Vitamin d

If you shun the sun, wear sunscreen, suffer from milk allergies, or adhere to a strict vegan diet, you may be at risk for vitamin D deficiency. Known as the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D is produced by the body in response to skin being exposed to sunlight. It also occurs naturally in a few foods -- including some fish, fish liver oils, and egg yolks -- and in fortified dairy and grain products. Vitamin D is essential for strong bones because it helps the body use calcium from the diet. Traditionally, Symptoms and Health Risks of Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms of bone pain and muscle weakness can mean you have a vitamin D deficiency. However, for many people, the symptoms are subtle. Yet, even without symptoms, too little vitamin D can pose health risks. Low blood levels of the vitamin have been associated with the following: • Increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease • Cognitive impairment in older adults • Severe asthma in children • Cancer Research suggests that vitamin D could play a role in the prevention and treatment of a number of different conditions, including type1 and type 2 diabetes, hypertension, glucose intolerance, and Causes of Vitamin D Deficiency Vitamin D deficiency can occur for a number of reasons: You don't consume the recommended levels of the vitamin over time. This is likely if you follow a strict vegan diet, because most of the natural sources are animal-based, including fish and fish oils, egg yolks, fortified milk, and beef liver. Here ...

Vitamin D is a nutrient your body needs for building and maintaining healthy bones. That's because your body can only absorb calcium, the primary component of bone, when vitamin D is present. Vitamin D also regulates many other cellular functions in your body. Its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective properties support immune health, muscle function and brain cell activity. Vitamin D isn't naturally found in many foods, but you can get it from fortified milk, fortified cereal, and fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines. Your body also makes vitamin D when direct sunlight converts a chemical in your skin into an active form of the vitamin (calciferol). The amount of vitamin D your skin makes depends on many factors, including the time of day, season, latitude and your skin pigmentation. Depending on where you live and your lifestyle, vitamin D production might decrease or be completely absent during the winter months. Sunscreen, while important to prevent skin cancer, also can decrease vitamin D production. Many older adults don't get regular exposure to sunlight and have trouble absorbing vitamin D. If your doctor suspects you're not getting enough vitamin D, a simple blood test can check the levels of this vitamin in your blood. Taking a multivitamin with vitamin D may help improve bone health. The recommended daily amount of vitamin D is 400 international units (IU) for children up to age 12 months, 600 IU for people ages 1 to 70 years, and 800 IU...

Olga Shumitskaya / Getty Images Why You Need Vitamin D Vitamin D, also referred to as calciferol, is a fat-soluble vitamin (meaning one that is broken down by fat and oils in the gut). It is commonly referred to as the "sunshine vitamin" because the D3 type can be naturally produced in the body following exposure to the sun. • Vitamin D2 is naturally found in mushrooms, including shiitake, Portobello, and crimini mushrooms. The vitamin D content increases when these mushrooms are exposed to UV radiation. • Vitamin D3 is naturally found in animals and animal-derived products like milk. It is also directly synthesized in the skin when it is exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. Some studies suggest that vitamin D3 raises the vitamin D level in the bloodstream 87% more than vitamin D2. On the downside, vitamin D3 in supplements has historically been synthesized using lanolin derived from sheep's wool. This makes it unsuitable for those who choose to avoid animal-based products. Food IU Serving size % RDA Beef liver 42 3 ounce 5% Butter 9 1 tablespoon 1% Cereal 80 1-1/2 ounce 10% Cheese 12 1 ounce 2% Cod liver oil 1,360 1 tablespoon 170% Egg yolks 44 1 yolk 6% Fresh salmon 570 3 ounce 71% Halibut 384 1/2 fillet 48% Mackerel 360 1/2 fillet 45% Milk, fortified 120 1 cup 15% Sardines 46 2 fish 6% Trout 645 3 ounce 81% Tuna 40 3 ounce 5% • National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. • US Preventive Services Task Force, et al. JAMA. 2021;325(14):1436-1442 . doi...

