Vitamin D is an important fat-soluble substance. Your body can make its own vitamin D when you are in the sun. Alternatively, your diet or supplements can deliver the amount you need per day. Vitamin D has considerable health benefits and it is required to safeguard many different systems in your body.
Sources
Your body synthesizes highly bio-available vitamin D when exposed to adequate ultraviolet light. Cultural or personal observances that limit or prevent exposure to sunlight make it necessary to consume foods that are rich in vitamin D. Fatty fish, such as salmon, sardines and mackerel are excellent sources of vitamin D. Egg yolks, whole milk and dairy are also good sources. Milk and orange juice that have been fortified with vitamin D can contribute toward your daily allowance.
Osteoporosis
The most common ailment connected to vitamin D deficiency in adults is osteoporosis. Therapeutic doses of vitamin D can significantly reverse osteoporosis. Many doctors prescribe a combination of calcium and vitamin D supplements because calcium absorption requires vitamin D. When vitamin D is lacking, the body cannot absorb enough calcium and starts to deplete the calcium stored in the bones. The Mayo Clinic website states that "vitamin D supplementation has been shown to slow bone loss and reduce fracture, particularly when taken with calcium."
Health Benefits
A study published in 2011 in the journal "Vitamins and Hormones" confirms that vitamin D can regulate the immune system in a positive way. Research shows that vitamin D can improve autoimmune disease such as irritable bowel syndrome and multiple sclerosis.
The Mayo Clinic reports that vitamin D therapy is a treatment for a number of ailments, including psoriasis, muscle and bone pain and weakness, diabetes and high blood pressure.
Recommendations
When you choose your vitamin D supplement, take care to select one that contains D3 and not D2. Vitamin D2 is of plant origin, while humans and animals make and efficiently use vitamin D3.
Many factors, such as age, darkness of skin, weight and exposure to the sun can make a difference in the amount of vitamin D you need every day. Consult your physician for help in determining how much vitamin D you should take. Most supplements contain 400 IU of vitamin D. The Linus Pauling Institute recommends that adults take 2,000 IU daily. Therapeutic doses can reach as much as 10,000 IU every day for months.
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