Benefits of Vitamin D Injections
- June 18, 2024
- Written by : Rebecca LaMarca, MSN, APN-BC, CNS
Vitamin D, also known as calciferol, is a fat-soluble vitamin that’s primarily obtained through sun exposure. According to the National Institutes of Health it is “produced endogenously when ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight strike the skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis.”1
It’s also found naturally in few foods like certain fish (rainbow trout, salmon, etc.), dairy and fortified soy alternatives (soy mlik, milk, yogurt, etc.), mushrooms and fortified orange juice, according to Dietary Guildelines for Americans.2
Vitamin D deficiencies are incredibly common worldwide. According to the Cleveland Clinic, about 1 billion people across the globe have a vitamin D deficiency, and 35% of adults in the U.S. are vitamin D deficient.3
Vitamin D benefits
Vitamin D is critical to calcium absorption, which helps maintain healthy bones. Calcium, the primary makeup of bones, can only be absorbed when vitamin D is present. Additionally, vitamin D regulates other cellular functions and antiflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective properties that help support the immune system, muscle function and brain cell activity, according to the Mayo Clinic.4
Vitamin D benefits for men
While the benefits of vitamin D exist for all humans across sexes, there are particular benefits for men. There is epidemiolocial data that has shown vitamin D deficiency can be tied to erectile dysfunction, meaning proper vitamin D levels are important for men in sexual activity.5
Vitamin D benefits for women
For women, vitamin D is especially important because of the prevalence of osteoporosis and fractures as they age.6 According to the Cleveland Clinic, experts estimate that half of people assigned female at birth over 50 years old have osteoporosis, compared with about a quarter of those assigned male at birth in the same age range.7
Where can I get a Vitamin D injection?
Vitamin D injections are offered at a wide variety of locations and is administered under the supervision of a health care professional.
IV Elements offers vitamin D boosters at each of its five locations in New Jersey and as a mobile service across New Jersey, New York City, Philadelphia and Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
This service costs and is minimal compared to an IV and can be offered as a standalone or in conjunction with a traditional vitamin IV treatment or speciality IV treatment.
See all of the vitamin boosters IV Elements offers.
Vitamin D injection benefits
Studies have shown that both oral and injectable vitamin D supplements are effective in treating vitamin D deficiencies, but some find vitamin D injections to be more effective because of how they’re administered. Intramuscular injections of vitamin D go directly into the bloodstream, providing maximum absorption.
Additionally, a team of researchers at the Department of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology at the Isfahan Endocrine and Metabolism Research Center in Iran found in a randomized open clinical trial in 2012 that vitamin D injections increased insulin resistance and decreased insulin sensitivity indexes.8
Side effects of vitamin D
While vitamin D is generally safe to consume when taken in appropriate doses, there can be adverse side effects when taking too much. According to the Mayo Clinic, “children age 9 years and older, adults, and pregnant and breastfeeding women who take more than 4,000 IU a day of vitamin D might experience” several side effects, including nausea and vomiting, poor appetite and weight loss, constipation, weakness, confusion and disorientation, heart rhythm problems, kidney stones and kidney damage.
REFERENCES
- Office of Dietary Supplements – Vitamin D. (n.d.). https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/
- Food sources of vitamin D | Dietary guidelines for Americans. (n.d.). https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/resources/2020-2025-dietary-guidelines-online-materials/food-sources-select-nutrients/food-sources-vitamin-d
- Professional, C. C. M. (n.d.). Vitamin D deficiency. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15050-vitamin-d-vitamin-d-deficiency
- Vitamin D. (2023, August 10). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-d/art-20363792
- Canguven, O., & Malki, A. H. A. (2021). Vitamin D and male erectile function: An updated review. the World Journal of Men’s Health, 39(1), 31. https://doi.org/10.5534/wjmh.190151
- Bohon, T. M., & Goolsby, M. A. (2013). The role of vitamin D supplements in women’s health. Clinical Medicine Insights. Women’s Health, 6, CMWH.S11067. https://doi.org/10.4137/cmwh.s11067
- Professional, C. C. M. (n.d.). Osteoporosis. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4443-osteoporosis
Iraj, B., Aminorroaya, A., & Amini, M. (2012). Does the intramuscular injection of vitamin D increase insulin resistance? Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice, 1(2), 60. https://doi.org/10.4103/2279-042x.108372
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