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What Is It
Technically a hormone, vitamin D is produced within the body
when the skin is exposed to the ultraviolet B (UVB) rays in
sunlight. Theoretically, spending a few minutes in the sun
each day supplies all the vitamin D your body needs, but many
people don't get enough sun to generate adequate vitamin D,
especially in the winter.
What's more, the body's ability to manufacture vitamin D declines
with age, so vitamin D deficiencies are common in older people.
But even young adults may not have sufficient vitamin D stores.
One study of nearly 300 patients (of all ages) hospitalized
for a variety of causes found that 57% of them did not have
high enough levels of vitamin D. Of particular concern was
the observation that a vitamin D deficiency was present in
a third of the people who obtained the recommended amount
of vitamin D through diet or supplements. This finding suggests
that current recommendations for vitamin D may not be high
enough.
What Does It Do
The basic function of vitamin D is to regulate blood levels
of calcium and phosphorus, helping to build strong bones and
healthy teeth.
Common Uses
• Aids in the body's absorption of calcium.
• Promotes healthy bones.
• Strengthens teeth.
• May protect against some types of cancer.
Prevention
Studies have shown that vitamin D is important in the prevention
of osteoporosis, a disease that causes porous bones and thus
an increased risk of fractures. Without sufficient vitamin
D, the body cannot absorb calcium from food or supplements
- no matter how much calcium you consume. When blood calcium
levels are low, the body will move calcium from the bones
to the blood to supply the muscles - especially the heart
- and the nerves with the amount they need. Over time, this
reallocation of calcium leads to a loss of bone mass.
Additional Benefits
Scientists are continuing to discover more about the functions
of vitamin D in the body. Some studies suggest that it is
important for a healthy immune system. Others indicate that
it may help prevent prostate, colon, or breast cancer .One
study found that adequate vitamin D slowed the progression
of osteoarthritis in the knees, although it did not prevent
the disease from developing in the first place.
How Much You Need
The RDA for vitamin D is 200 IU a day for people under age
50; 400 IU for those ages 51 to 70; and 600 IU for those over
age 70. Many experts, however, think the recommendations for
people over age 50 are too low.
If You Get Too Little: A vitamin D deficiency
can harm the bones, causing a bone-weakening disease in children
(rickets) and increasing the risk of osteoporosis in adults.
A deficiency can also cause diarrhea, in-somnia, nervousness,
and muscle twitches. The likelihood of a child developing
rickets today is remote, however, because vitamin D is added
to milk. In addition, children typically spend enough time
in the sun to generate ample vitamin D.
If You Get Too Much: Although your body effectively
rids itself of any extra vitamin D it makes from sunlight,
overloading on supplements may create problems. Daily doses
of 1,000 to 2,000 IU over six months can cause constipation
or diarrhea, headache, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting,
heartbeat irregularities, and extreme fatigue. Continued high
doses weaken the bones and allow calcium to accumulate in
soft tissues, such as the muscles.
How To Take It
Dosage: As little as 10 to 15 minutes of midday sunlight
on your face, hands, and arms two or three times a week can
supply all the vitamin D you need. But if you are over age
50; if you don’t drink milk (which is fortified with
vitamin D); if you don’t get out doors much between
the hours of 8 A.M. and 3 P.M.; or if you always wear sunscreen,
you might want to consider vitamin D supplements. Many experts
recommend 400 to 600 IU a day for people over age 50 and 800
IU for those over age 70; 200 to 400 IU a day is probably
sufficient for younger adults.
Guidelines For Use: Supplements can be taken
at any time of day, with or without food. Most daily multivitamins contain up to 400 IU of vitamin D. It is also often found
in calcium supplements.
Other Sources
Vitamin D is added to milk; one cup contains 100 IU. Some
breakfast cereals are fortified with 40 to 100 IU of vitamin
D in each serving. Fatty fish, such as herring, salmon, and
tuna, are naturally rich in the vitamin.
Latest Findings
• Calcium and vitamin D supplements slowed bone loss
and reduced the incidence of fractures in 176 men and 213
women over age 65 participating in a recent study. They took
500 mg of calcium and 700 IU of vitamin D a day for three
years.
• Vitamin D may help prevent colon cancer. In a study
of 438 men, researchers found that those with colon cancer
had lower blood levels of vitamin D than those who did not
have the disease. Across the board, men with the highest vitamin
D intake had the best chance of avoiding colon cancer. More
study is needed to confirm this finding and to see if the
risk is the same for women.
Caution!
Overuse of vitamin D supplements can result in elevated blood
levels of calcium, leading to weight loss, nausea, and heart
and kidney damage.
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