Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that acts like a hormone in your body. Among its functions are maintaining blood calcium levels and regulating your blood pressure. In addition, calcium prevents cells from dividing uncontrollably, which might protect you from cancer. Vitamin D also helps keep your immune system strong. Vitamin D deficiency can have serious health consequences. A simple blood test can determine your vitamin D status.
Vitamin D Deficiency
Severe vitamin D deficiency disrupts your body's ability to maintain normal calcium levels. This results in weakened bones, a condition known as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, muscle weakness and pain are symptoms of mild vitamin D deficiency. Additionally, your vitamin D status can also affect your risk of cancer, notes the Office of Dietary Supplements.
Vitamin D Status
To determine your vitamin D status, your doctor will measure levels of the compound 25-Hydroxyvitamin D in your blood. According to the Institute of Medicine, levels below 30 nmol/L, or 12 ng/mL, are associated with severe vitamin D deficiency leading to rickets and osteomalacia. Levels between 30 and 50 nmol/L are considered inadequate, while levels greater than 50 nmol/L, or greater than 20 ng/mL, are generally considered adequate for bone and overall health if you are a healthy adult. Levels greater than 150 nmol/L may pose a risk for health problems.
Dietary Sources
The recommended intake for vitamin D is 15 micrograms per day, equivalent to 600 IUs. Adults over age 70 should aim to get 60 micrograms, or 800 IUs. Dietary sources include animal products such as fish, eggs and beef liver. Fortified foods such as milk, orange juice and breakfast cereals typically contain between 40 and 125 IU of added vitamin D. The vitamin is also available as a supplement in pill form.
Sunlight
In addition to dietary sources, you can also obtain vitamin D from the sun. In the presence of sunlight, your skin is able to convert cholesterol into vitamin D. According to Dr. T. Colin Campbell, author of "The China Study," your body is able to synthesize enough vitamin D to meet your needs if you get 20 to 30 minutes of sunlight a day on most days. Clothing and sunscreen impair your skin's ability to produce vitamin D, and dark-skinned individuals, as well as the elderly, might require additional sunlight exposure to meet the body's requirement. For more information, ask your doctor.
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