If you cannot eat fish or nuts, you must find other ways to obtain an adequate supply of vitamin D. The sun is a good source of the nutrient, and various other foods contain vitamin D naturally or as an additive. The nutrient is also available as a dietary supplement, but take it only when your doctor prescribes it.
Vitamin D Sources
The simplest way of getting vitamin D is by going outside on sunny days. A 10- to 15-minute exposure to ultraviolet-B radiation three times a week is usually sufficient for your body to produce an adequate supply of vitamin D. Dark-skinned people and the elderly don’t absorb as much sun radiation as younger, light-skinned individuals. They may need to supplement their diets with egg yolks, vitamin D-fortified milk and other enriched foods. Product labels indicate whether an item has the nutrient, sometimes listed as cholecalciferol. Vitamin D exists in pill form, as well. Although you can buy them without a prescription, consult your doctor before supplementing the nutrient.
Vitamin D and Health
Vitamin D is vital for your body to assimilate calcium and keep it within normal levels in your bloodstream. The right amount of calcium helps to produce strong bones and it facilitates the functions of the nervous system. Vitamin D also coordinates cell multiplication, preventing unhealthy, disease-causing cells from forming. This nutrient improves immune system function, upping your natural defenses against illness.
Potential Benefits
In addition to vitamin D’s proven benefits, the nutrient is suspected of playing two other roles in maintaining your health. The Linus Pauling Institute says that scientific evidence suggests vitamin D may moderate insulin discharge, helping to keep glucose at normal levels in your bloodstream. Additionally, laboratory research using mice as subjects shows vitamin D’s potential to relieve high blood pressure.
Vitamin D Intake
Vitamin D is measured in international units, or IU, and the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine makes recommendations regarding how many units an individual needs. From birth to one year, infants should get 400 IU of the nutrient, available in breast milk and baby formula. At age one, children need 600 IU of vitamin D, an amount that stays unchanged through the age of 71. At that point, vitamin D intake should rise to 800 IU.
Member Comments