Getting Vitamin D into your blood and cells

Summary by Claude Sonnet AI - Feb 2025
This image shows a comprehensive flow chart explaining how Vitamin D is processed and utilized in the human body.
Let me break it down systematically:

• The chart starts at the top by identifying the main sources and products of Vitamin D, which come through three primary pathways:

1. Direct absorption through sun exposure (UVB rays), topical application, or sublingual supplements that enter through the skin or mouth
2. Water-dispersible supplements that can be inhaled through the lungs/nose or injected into muscle/abdomen
3. Fat-soluble sources from food (particularly wild fatty fish and organ meats) that enter through the gut and lymph system

• All these pathways lead to Calciferol in the blood, which is the first major checkpoint in Vitamin D processing. The chart then shows how this Calciferol can be transformed into two main metabolites:

First, it becomes Calcidiol (25(OH)D), which is what doctors typically measure in blood tests. This can come from:

• Direct cell activation (not involving liver or kidneys)
• Calcidiol supplements through the gut or injection
• Liver processing

Second, it can become Calcitriol (1,25(OH)₂D), which is the fully activated form. This comes from:

• Herb/pill supplements through the gut or injection
• Kidney processing
• Production by microphages and nearby cells
• The bottom of the chart shows how all these forms ultimately interact with Vitamin D receptors in cells.
• There are also several important storage points shown, including
  • skeletal muscle,
  • fat tissue, and
  • transfer pathways to breast milk and through the placenta.
• An interesting detail the chart emphasizes is that Vitamin D activation can occur through multiple pathways - not just the traditionally taught liver/kidney route, but also through direct cellular activation, which is shown in separate boxes to highlight this important point.
• The chart was created by VitaminDWiki in February 2025, and includes a shortened URL for reference.

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From supplements

Standard forms: Low cost and quick

A huge number of suppliers sell Vitamin D3 in 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 25,000, and 50,000 IU dose sizes
Forms: capsules, tablets, and gel caps.
Typically the higher doses have a lower cost per IU
    Typically from 2 to 10 cents per 5,000 IU
Note: Should avoid getting more than 500 mg of daily Calcium

Other forms: often less than 20 cents per day

Sublingual: many brands
Topical Vitamin D such as nanoemulsons
Liquid Oil – in mouth, 1 drop typically contains 400 IU, 1,000 IU, or 4,000 IU, and typically does not taste good - Oil can also be used topically
Fat-soluble Vitamins go thru the slow lymph system
  Note Some olive oils decrease vitamin D absorption by 25 percent – March 2016
  Note: most of the non-coconut oils are not digestible by infants
Spray – under tongue, in cheek – fast acting

If poorly functioning gut
Bio-D-Mulsion Forte – especially made for those with poorly functioning guts, or perhaps lacking gallbladder
Sublingual – goes directly into the bloodstream
Fat-soluble Vitamins go thru the slow lymph system
   you can make your own sublingual by dissolving Vitamin D in water or use nano form
Oil: 1 drop typically contains 400 IU, 1,000 IU, or 4,000 IU, typically not taste good
Topical – goes directly into the bloodstream. Put oil on your skin, Use Aloe vera cream with Vitamin D, or make your own
Vaginal – goes directly into the bloodstream. Prescription-only?
Bio-Tech might be useful – it is also water-soluble
Vitamin D sprayed inside cheeks (buccal spray) - several studies
    and, those people with malabsorption problems had a larger response to spray
Inject Vitamin D quarterly into muscle, into vein, or perhaps into body cavity if quickly needed
Nanoparticles could be used to increase vitamin D getting to the gut – Oct 2015
Poor guts need different forms of vitamin D has the following
Guesses of Vitamin D response if poor gut

Bio	Form	Speed	Duration
10	Injection ($$$) or Calcidiol or Calcitriol	D - Slow C -Fast	Long
10	Sun/UVB	Slow	Long
10	Topical (skin patch/cream, vagina)	Slow Fast nano	Normal
9	Nanoemulsion -mucosal perhaps activates VDR	Fast	Normal
9?	Inhaled (future)	Fast	Normal
8	Bio-D-Mulsion Forte	Normal	Normal
6	Water soluble (Bio-Tech)	Normal	Normal
4	Sublingual/spray (some goes into gut)	Fast	Normal
3	Coconut oil based	Slow	Normal
2	Food (salmon etc.)	Slow	Normal
2	Olive oil based (majority)	Slow	Normal

10= best bioavailable, 0 = worst, guesses have a range of +-2
Speed: Fast ~2-6 hours, Slow ~10-30 hours
Duration: Long ~3-6 months, Normal = ~2 months

If dislike swallowing pills

Bio-Tech – capsule contains tasteless water-soluble powder: pour into meal, drink, or on the tongue
Oil: 1 drop typically contains 400 IU, 1,000 IU, or 4,000 IU, typically not taste very good
Spray 1000 - 5,000 IU per spray - fairly expensive
Topica: Put oil on your skin, Use Aloe vera cream with Vitamin D, or make your own
Sublingual vitamin D
Vitamin D sprayed inside cheeks (buccal spray) - several studies
Inject Vitamin D quarterly
See also: inhaled vitamin D, below

