☀️ Vitamin D & Hormones: Why You Still Might Be Deficient (Even in Summer)

 You know vitamin D supports bones. But did you know it also plays a major role in your mood, metabolism, and hormone balance?

Even in summer, many people—especially women in midlife—aren’t getting enough.

Here’s why vitamin D is so important, and what you can do to optimize your levels naturally and safely.

🌞 What Makes Vitamin D So Unique?

Vitamin D is actually more like a pro-hormone than a traditional vitamin. And your body can’t make it without one key ingredient:

Sunlight.

When your bare skin is exposed to UVB rays (not filtered through glass or sunscreen), your body produces vitamin D naturally.

But modern life gets in the way:

• Sunscreen blocks UVB (and therefore vitamin D production)
  
  

• Most of us work indoors
  
  

• Glass windows filter UVB
  
  

• Darker skin tones and northern latitudes reduce synthesis
  
  

• Aging skin becomes less efficient at making vitamin D
  
  

Even in sunny weather, vitamin D deficiency is common.

🔁 How Vitamin D Supports Hormone Health

Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to:

⚠️ Insulin resistance
⚠️ Low mood and fatigue
⚠️ PMS and irregular cycles
⚠️ Worsening perimenopause and menopause symptoms
⚠️ Thyroid dysfunction

Meanwhile, healthy levels of vitamin D help support:

 ✔ Serotonin production for mood and emotional resilience
✔ Balanced estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone
✔ Thyroid hormone sensitivity (key for energy and metabolism)
✔ Immune system regulation

📊 Should You Get Tested?

Yes—especially if you:

 🔸 Struggle with low energy, depression, or hormone imbalance
🔸 Avoid sun exposure or live in a northern climate
🔸 Have darker skin
🔸 Are in midlife or beyond
🔸 Take medications that affect fat absorption or liver function

Vitamin D is fat-soluble, so taking “more” isn’t always better. Testing gives us clarity—and from there, we can personalize your dose.

🌞 Natural Ways to Optimize Vitamin D

✨ 5–15 minutes of unfiltered sun daily (midday is most effective)
💊 Supplementation with vitamin D3 + K2 (if needed)
🥚 Eat vitamin D–rich foods like egg yolks, wild-caught salmon, and cod liver oil
🩺 Work with a practitioner to determine your optimal range (many feel best at 45–70 ng/mL)

✅ Final Takeaway

Vitamin D is one of the most affordable, natural ways to support your entire hormonal ecosystem—from metabolism to mood to menopause.

But deficiency is still incredibly common.

Want help testing your levels and building a personalized hormone plan?

Rachel Oppitz, ND