usually comes down to these three common mistakes.” So what are these mistakes?Most people don’t realise that vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin.
Now what does that mean? It means it requires dietary fat for optimal absorption.
Most people make the common mistake of taking vitamin D supplements on an empty stomach.
This dramatically reduces bioavailability, sometimes by as much as 50% or more.
What is the solution?“Taking it with a meal that contains healthy fats can significantly improve absorption compared with taking it on an empty stomach,” the doctor said.
This could include eggs, avocado, olive oil, nuts, or fatty fish.Most people assume that one size fits all when it comes to supplementation.
But that’s not true.
The standard daily recommendation may fall short for many people, and that’s exactly how one may experience deficiency.“A dose that maintains normal levels may not be enough to correct a significant deficiency.
The only way to know is to check your blood level and adjust accordingly,” the doctor explained.
So, before you pop those supplements, ask your doctor to order blood work.Vitamin D doesn’t work alone.
Yes, that’s right.
You need another nutrient for that: magnesium.“Magnesium helps activate vitamin D in the body, and low magnesium levels may limit its effectiveness even when you’re taking a supplement consistently,” the doctor explained.
So, without adequate magnesium, your body cannot efficiently utilise vitamin D, even if you take supplements regularly.If you’ve been taking vitamin D supplements and yet seeing no results, hold on.
Before you increase your dose, evaluate these three factors.
Ensure that you’re taking your supplement with healthy fats, get your blood levels tested to confirm your baseline and proper dosing, and assess your magnesium intake as well.
These adjustments often produce noticeable improvements within 8–12 weeks.
It’s not the pill that’s failing you, but how you’re using it.