Module One - Vitamin D Fundamentals

After this module, you'll understand vitamin D nomenclature, it's endocrine, paracrine, intracrine, and autocrine functions so that you can appreciate vitamin D's role beyond bone health.

• Vitamin D's Early History
• The 3 Faces of Vitamin D
• Nutrient or Hormone?
• Vitamin D3 Production
• D3 vs D2
• Vitamin D Beyond Bones
• Pharmacokinetic Features of Vitamin D

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Module Two - The Central Role of the Sun

Here you'll understand how the sun played a pivotal role in our gene selection and ancestral health and how that likely applies to today but is either overlooked or underappreciated. You'll be able to use this knowledge to confidently leverage vitamin D for better health

• African Grasslands (Wetlands) and Natural Selection for Vitamin D Production
• Skin Pigmentation Theory
• Clues for Natural Vitamin D Levels
• The Impact of Complexion and Seasonality

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Module Three - Vitamin D in Health and Disease

This module reviews much of the current research on vitamin D's impact on several health conditions. Different definitions of deficiency will be reviewed, as will the possible implications of low vitamin D.

• Proposed Health Implications of Low Vitamin D
• Proposed Serum Vitamin D Levels
• Current Limitations of Vitamin D Studies
• Bolus versus Daily Dosing
• Bone & dental health
• Depression & cognition
• Cancer
• Pre-diabetes, Diabetes & Cardiovascular
• Falls Risks
• Respiratory Infections
• All-Cause Mortality

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Module Four- Synergistic Nutrients

After this module, you'll be able to identify four key nutrients that support vitamin D's metabolism and why you should consider them for your own health and, for the health of your patients and clients. The impact of other nutrients on serum vitamin D levels will be covered too.

• Vitamin K2
• Vitamin A
• Magnesium
• Zinc
• Impact of Nutrient Intake on Vitamin D Levels (magnesium, vitamins K2, B12, C, B6, calcium)

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Module Five - Food & Supplements

This module reviews food sources of vitamin D, typical intake from diet, the amount of vitamin D currently permitted in supplements, the best formulations, and the best way to take supplements.

• Food Sources of Vitamin D
• Typical Dietary Intakes
• Legislation: Canada vs USA
• Different Vitamin D Formulations
• Factors Affecting Vitamin D Absorption
• Available Dosages

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Module Six - Leveraging Vitamin D to Improve Health

In this lesson, you'll learn about the signs & symptoms of vitamin D deficiency, when to use supplements, and when not to. You'll be confident, armed with the necessary information needed to consider recommending specific dosages above the RDA to achieve therapeutic levels of vitamin D, and more.

• Risk Factors for, and Symptoms of Deficiency
• Contraindications for Supplements
• Drug-Vitamin D Interactions
• The Role of Testing
• Current DRIs
• Vitamin D Safety/Toxicity
• Proposal for New RDA

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Conclusions and Next Steps