1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), the hormonally active form of vitamin D3, is a lipid-soluble compound that plays a significant role in fertility. What many don’t know is that Vitamin D3 is linked to better egg quality and sperm quality, prevention of miscarriage in first trimester of pregnancy and is helpful in treatment of certain autoimmune disorders. Vitamin D plays also plays many roles in the body and a deficiency of D3 has been linked to increased risk of common cancers, diabetes, high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases, osteoporosis and infectious diseases.
Vitamin D deficiency is common problem in North America. According to a 2010 study in the Nutrition Journal, 42 percent of U.S. adults were deficient in Vitamin D, with the highest rates among African Americans and Hispanics. Only a small number of foods naturally contain vitamin D including oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and cod liver oil, beef liver and egg yolks. Foods that are fortified with vitamin D are often inadequate to satisfy vitamin D requirements in children or adults.
The major source of vitamin D for most people is exposure to sunlight. Even in Arizona the reduced hours of sunlight in the winter months combined with more clothing coverage can make already prevalent existing vitamin D deficiencies worse. Make sure you get your serum Vitamin D3 levels checked in your serum before you start to conceive and definitely once you are pregnant to make sure you are getting adequate amounts.
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