In this article we will be discussing a very common question: vitamin d for bones.
What Is Vitamin D All About?
Because our bodies can make Vitamin D in our skin when it is exposed to good sunlight, Vitamin D is considered a hormone. In about 1920, people noticed that children who took cod liver oil rarely got rickets. This led to the discovery of Vitamin D and the beginning of Vitamin D supplementation of the diet.
When our ancestors stopped working in the fields and entered factories or schools, rickets began to be a problem — in fact, it was commonly seen during winter months, especially in northern locations. Recent research has stressed the importance of Vitamin D — not just for good bone health, but also for possibly preventing chronic disease when we are older. Even the healthiest of diets will probably not provide a child with adequate Vitamin D.
Changes in lifestyle have also played a part.
Many popular sports, such as basketball, volleyball, and gymnastics, are indoor sports. Spending too much time indoors can affect the amount of Vitamin D children’s bodies make. Thinkstock ©2011
Children today spend a lot of time being indoors and inactive.
It is well-documented that fitness levels among children are on the decline and obesity levels are rising. In addition to affecting kids’ fitness levels, spending so much time indoors has affected the amount of Vitamin D their bodies make. Sunscreen does, however, block our skin’s ability to make Vitamin D.
If A Healthy Diet And Playing Outside Will Not Provide Children With Enough Vitamin D, Then How Do We Make Sure They Get It?
The best way for today’s children to safely get the Vitamin D their bodies need is to take Vitamin D supplement.
How Much Vitamin D Should You Get?
The amount you need depends on your age: 600 IU (international units) a day for people ages 1 to 70, including women who are pregnant or breastfeeding
800 IU a day for anyone over 70 Some experts think that these recommendations are too low, especially for people who are more likely to get the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis. It is possible to get too much vitamin D. Doses above 4,000 IU a day can be harmful for people ages 9 and older.
(Children ages 1 to 8 shouldn’t get more than 2,500-3,000 IU.). It’s hard to get that much from food, but it might happen if you take too many vitamin D supplement.
Vitamin D For Bones
There are three ways you can get vitamin D:
From sunlight
From food
From supplements
Low vitamin D levels could increase your risk of osteoporosis and broken bones.
Abstract
Sub-optimal vitamin D status has been reported in many populations but it is a particular concern in older people; thus there is clearly a need for effective strategies to optimise bone health. A number of recent studies have suggested that the role of vitamin D in preventing fractures may be via its mediating effects on muscle function (a defect in muscle function is one of the classical signs of rickets) and inflammation. Osteoporosis is often considered to be an inflammatory condition and pro-inflammatory cytokines have been associated with increased bone metabolism. The immunoregulatory mechanisms of vitamin D may thus modulate the effect of these cytokines on bone health and subsequent fracture risk. Keywords: vitamin D, bone, fracture bone mineral density, muscle strength, cytokines.