Benefits
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A human body produces vitamin D as a response to sun exposure. A person can also boost their vitamin D intake through certain foods or supplements. Vitamin D is essential for several reasons, including maintaining healthy bones and teeth.
It may also protect against a range of diseases and conditions, such as type 1 diabetes. Despite its name, vitamin D is not a vitamin, but a prohormone, or precursor of a hormone. Vitamins are nutrients that the body cannot create, and so a person must consume them in the diet.
Deficiency
Absorbing sunlight is essential for the skin to produce vitamin D. Sunscreen: A sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 can reduce the body’s ability to synthesize the vitamin by 95% or more . The American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that all breastfed infants receive 400 international units (IU) per day of oral vitamin D. Supplement drops for babies are available online. Symptoms Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency may include: regular sickness or infection
fatigue
bone and back pain
low mood
impaired wound healing
hair loss
muscle pain If Vitamin D deficiency continues for long periods, it may result in complications , such as: cardiovascular conditions
autoimmune problems
neurological diseases
infections
pregnancy complications
certain cancers, especially breast, prostate, and colon.
Sources of vitamin D Getting sufficient sunlight is the best way to help the body produce enough vitamin D. Plentiful food sources of vitamin D include: fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna
egg yolks
cheese
beef liver
mushrooms
fortified milk
fortified cereals and juices Here, learn how to get more vitamin D from the sun. Dosage People can measure vitamin D intake in micrograms (mcg) or international units (IU). The recommended daily intakes of vitamin D are as follows: Infants 0–12 months: 400 IU (10 mcg).
Children 1–18 years: 600 IU (15 mcg). Adults over 70 years: 800 IU (20 mcg). Pregnant or lactating women: 600 IU (15 mcg).
Sensible sun exposure on bare skin for 5–10 minutes, 2–3 times per week, allows most people to produce sufficient vitamin D. However, vitamin D breaks down quite quickly, meaning that stores can run low, especially in winter.
Contents
D helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. These nutrients are needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy.
A lack of vitamin D can lead to bone deformities such as rickets in children, and bone pain caused by a condition called osteomalacia in adults. Government advice is that everyone should consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement during the autumn and winter. Information: There have been some reports about vitamin D reducing the risk of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Symptoms And Health Risks Of Vitamin D Deficiency
However, for many people, the symptoms are subtle. Yet, even without symptoms, too little vitamin D can pose health risks. Low blood levels of the vitamin have been associated with the following: Increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease
Cognitive impairment in older adults
Severe asthma in children
Cancer Research suggests that vitamin D could play a role in the prevention and treatment of a number of different conditions, including type1 and type 2 diabetes, hypertension, glucose intolerance, and multiple sclerosi.