What Does Vitamin D Do
What does vitamin D do? This is a very important question many people ask, and it is imperative to know the vitamin d facts for your health and beauty.
You need vitamin D for your bones, deciding on whether you need to take a vitamin D supplement or get it from the sun, can make all the difference. Without vitamin D, your bones can become brittle and thin.
A supplement taken together with calcium can help prevent osteoporosis.
Having a deficiency in vitamin d can contribute to osteoporosis by decreasing calcium absorption in the body. It has been proven, even if you have an adequate calcium intake, the calcium may not be absorbed effectively, because of low levels of vitamin D. This study was done by researchers at the Harvard Medical School.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it is stored in the body. Therefore, you only need this particular vitamin in small doses.
Vitamins A, E and K are fat-soluble vitamins as well, so, don’t overload your body on any of these vitamins either!
It is needed in the body for its use of calcium and phosphorous. Phosphorus is a mineral in the body, and is present in bones, teeth and combines with calcium to form calcium phosphate. It is also present in every cell in the body and body fluids.
The amount of calcium absorbed from the small intestine is because of vitamin D, and it helps form and maintains bones and can help with stronger fingernails.
Vitamin D in the body
- help regulate the immune system and neuromuscular system (nervous system and muscles working together)
- life cycle of cells
Your body will make this particular vitamin itself, but only after the skin has had exposure to sufficient sunlight. This can be difficult for some people who avoid the sun, such as me, women who are completely covered up all the time, people who work at night and sleep during the day, darker skinned people, as dark skin absorbs less sunlight, and older people.
Ideally, you only need to put your arms, hands and face in the sun for a few minutes, to get enough of this important vitamin.
If this is not possible, you need to obtain it from other sources.
The average daily amount recommended is 200 IU daily, adults over 50 need around 400 IU daily, and for people over 70 it is recommended you increase that to 600 IU.
IU meaning ‘international unit’, the amount determined by biological methods and not a chemical analysis.
The multivitamin I am taking at the moment, has 200 IU of Vitamin D. If you are taking a supplement as well, check to see how much you are getting on a daily basis.
Vitamin D food sources
Very few foods in fact contain this essential vitamin. Fish with a high fat content such as; sardines, salmon, herring and mackerel, is good, a small amount is found in egg yolk, meat and liver Oil.
Many foods have vitamin D added, milk, skim milk, margarine, yoghurt, and cheese. This can be a problem if you are intolerant to the casein and lactose in milk.
Many synthetic minerals and vitamins such as vitamin D, are added to various foods that are canned or packaged.
Can you have too much vitamin D?
It is easy to get too much if you are getting your source from cod liver oil, or some other supplement.
Symptoms are constipation, nausea, confusion, abnormal heart rhythm and kidney stones.
It is virtually impossible to get too much from sunlight or fortified foods.
Some weight loss drugs may inhibit vitamin D absorption.
So, what does vitamin D do? It helps keep you healthy.
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October 7th, 2010 at
I just recently had blood work done to check my vitamin D level. The results must have been extremly bad because the Dr. put me on a prescription of 50,000IU taken once aweek. After reading about Vitamin D above, I am a little alarmed about taking this prescription. Would love to have your input.
December 6th, 2010 at
Contrary to public opinion, Vitamin D includes a greater role in maintaining your bone health than calcium. Although inadequate calcium intake and calcium depletion is considered the largest contributor to the weakening of bones and increasing chances of fractures, it really is Vitamin D which determines your bone health. Vitamin D regulates the amount of calcium which remains in blood circulation and also the amount that is deposited inside your teeth and bones. It promotes the absorption of phosphorous and calcium in your body, strengthening your bones.
July 17th, 2011 at
Rickets is a disorder caused by a lack of vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate. It leads to softening and weakening of the bones. In children, if it is corrected while the child is young, skeletal deformities often improve or disappear with time.
August 2nd, 2011 at
Vitamin D is extremely important to good health.
As an above poster stated you can get bloodwork done if you ask your doctor for it.
My sister who is outside a fair amount of time, does not get much sun in the winter and showed up deficient.
It is best to get Vitamin D from natural sources.
We all need a little sunshine. Some supplements will do well, but be careful they are not made from non natural sources.
August 21st, 2011 at
A great and highly informative post which I must email to my sister for:
“A vitamin D supplement taken together with calcium can help prevent osteoporosis.”
I also was surprised at the point:
“help regulate the immune system and neuromuscular system (nervous system and muscles working together)”
Keep up the good work.
Claire
August 23rd, 2011 at
“It is virtually impossible to get too much from sunlight or fortified foods.” – This is a very important statement that had me worried as I love the outdoors. A very informative post. Thanks for sharing.
Randal
Murrieta Property Management
August 26th, 2011 at
I work at night and sleep during the day so I don’t get too much sunlight. I do take a vitamin D supplement to make up for this though and I feel that I am fairly healthy.
October 4th, 2011 at
That’s very interesting.
As a vegan who avoids the sun at all times my son sounds like he really ought to be taking a supplement.
Although it sounds as if it gets more important as you get older, correct?