Did you know that Vitamin D is considered a hormone by scientists? In fact, the hormone 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin induces responses in several hundred genes including many involved in the bodies immune responses to infection.
PCOS is just one inflammatory condition accompanied by an increase in levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and homocysteine (HC). Elevation of these markers indicates the existence of a link between this pathological process and low-grade systemic inflammation. Furthermore, Vitamin D deficiency in this study by Arkhypkina, T. L., Lyubimovа, L. P., & Bondarenko, V. A. (2021) was shown to contribute to a further increase in these chronic inflammatory markers.
In my personal experience as a nurse practitioner, nearly all my family medicine patients were low or deficient in vitamin D levels on evaluation, including those who worked outside as landscapers! It makes one wonder why our bodies are not synthesizing vitamin D from the sun as previously thought. Another topic for another time….
So, which is better? D2 or D3? Studies have shown taking the form of D3 increased total and free 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25D) more robustly in our blood (Shieh, A. et al, 2016).
Take away? Everyone could benefit from taking a "vitamin" D3 supplement to help reduce inflammation. I take Life Extension, it is a well absorbed high quality brand! I purchase mine from Amazon.
References
Arkhypkina, T. L., Lyubimovа, L. P., & Bondarenko, V. A. (2021). Functional features of the relationship between levels of vitamin d, markers of chronic inflammation, homocysteine and hormonal-metabolic parameters in women with polycysticovary syndrome. Problems of Endocrine Pathology, 75(1), 7-14. doi:10.21856/j-PEP.2021.1.01
Shieh, A., Chun, R. F., Ma, C., Witzel, S., Meyer, B., Rafison, B., . . . Adams, J. S. (2016). Effects of high-dose vitamin D2 versus D3 on total and free 25-hydroxyvitamin D and markers of calcium balance. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 101(8), 3070-3078. doi:10.1210/jc.2016-1871
To make it easier for me to remember I just take 5 capsules once weekly all at once!