As vitamin D3 carries such positive biological benefits, stimulating pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) production, it would make sense that animals would consume as much as possible. Since naturally (not rat poison) formed and consumed vitamin D3 is so expensive to produce or difficult to acquire.
Difficult to produce in high quantities and it is extremely unlikely to cause an over dose. In fact, I believe almost all mammals are struggling to acquire enough vitamin D3. This is especially so in more southern and northern latitudes. Which also happen to be some of the more habitable areas and largest areas of land mass.
As I will put out this hypothesis. That most mammals are either constantly deficient or function better with higher then they usually have of vitamin D3 blood levels. Especially higher levels of vitamin D3 up to a point. That higher level is probably rarely if ever naturally met. Because it is so difficult to come by.
Thus, it has endorphin release attached to it to increase the likelihood we and other mammals will acquire it and thus causing the possibility of being addicted to it. The body attaches the production of endorphins to its, vitamin D3s production and/or acquisition (oral).
Thus, encouraging activities and ingestion of foods that satisfy these addictions. Perhaps addiction is too strong a word to use but not by much. But study in mice showed they were addicted to ultraviolet light. 1
For those of you like me have broken open a 5,000 IU capsule of vitamin D3 and let it sit under your tongue to speed sleep you know it has no taste. Thus, no strong taste to discourage you from consuming nor a pleasant taste to cause increased consumption.
Thus, in those who ingest more like rats it appears not to be the taste. I am guessing. I have no idea how a rat interprets what it eats. However, if no taste then perhaps rats or any mammal coming upon a source for vitamin D3 eats it due to a reward. The reward being endorphins to encourage it to ingest it.
Those that poison mammals with vitamin D3 like rats, do they take advantage of this need? It seems our body was designed to feed us dopamine through an elaborate route in order to assure we do the things we should to maintain optimal health.
It is when these routes are circumvented or corrupted that we get into trouble. For the most part our efforts to get at the cheese as it were, that is directly raising our dopamine, has resulted in unfortunate out comes.
See for example eating, sun exposure and exercise all have the release of endorphins attached to them. But we must go through endorphins to get at the dopamine. We seem more and more to not want to be troubled with all the effort, so we try to do the lease to get the biggest bump in dopamine-like illegal drugs.
Perhaps in our modern world especially the US our poisoning of our food- poultry and livestock with hormones and antibiotics directly effecting our hormonal system. But also, indirectly by altering our gut flora which limits the beneficial substance it can and does produce.
Then pesticides effect the vegetables but also the poultry and livestock we eat. That is the plants and meat we eat are affecting us directly. Perhaps contributing or causing reduced exercise, sun exposure and other activities reducing our own exposure to endorphins at a young age.
Which may have later effects when we are exposed to illegal drugs. Then blockage of sun shine with sun screens again reducing our exposure to endorphins. Also, other substances that are yet to be discovered. These substances that may affect how we mature and respond to illegal drugs.
These may cause alterations in our physiology that may also cause our bodies and our cell receptors to crave, like we crave a type of food to acquire a vitamin or mineral it contains. Like some pregnant women eating clay to acquire iron for example. Thus, we start craving illegal drugs to fill this need.
Our receptors perhaps are desperately seeking interaction with endorphins which we never get due to lack of sunshine, exercise and damaged gut flora. As I posted in an earlier blog posting about serotonin production (https://judsonsomerville.com/serotonin-vitamin-d3-the-gut-microbiota/). The lack of serotonin worsening the situation.
- Fell GL, Robinson KC, Fisher DE, et al. (June 19, 2014). Skin B-endorphin mediates addiction to UV light. Cell. 157(7):1527-34.
*The information posted above is for educational purposes only. Always check with your doctor before initiating any changes in your medical treatment. If you do not, then The Two-Minute Health Fact, Dr. Judson Somerville, nor The Optimal Dose is responsible!
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