Fast-acting forms

Vitamin D going thru the gut takes about a day to become activated
Fast-acting Vitamin D takes about 4 hours to become activated
Fast-acting is needed for medical emergencies, treating cold, treating flu, etc,

• Topical - cream, spray, oil on skin
• Sublingual vitamin D
• Mouth-wash - put powder of 50,000 IU capsules in 1/4 teaspoon of water
  Swallow when done - after a few minutes
  Alternately - use Nanoemulsion form as a mouthwash
• Inhaled - via lungs
• Semi-activated Vitamin D
  • is fast, but slight over-dosing might cause Calcium problems

If tend to forget – this is also the very lowest cost and time

Bio-Tech -capsule contains water-soluble powder which can be used for home fortification
Just one 50,000 IU is enough for 1 healthy person for 2 weeks – costs less than 2 cents/day
Put a note/colored dot on the calendar to take once every two weeks or more frequently
Can buy Vitamin D as bulk powder – and do you own home fortification. This lowers the price from 2 cents per day to less than 1 cent per day.
Inject Vitamin D quarterly

If concerned about possible allergic reaction

Bio-Tech – contains no dyes, preservatives, oils, etc.

If Halal or Kosher restriction

Bio-Tech capsules are not made from pigs
No sheep were killed or harmed to make Bio-Tech Vitamin D

If Vegetarian

3 companies sell fairly inexpensive Vitamin D3 from PLANTS
Vitamin D3 is much better than Vitamin D2 In some cases D2 actually reduced the level of D3
No sheep were killed or harmed to make Bio-Tech capsules

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From the sun: takes time, no cost, probably the best way, only available part of the year

Get benefits of sun with minimal clothing, in the middle of day, during summer
How many minutes of sun do I need – age, skin color, UV index – Nov 2014

Maximize vitamin D for time spent in the good sun, and minimize skin problems

Optimize vitamin D from the sun
Wear less clothing
Use a rarely available type of sunscreen which only blocks UVA (tanning) and not UVB (vitamin D)
Suntan oils effectively have a negative SPF should increase both tanning and vitamin D production by about 30%
They are basically mineral oils which reduce the light scattered by the skin

Maximize Vitamin D rate while being socially acceptable

T-shirts, Polo-shirts, Shorts made from patented cloth which blocks only half of the UV rays

Can't use the sun when:

Concerned about skin aging, skin cancer

Never remain in the sun long enough that you burn, or even redden = skin damage

Elderly Skin generates much less Vitamin D

When the sun is TOO hot

It appears to be possible to make silver-coat a plexiglass “window”
that only passes UVB: no UVA, visible, nor heat. Not commercially available still as of 2024

When there is not enough sun - uness use reflectors to concentrate it

From UV

Vitamin D lamp 1 cent per hour

UV better than oral for various diseases

UVB added in classroom reduced cavities, increased height, increased academics. etc

Vitamin D from the sun/UV with minimal darkening of skin

Good description of Discrimination based on skin color WikiPedia
   skin bleaching was a $28 billion/year market in 2008. Many women want lighter, not darker skin
UVB (vitamin D) without UVA (tanning) – Note: virtually all tanning equipment has a LOT of UVA
Special Window – passes only UVB, not tanning rays

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From food

Vitamin D from food is expensive (over 100 times more expensive than from supplements)

Wild caught fish – especially Salmon

Meat has 6X more vitamin D than previously reported

More effective vitamin D in meat - processed by animal liver

Commercial fortification does not provide much.

Fortified food rarely provides more than 100 IU per serving

Should avoid cod-liver oil containing too much Vitamin A, which restricts Vitamin D

Vitamin A category 70 items along with related searches

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If poorly functioning Liver

Inhaled (if poor gut, liver, or perhaps lung problems)

VitaminDWiki started investigating late 2016
The lungs have been proven to convert Vitamin D into Calcidiol locally
The 90 square meters of lung surface area may prove to be an excellent way to get vitamin D into the body
Inhaled vitamin D may reduce breathing problems: many tissues can directly activate Vitamin D (no liver nor kidney needed)

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From Breast Milk

• Pregnancy, Breastfeeding, and Vitamin D - July 2023 FREE PDF
• Different Vitamin D Supplementation Strategies in the First Years of Life: A Systematic Review - Jun 2022 FREE PDF
• Breastfeeding and vitamin D - Dec 2021 FREE PDF

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Calcidiol

Calcidiol = Calcifediol = 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 = 25(OH)D = semi-activated Vitamin D
About a 6X increase in effective vitamin D in meat was reported in March 2014
Mussels may have an equivalent of 2,000 IU of Vitamin D per 100 grams – Dec 2016 example shellfish
Poorly functioning livers do not process vitamin D (Calcidiol is needed) – Sept 2014
Vitamin D3 becomes Calcidiol which becomes Calcitriol
Calcidiol may be 5X more effective than Vitamin D3 – June 2012
Is HyD (25(OH)D) a better form of vitamin D for some animals and maybe humans with liver problems
Fully-activated Vitamin D (Calcitriol) is produced inside and outside of the kidneys – July 2020
   Lungs, Colon, Skin, Intestines, Bone, Brain, Eyes, Prostate, Mitocondria, etc.
Note: Calcidiol does not appear to get into breast milk
Note: Calcidiol may not be stored in fat - which is a consideration for people who are obese