Medical News Todayonly shows you brands and products that we stand behind. Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we: • Evaluate ingredients and composition:Do they have the potential to cause harm? • Fact-check all health claims:Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence? • Assess the brand:Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices? We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness. Vitamin D is a type of nutrient that the body produces when a person’s skin has exposure to direct sunlight. People can also consume vitamin D, but it is not naturally present in many foods. High quantities of vitamin D are present in oily fish and certain types of mushrooms. According to the It is present in egg yolks if the chickens laying them are free-range. Some mushrooms also contain However, no other plant-based foods produce vitamin D. For people whose diets are mostly vegetarian or vegan, and for people who do not or cannot spend a lot of time outdoors, it can be difficult to get enough vitamin D. If a person has concerns that they are not getting enough vitamin D from direct sunlight, consuming the following foods will help increase the overall amount they have in their bodies. If a person does not like fish, or if they are vegetarian or vegan, specific mushrooms may be an option. ...

Signs of too much vitamin D include: Elevated blood levels In order for vitamin D to reach toxic or dangerous levels in the body, it needs to exceed 100 nanograms (ng) per milliliter (mL). Recommendations on optimal vitamin D levels vary, but research suggests that levels between 30–60 ng/mL are likely optimal and may help protect against illness and disease ( Even when taking high dose vitamin D supplements, it’s unlikely that a healthy person’s blood vitamin D levels would come close to reaching excessive or toxic levels. Most cases of vitamin D toxicity are caused by inappropriate supplement dosing and prescription errors. For example, in a 2020 case report, a 73-year-old man developed vitamin D toxicity after taking 10,000 IU of vitamin D per day for many years ( In another 2020 case report, a 56-year-old woman who took an average of 130,000 IU of vitamin D per day for 20 months in hopes of improving symptoms of Her vitamin D levels were discovered to be 265 ng/mL, which equals 130,000 IU and is over 30 times the generally recommended safe upper limit of 4,000 IU per day ( Keep in mind that people who are low or deficient in vitamin D may need to take much higher levels than the safe upper limit to reach and maintain optimal vitamin D levels. However, make sure to consult a healthcare professional on what dosage you should take. This will help you avoid potentially inappropriate or dangerous dosing. Summary Vitamin D levels greater than 100 ng/mL may be harmful. Toxici...

• A rare, inherited bone disorder marked by low levels of phosphate in the • Underactive parathyroid ( • Softening of the bones ( • A bone disorder that occurs in people with • Rickets. Taking vitamin D by mouth is effective for preventing and treating rickets. A specific form of vitamin D, called calcitriol, should be used in people with kidney failure. • Likely Effective for • • • • Bone loss in people with overactive parathyroid (hyperparathyroidism-related bone loss). Taking vitamin D3 by mouth seems to reduce parathyroid hormone levels and bone loss in people with a condition called hyperparathyroidism. • Infection of the airways. Taking vitamin D by mouth helps prevent respiratory infections in children. But taking vitamin D by mouth during pregnancy doesn't seem to reduce the risk of these infections in the child after birth. It also doesn't help prevent infections in adults. • Preventing tooth loss (tooth retention). Taking calcium and vitamin D3 by mouth appears to prevent tooth loss in elderly people. Possibly Ineffective for • Heart disease. Taking a vitamin D supplement by mouth doesn't seem to prevent heart disease, heart attack, stroke, or other serious heart-related events in most people. • Critical illness (trauma). Giving vitamin D to people with low vitamin D levels who are in the hospital with a critical illness doesn't make them more likely to live. • Fractures. Taking vitamin D by mouth doesn't seem to prevent fractures in older people who do NOT have ...

Olga Shumitskaya / Getty Images Why You Need Vitamin D Vitamin D, also referred to as calciferol, is a fat-soluble vitamin (meaning one that is broken down by fat and oils in the gut). It is commonly referred to as the "sunshine vitamin" because the D3 type can be naturally produced in the body following exposure to the sun. • Vitamin D2 is naturally found in mushrooms, including shiitake, Portobello, and crimini mushrooms. The vitamin D content increases when these mushrooms are exposed to UV radiation. • Vitamin D3 is naturally found in animals and animal-derived products like milk. It is also directly synthesized in the skin when it is exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. Some studies suggest that vitamin D3 raises the vitamin D level in the bloodstream 87% more than vitamin D2. On the downside, vitamin D3 in supplements has historically been synthesized using lanolin derived from sheep's wool. This makes it unsuitable for those who choose to avoid animal-based products. Food IU Serving size % RDA Beef liver 42 3 ounce 5% Butter 9 1 tablespoon 1% Cereal 80 1-1/2 ounce 10% Cheese 12 1 ounce 2% Cod liver oil 1,360 1 tablespoon 170% Egg yolks 44 1 yolk 6% Fresh salmon 570 3 ounce 71% Halibut 384 1/2 fillet 48% Mackerel 360 1/2 fillet 45% Milk, fortified 120 1 cup 15% Sardines 46 2 fish 6% Trout 645 3 ounce 81% Tuna 40 3 ounce 5% • National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. • US Preventive Services Task Force, et al. JAMA. 2021;325(14):1436-1442 . doi...

