It’s summer, the perfect time of year for enjoying outdoor activities: swimming, volleyball, picnics, golfing, concerts…..just to name a few! Being outdoors means exposure to sun which usually generates some negative press about the consequences on your health. Today I hope to shed some light on the positive effect sunshine can have on your overall health: vitamin D! Read on to learn more about this essential vitamin and what it can do for your health!
What is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that, due to its lack of presence in everyday foods, is readily available as a supplement or as an additive to some foods (such as milk). The most natural way vitamin D is introduced to the body is by exposure to the sun. This vitamin comes in multiple divisions, but D2 and D3 are its prominent forms. D2 is most commonly derived from plants and yeast and is mostly found in supplements.
Vitamin D3 is the most commonly utilized of the two. This is the form that is produced when exposed to ultraviolet B light. This D can also be found in some animal oils and fatty fish such as herring, mackerel, sardines, and tuna. It is also found in fortified products such as dairy and many cereals.
What does D do?
The main function of vitamin D is to aid in the absorption of calcium, predominantly in the bones and teeth. It is also linked to maintaining normal levels of calcium and phosphorous in the blood stream. Due to its connection with calcium it is linked to preventing osteoporosis, dementia, high blood pressure, depression, mood swings, as well as gastrointestinal cancer.
What is the Recommended Intake?
Daily recommended values are 400 international units (IU) for ages one to 50 or 600 IU for individuals who are 51 to 71. The amount of sunlight a person receives also needs to be considered. This will depend on many factors such as: location, time of day, season, and skin pigmentation.
Now that we know how important vitamin D is to keeping our bones healthy and strong, don’t be afraid to put on your shades and head out for some fun in the sun (with sunscreen and moderation in mind, of course!) this summer. As always, if you have any questions or comments please feel free to leave them for me!
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