D-Lightful

Do I really need more Vitamin D?

Now that spring has sprung, many of us are taking advantage of the great weather and heading outdoors!  What a perfect time to talk about the “Sunshine Vitamin.”

Vitamin D is important to your health in many different ways.  It contributes to bone strength by helping your body absorb the calcium it needs. Getting an adequate amount of vitamin D prevents the development of soft, thin and brittle bones, a condition known as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Vitamin D is also needed to help your muscles move and keep your immune system intact.  Muscle strength is particularly important in older adults as it may prevent falls and bone fractures.  

And the benefits may not stop there; new studies are examining vitamin D’s effect of cancer prevention, cardiovascular health and other chronic diseases.

Many of us may believe that we are getting enough vitamin D from the sun and our diet, but you may want to make sure you’re getting the right amount!

The daily amount of vitamin D you need depends on your age. The Food and Nutrition Board recommends different amounts for different ages listed in International Units (IU):

Age	Amount
Birth to 12 months	400 IU
Children 1-13 years	600 IU
Teens 14-18 years	600 IU
Adults 19-70 years	800 IU
Pregnant and breastfeeding women	600 IU

The skin makes vitamin D when it is directly exposed the sun.  Even though we think that a 15-minute walk is enough time to get our daily dose, a few other factors influence that amount. Recent research has shown that almost 15% of the world’s population has inadequate levels of vitamin D. These deficiencies can be found within all ethnicities and age groups. That’s because where you live, how dark you skin is and your weight status affect vitamin D levels.  Sunscreen is also a large contributor to inadequate levels as it effectively blocks more 90% of the sun exposure we need to make vitamin D. 

Vitamin D is also found in these food sources:

Natural foods:

• Fatty fish including salmon, tuna and mackerel
• Liver, cheese and eggs
• Mushrooms

Fortified foods:

• Milk
• Orange juice
• Cereals
• Yogurt
• Margarine

Remember to check the label to ensure that the brand you are buying has what you need!

Source: New York State Department of Health

Vitamin D supplements come in two different forms: D₂ (ergocalciferol) and D₃ (cholecalciferol). When taking a supplement, don’t exceed more than 4,000 IU of vitamin D a day. Vitamin D toxicity mainly occurs from the overuse of supplements. Toxicity can raise the amount of calcium in your blood to a dangerous amount causing heart and kidney problems.

To ensure that you are adequate, you may want to have your primary care provider measure your 25-hydroxyvitamin D level, the form of vitamin D found in your blood.

For more information, visit Vitamin D.