You never outgrow your need for vitamin D. It's an important nutrient for growing children and teens, athletes striving for peak performance and senior citizens trying to maintain their health and strength. Vitamin D is especially vital for building and maintaining bone strength, and you can lose bone if you do not get enough of it.
Vitamin D's Role
Your muscles, nervous system and immune system use vitamin D, and some research indicates that it might help protect against some cancers. It protects your bones by helping your body absorb strength-building calcium. The National Osteoporosis Foundation advises that people with low vitamin D levels have bones that are less dense and more likely to break as they grow older. The three main sources of vitamin D are direct exposure to sunlight, foods and supplements.
Recommended Daily Amounts
At different times in your life, you need different daily amounts of vitamin D. According to the National Institutes of Health, you need 400 IU, or international units, in the first year of life; 600 IU from age 1 to 70; and 800 IU at 71 and older. Pregnant and nursing women need 600 IU per day. Most people reach their peak bone mass around age 30.
Do You Get Enough?
In general, younger people have higher vitamin D levels than older people and men have higher levels than women. Factors that may put you at risk for vitamin D deficiency include getting little exposure to the sun, having certain conditions such as Crohn's disease or celiac disorder, having dark skin and being obese. A blood test can determine whether you are getting enough vitamin D.
How To Boost Vitamin D Levels
Many people get adequate amounts of vitamin D from sunshine. But if you use sunscreen because of concerns about skin cancer, that blocks your body's ability to make vitamin D. The Mayo Clinic advises that good dietary sources of vitamin D include oily fish like tuna and sardines, egg yolks and fortified milk. Vitamin D supplements are an option if a blood test shows that you're not getting enough. But you should discuss supplements with your doctor because taking in too much vitamin D can be toxic.
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