Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning that the substance is stored in fatty tissues and the liver. Vitamin D is an essential vitamin, required for regular development and growth. Insufficient levels of vitamin D in your body can lead to serious side effects. Although vitamin D can be obtained from the sun, you can also consume vitamin D from a number of delicious foods that are rich in the nutrient.
Identification
Also called the "sunshine vitamin", vitamin D is one of the many essential vitamins. Vitamin D helps to strengthen your bones. One of vitamin D's main tasks is to assist your body in extracting calcium from the foods you eat. Calcium is an important mineral responsible for the manufacture of healthy bones and teeth. Your teeth and bones contain approximately 99 percent of the body's calcium. According to MedlinePlus, vitamin D also helps maintain proper levels of phosphorus in your blood.
Defiency and Overdosage
It's important to have an adequate supply of vitamin D in your diet, as low intake of vitamin D can lead to osteoporosis in adults. According to MedlinePlus, osteoporosis is a common bone disease that results in the weakening of bone tissue and a reduction in bone density. In children, a low intake of vitamin D may cause rickets, which leads to the bones becoming weak. An excess intake of vitamin D is not healthy, either, as it may cause your intestines to absorb more than enough calcium, which can lead to calcium deposits that may damage your lungs and heart.
Daily Intake
When exposed to the sun, your body is able to produce vitamin D on its own. According to MedlinePlus, only ten to 15 minutes of exposure to the sun approximately three times a week is enough for the body to manufacture adequate vitamin D to protect from deficiency. Infants, children and adults up to the age of 50 need at least 5 mcg of vitamin D daily, while adults between 51 and 70 need at least 10 mcg and those older than 70 require 15 mcg a day.
Food Sources
Vitamin D is abundant in fortified dairy products such as milk and many kinds of yogurt. It is often found in cheese, butter and cream as well. Other foods that contain significant amounts of vitamin D include fish, fortified cereals, margarine and oysters.
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