When winter arrives in Minnesota, sunshine can feel like a rare commodity.
The days get shorter. Temperatures drop. We spend more time indoors. And for months at a time, getting meaningful sun exposure can become difficult.
That matters for more than just your mood.
Sunlight is one of the ways our bodies produce vitamin D, an essential nutrient that plays an important role in bone health, muscle function, calcium absorption—and normal immune function.
So when you’re thinking about supporting your health through another Minnesota winter, vitamin D deserves a place in the conversation.
At Driip IV, we believe the first step isn’t guessing how much vitamin D you need.
It’s knowing where you stand.
Vitamin D testing is available at Driip IV, making it easy to check your level and determine whether supplementation may be appropriate for you.
Vitamin D Does More Than Support Your Bones
Most people have heard about vitamin D in relation to calcium and strong bones.
That’s certainly important—but vitamin D has other roles throughout the body.
Vitamin D receptors are found in many tissues, and vitamin D is involved in neuromuscular and immune function, in addition to helping the body absorb calcium and maintain bone health.
According to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin D plays a role in modulating immune function, and inadequate vitamin D status can affect normal physiological processes.
That’s one reason vitamin D gets so much attention as we head into cold and flu season.
Vitamin D + Your Immune System
Your immune system is incredibly complex.
It isn’t controlled by one vitamin, supplement, food, or treatment.
Instead, normal immune function depends on a combination of factors—including nutrition, sleep, physical activity, stress, underlying health, and adequate intake of essential nutrients.
Vitamin D is one of those nutrients.
Vitamin D interacts with cells involved in both innate and adaptive immune responses. Researchers continue to study the relationship between vitamin D status and respiratory infections, autoimmune conditions, inflammation, and other aspects of immune health.
But there’s an important distinction:
Vitamin D supports normal immune function. That doesn’t mean taking vitamin D guarantees you won’t get sick.
We don’t view vitamin D as a replacement for sleep, nutrition, exercise, appropriate vaccinations, hand hygiene, or medical care.
We view it as one piece of the immune-health puzzle.
The Minnesota Winter Problem
Here’s where things get particularly relevant for those of us in Minnesota.
Our bodies can make vitamin D when ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from sunlight reaches the skin.
But vitamin D production from sunlight depends on factors such as:
- Season
- Latitude
- Time of day
- Cloud cover
- Skin pigmentation
- Age
- Clothing
- Sunscreen use
- Amount of time spent outdoors
And during a Minnesota winter, several of those factors aren’t exactly working in our favor.
At northern latitudes, UVB exposure becomes much more limited during the winter months. Add freezing temperatures, shorter days, layers of clothing, and more time spent indoors, and relying solely on sunshine for vitamin D becomes increasingly difficult.
If you aren’t getting meaningful sun exposure and aren’t obtaining enough vitamin D through food or supplementation, winter can be an especially important time to think about your vitamin D status.
Can Food Provide Enough Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is naturally present in relatively few foods.
Some dietary sources include:
Fatty fish such as salmon, trout, tuna, and mackerel
Egg yolks
Certain mushrooms
Vitamin D is also added to many fortified foods, including some:
Milk
Plant-based milk alternatives
Breakfast cereals
Orange juices
Diet can absolutely contribute to vitamin D intake.
But because naturally occurring food sources are relatively limited, some people use vitamin D supplements to help meet their needs—particularly during months when sun exposure is minimal.
Should Everyone Just Start Taking More Vitamin D?
Not necessarily.
This is where our functional medicine philosophy comes in.
More isn’t automatically better.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means excessive supplementation can accumulate in the body. Very high vitamin D intake can lead to elevated calcium levels and potentially serious adverse effects.
That’s why we prefer a more individualized approach.
Instead of guessing: Test. Understand. Then supplement appropriately if needed.
If you’re already taking vitamin D every day but haven’t checked your level, testing may provide useful information about your current status.
If you’re not supplementing at all during a Minnesota winter, testing can help you have a more informed conversation with your healthcare provider about whether supplementation may be appropriate.
How Do You Test Vitamin D?
Vitamin D status is generally evaluated with a blood test measuring 25-hydroxyvitamin D, or 25(OH)D.
This is the primary circulating form used to assess vitamin D status.
The test provides something far more useful than guessing based on symptoms: an actual measurement.
Vitamin D status should then be interpreted in the context of your health history, current supplementation, diet, medications, risk factors, and other relevant clinical information.
Vitamin D Testing at Driip IV
Wondering where your vitamin D stands heading into winter?
You can have your vitamin D tested at Driip IV.
This can be particularly useful if you:
- Aren’t currently supplementing vitamin D
- Spend very little time outdoors
- Have limited sun exposure
- Already take vitamin D but don’t know your current level
- Have previously been told your vitamin D was low
- Have dietary or health factors that may affect vitamin D status
- Want a more individualized approach to your winter wellness routine
Once you have the information, you can have a much better conversation about what—if anything—you should do next.
Don’t Wait Until the Middle of Winter to Think About Immune Health
Immune health isn’t something we should only think about after everyone around us starts getting sick.
Fall is a great opportunity to look at the fundamentals.
How is your sleep?
Are you eating a nutrient-dense diet?
Are you staying active?
Are you managing stress?
Are you getting enough vitamin D?
Do you actually know your vitamin D level?
These aren’t quick fixes. They’re pieces of a bigger, long-term approach to health.
At Driip IV, that’s how we think about functional medicine and wellness.
We’re not interested in simply adding another supplement because winter is coming.
We want to know what your body actually needs.
Vitamin D Is Only One Part of Immune Support
Vitamin D gets plenty of attention, but your immune system relies on many nutrients.
Vitamin C, zinc, selenium, magnesium, B vitamins, protein, and other nutrients all contribute to normal physiological and immune processes.
And nutrients are only part of the equation.
Adequate sleep, physical activity, a balanced diet, stress management, appropriate preventive healthcare, and healthy daily habits all matter.
That’s why we prefer to think in terms of immune health, rather than looking for one “immune booster.”
Know Before You Supplement
Minnesota winter means less sunshine—and potentially less opportunity for your skin to produce vitamin D.
If you aren’t supplementing, don’t know how much vitamin D you’re getting through your diet, or simply haven’t checked your level in a while, this can be a great time to find out where you stand.
Vitamin D testing is available at Driip IV.
Instead of guessing your way through another winter, get the information you need to make a more informed decision about your health.
Know your levels. Support your foundations. Build a plan around you.
Improve One Thing, Improve Everything. Text or call 612-516-3772 today! Or book your appointment below!
This article is for educational purposes and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Vitamin D supplementation and testing should be considered based on individual circumstances and discussed with an appropriate healthcare professional. Vitamin D does not prevent all respiratory infections, and excessive supplementation can cause adverse effects.
FAQs:
What are the origins of IV therapy:
Research is clear that when you address underlying nutrition deficiencies, your body heals. Dr. Myers, creator of IV nutrient therapy and the Myers Cocktail, theorizes that all chronic disease starts with nutritional deficiency. Here is research from Pubmed regarding IV nutrient therapy and improvement of chronic symptoms: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12410623/.
What is the cost of IV therapy:
Pricing for an IV Driip ranges from $130 – $395 depending on your needs and goals. See our full line of products and prices here.
What frequency do you reccomend:
Frequency is dependent upon your current level of health, how long you have been experiencing symptoms, and your health goals – everyone is different.
It is typically best to repeat a given IV therapy once a week for six weeks. Then, re-assess if your body is ready to move to maintenance care (one time a month), or if a more frequent schedule would be beneficial.