Vitamin D is a nutrient your body needs for building and maintaining healthy bones. That's because your body can only absorb calcium, the primary component of bone, when vitamin D is present. Vitamin D also regulates many other cellular functions in your body. Its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective properties support immune health, muscle function and brain cell activity. Vitamin D isn't naturally found in many foods, but you can get it from fortified milk, fortified cereal, and fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines. Your body also makes vitamin D when direct sunlight converts a chemical in your skin into an active form of the vitamin (calciferol). The amount of vitamin D your skin makes depends on many factors, including the time of day, season, latitude and your skin pigmentation. Depending on where you live and your lifestyle, vitamin D production might decrease or be completely absent during the winter months. Sunscreen, while important to prevent skin cancer, also can decrease vitamin D production. Many older adults don't get regular exposure to sunlight and have trouble absorbing vitamin D. If your doctor suspects you're not getting enough vitamin D, a simple blood test can check the levels of this vitamin in your blood. Taking a multivitamin with vitamin D may help improve bone health. The recommended daily amount of vitamin D is 400 international units (IU) for children up to age 12 months, 600 IU for people ages 1 to 70 years, and 800 IU...

Signs of too much vitamin D include: Elevated blood levels In order for vitamin D to reach toxic or dangerous levels in the body, it needs to exceed 100 nanograms (ng) per milliliter (mL). Recommendations on optimal vitamin D levels vary, but research suggests that levels between 30–60 ng/mL are likely optimal and may help protect against illness and disease ( Even when taking high dose vitamin D supplements, it’s unlikely that a healthy person’s blood vitamin D levels would come close to reaching excessive or toxic levels. Most cases of vitamin D toxicity are caused by inappropriate supplement dosing and prescription errors. For example, in a 2020 case report, a 73-year-old man developed vitamin D toxicity after taking 10,000 IU of vitamin D per day for many years ( In another 2020 case report, a 56-year-old woman who took an average of 130,000 IU of vitamin D per day for 20 months in hopes of improving symptoms of Her vitamin D levels were discovered to be 265 ng/mL, which equals 130,000 IU and is over 30 times the generally recommended safe upper limit of 4,000 IU per day ( Keep in mind that people who are low or deficient in vitamin D may need to take much higher levels than the safe upper limit to reach and maintain optimal vitamin D levels. However, make sure to consult a healthcare professional on what dosage you should take. This will help you avoid potentially inappropriate or dangerous dosing. Summary Vitamin D levels greater than 100 ng/mL may be harmful. Toxici...

Medical News Todayonly shows you brands and products that we stand behind. Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we: • Evaluate ingredients and composition:Do they have the potential to cause harm? • Fact-check all health claims:Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence? • Assess the brand:Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices? We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness. Vitamin D is a type of nutrient that the body produces when a person’s skin has exposure to direct sunlight. People can also consume vitamin D, but it is not naturally present in many foods. High quantities of vitamin D are present in oily fish and certain types of mushrooms. According to the It is present in egg yolks if the chickens laying them are free-range. Some mushrooms also contain However, no other plant-based foods produce vitamin D. For people whose diets are mostly vegetarian or vegan, and for people who do not or cannot spend a lot of time outdoors, it can be difficult to get enough vitamin D. If a person has concerns that they are not getting enough vitamin D from direct sunlight, consuming the following foods will help increase the overall amount they have in their bodies. If a person does not like fish, or if they are vegetarian or vegan, specific mushrooms may be an option. ...