Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, which is needed to build and maintain strong bones. People with low vitamin D levels may have low bone mass or low bone density.
Why do I need vitamin D?
Vitamin D helps protect your bones.Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption in the gut and maintains adequate
serum calcium and phosphate concentrations to enable normal bone
mineralization and to prevent hypocalcemic tetany (involuntary
contraction of muscles, leading to cramps and spasms).
Maintaining appropriate levels of vitamin D and calcium is especially important for women, because they are more likely to develop osteoporosis (a condition that makes bones weak and easily breakable)
.If children do not get enough sunlight, a vitamin D deficiency can develop, which in turn can lead to rickets. The disease causes bones to soften and become bent. Dental health also suffers: Milk teeth are delayed in erupting and enamel defects can occur. But this shouldn't happen: rickets can be prevented very effectively.
Vitamin D has other roles in the body, including
* Reduction of inflammation as well as
* Modulation of such processes as cell growth,
* Neuro-muscular and immune function, and
* Glucose metabolism
How can I get vitamin D?
You can get vitamin D from 3 sources:
• Sunlight
• Food
• Supplements and medications.
Your skin makes vitamin D from the sun’s rays. This is why vitamin D is known as the “sunshine vitamin.” The amount of vitamin D your skin makes depends on the time
of day, season, your location, skin color, and age.
However, it may be best to stay out of the sun because of concerns of skin cancer especially for the whites. Sunscreens block the rays necessary for your skin to make vitamin D, and being in the sun without sunscreen can make you vulnerable to the sun’s harmful effects. Many people thus obtain vitamin D from other sources, such as food or supplements.Foods rich in vitamin D include fatty fish (like mackerel, salmon, and tuna), egg yolks, and beef liver. Vitamin D is sometimes added to many other foods, such as milk, margarine, and breakfast cereals. It is very difficult to get all the vitamin D you need from food alone. This is why people may also take vitamin D supplements.
Before taking any supplement, talk to your health care professional. Find out if your calcium supplement, multivitamin, or medication already contains the right amount of
vitamin D for your needs. If so, you may not need a separate vitamin D supplement.
Who may need more vitamin D?
Some people may not be getting enough vitamin D. You may be at risk if you:
• Spend little time in the sun
• Have very dark skin
• Are age 50 or older
• Have certain medical conditions like pancreatic enzyme deficiency, Crohn’s disease, cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, or some forms of liver disease
• Are obese.
How can I check my vitamin D levels?
A blood test can determine if you are getting enough vitamin D If you feel you may be at risk for vitamin D deficiency, be sure to talk to your health care professional about this test and options for increasing your vitamin D intake.
| nmol/L* | ng/mL* | Health status |
|---|---|---|
| <30 | <12 | Associated with vitamin D deficiency, which can lead to rickets in infants and children and osteomalacia in adults |
| 30 to <50 | 12 to <20 | Generally considered inadequate for bone and overall health in healthy individuals |
| ≥50 | ≥20 | Generally considered adequate for bone and overall health in healthy individuals |
| >125 | >50 | Linked to potential adverse effects, particularly at >150 nmol/L (>60 ng/mL |
FOOD Source
| Food | Micrograms (mcg) per serving |
International Units (IU) per serving |
Percent DV* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cod liver oil, 1 tablespoon | 34.0 | 1,360 | 170 |
| Trout (rainbow), farmed, cooked, 3 ounces | 16.2 | 645 | 81 |
| Salmon (sockeye), cooked, 3 ounces | 14.2 | 570 | 71 |
| Mushrooms, white, raw, sliced, exposed to UV light, ½ cup | 9.2 | 366 | 46 |
| Milk, 2% milkfat, vitamin D fortified, 1 cup | 2.9 | 120 | 15 |
| Soy, almond, and oat milks, vitamin D fortified, various brands, 1 cup | 2.5–3.6 | 100–144 | 13–18 |
| Ready-to-eat cereal, fortified with 10% of the DV for vitamin D, 1 serving | 2.0 | 80 | 10 |
| Sardines (Atlantic), canned in oil, drained, 2 sardines | 1.2 | 46 | 6 |
| Egg, 1 large, scrambled** | 1.1 | 44 | 6 |
| Liver, beef, braised, 3 ounces | 1.0 | 42 | 5 |
| Tuna fish (light), canned in water, drained, 3 ounces | 1.0 | 40 | 5 |
| Cheese, cheddar, 1.5 ounce | 0.4 | 17 | 2 |
| Mushrooms, portabella, raw, diced, ½ cup | 0.1 | 4 | 1 |
| Chicken breast, roasted, 3 ounces | 0.1 | 4 | 1 |
| Beef, ground, 90% lean, broiled, 3 ounces | 0 | 1.7 | 0 |
| Broccoli, raw, chopped, ½ cup | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carrots, raw, chopped, ½ cup | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Almonds, dry roasted, 1 ounce | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apple, large | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Banana, large | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rice, brown, long-grain, cooked, 1 cup | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Whole wheat bread, 1 slice | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lentils, boiled, ½ cup | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sunflower seeds, roasted, ½ cup | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Edamame, shelled, cooked, ½ cup | 0 | 0 | 0 |