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Calcitriol if poorly functioning Kidney and perhaps Liver

Calcitriol category listing has 63 items along with related searches

Calcitrol was as effective as Vitamin D analogues, and 17X less costly – May 2012 Oral, $6.60/week
Company sells 30 Calcitriol pills over-the-counter for $61 Jan 2017
Solanum glaucophyllum herb:commercial availability for humans is unknown

Patent for 7 day nano-encapsulated form - July 2014
Omega-3 increased active Vitamin D by 60% without a functioning Kidney
Note: The Calcitriol form of vitamin D is NOT measured by standard Vitamin D tests

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Poor Vitamin D receptor - you still might be able to increase Vitamin D to the cells

Vitamin D Receptor page has the following

532 studies in Vitamin D Receptor category

Vitamin D tests cannot detect Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) problems
A poor VDR restricts Vitamin D from getting in the cells

See also: 48 studies in the Resveratrol category

It appears that 30% of the population have a poor VDR (40% of the Obese )
Several diseases protect themselves by deactivating the Vitamin D receptor. Example: Breast Cancer
- - - - - - - -
The Vitamin D Receptor is associated with many health problems

Health problems include: Autoimmune (19 studies), Breast Cancer (24 studies), Colon Cancer (14 studies), Cardiovascular (23 studies), Cognition (16 studies), Diabetes (24 studies), Hypertension (9 studies), Infant (22 studies), Lupus (6 studies), Metabolic Syndrome (4 studies), Mortality (4 studies), Multiple Sclerosis (14 studies), Obesity (17 studies), Pregnancy (24 studies), Rheumatoid Arthritis (10 studies), TB (8 studies), VIRUS (37 studies),   Click here for details
Some health problems, such as Breast Cancer, Diabetes, and COVID protect themselves by reducing VDR activation

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55 health problems associated with poor VDR

A poor VDR is associated with the risk of 55 health problems  click here for details
The risk of 48 diseases at least double with poor VDR as of Jan 2023  click here for details
Some health problem, such as Breast Cancer reduce the VDR

VDR at-home test $29 - results not easily understood in 2016
There are hints that you may have inherited a poor VDR

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How to increase VDR activation

Compensate for poor VDR by increasing one or more:

Increasing	Increases
1) Vitamin D supplement  Sun Ultraviolet -B	Vitamin D in the blood and thus in the cells
2) Magnesium	Vitamin D in the blood  AND in the cells
3) Omega-3	Vitamin D in the cells
4) Resveratrol	Vitamin D Receptor
5) Intense exercise	Vitamin D Receptor
6) Get prescription for VDR activator    paricalcitol, maxacalcitol?	Vitamin D Receptor
7) Quercetin (flavonoid)	Vitamin D Receptor
8) Zinc is in the VDR	Vitamin D Receptor
9) Boron	Vitamin D Receptor ?, etc
10) Essential oils e.g. ginger, curcumin	Vitamin D Receptor
11) Progesterone	Vitamin D Receptor
12) Infrequent high concentration Vitamin D Increases the concentration gradient	Vitamin D Receptor
13) Sulfroaphane and perhaps sulfur	Vitamin D Receptor
14) Butyrate especially gut	Vitamin D Receptor
15) Berberine	Vitamin D Receptor

Note: If you are not feeling enough benefit from Vitamin D, you might try increasing VDR activation. You might feel the benefit within days of adding one or more of the above

Far healthier and stronger at age 72 due to supplements Includes 6 supplements that help the VDR

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See also VitaminDWiki

Fully-activated Vitamin D (Calcitriol) is produced inside and outside of the kidneys – July 2020
   Lungs, Colon, Skin, Intestines, Bone, Brain, Eyes, Prostate, Mitocondria, etc.
How you might double your response to vitamin D
Fat-soluble Vitamins go thru the slow lymph system
Low Cost vitamin D - including liquid and bulk
Low cost cofactors for vitamin D
Opinion: sun better than UV better than vitamin D
Vitamin D from low-cost UVB lamps
Optimize vitamin D from the sun
Spray and oral forms of 3000 IU vitamin D provide similar long-term response – RCT Oct 2016
Time-release form of active vitamin D granted a patent for chronic kidney disease – July 2014
Alternatives if not swallow pills or not absorb vitamin D
All items in category Fortification with vitamin D
Reasons for low response to vitamin D

Category: Forms of Vitamin D has 136 items    Examples:

• Nanoemulsion Vitamin D is faster and better - many studies
• Sublingual Vitamin D sometimes is better than tablet – April 2020

short URL = https://is.gd/gettingd

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