Vitamin D, is a vitamin available in foods such as fatty fishes, meat, eggs and cod liver oil. Some foods like milk, margarines and flour are also fortified with vitamin D. In addition, your body produces this vitamin through sun exposure. Supplementation with vitamin D pills is another option for getting vitamin D for your body.
Vitamin D Function
Vitamin D is important for your bones' health because it helps to keep them strong and dense. According to MayoClinic.com, vitamin D also helps your body to maintain its levels of calcium and phosphorus in the blood. This aids the intestinal absorption of those elements. MayoClinic.com also found that vitamin D may boost the immune system increasing the response capacity of your body's T cells. T cells help your body fight against infections. Additionally, these studies show there may also exist a relationship between vitamin D lack and influenza. Vitamin D also helps your body fight certain forms of cancers including colon, ovarian and breast cancers.
The Elderly
According to MayoClinic.com, elderly individuals have higher instances of vitamin D deficiencies. This deficiency is often caused by poor diet, bad absorption of the vitamin in their intestines, not receiving enough sun light and liver or kidney diseases that affect the metabolism of vitamin D metabolism. Many elderly individuals are not aware that they have a vitamin D deficiency. Doctors can check the level of vitamin D in your body through a blood test. It is a good idea to have your doctor test the level of vitamin D in your body as part of regular blood tests.
Deficiency Problems
A vitamin D deficiency can make your bones more fragile and increase the risk of fractures and falls. Additionally, a vitamin D deficiency also effects muscle strength that can make common tasks such as climbing stairs or walking long distances difficult. The good news, however, is that you can treat this deficiency with supplementation.
Vitamin D Intake
The Food and Nutrition Board, recommends individuals over 50 years of age take 600 IU per day of a vitamin D supplement. Individuals over 70 years of age should take 800 IU per day of a vitamin D supplement. These recommendations assume the elderly person receives minimal sun exposure. It is possible to consume too much vitamin D. Vitamin D toxicity typically occurs with long-term intake of 10,000 to 40,000 IU per day. Excessive sun exposure, however, does not cause toxicity due to the degradation process that occurs in skin for vitamin D.
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