Winter is coming! It is Necessary to Pay Attention to Vitamin D Deficiency

Nov 8, 2022

Vitamin D is also known as the “sunshine vitamin.” Maintaining an appropriate amount of vitamin D in the human body can help normal bone development, but too much or too little can cause health problems.

The vitamin D produced by sun exposure accounts for about 80% of the body’s source of vitamin D, so proper sun exposure can supplement the vitamin D required by the body. (Photo via unsplash.com)

London, UK (Merxwire) – Vitamin D is called Sunshine Vitamin, one of the essential nutrients for maintaining health, which can help the body’s metabolic regulation function. But did you know that more than one-third of adults in the United States are not getting enough vitamin D, especially in winter, when sun exposure is too short, and vitamin D deficiency may occur.

Vitamin D is an essential micronutrient for the body, and a lack of it can lead to bone and muscle problems. However, vitamin D cannot be synthesized by the body itself, so it needs to be exposed to the sun or obtained from the diet. Some people will supplement with vitamin D supplements. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the recommended daily intake is 400 IU for infants under 12 months and 600 IU for children and adults aged 1-70. The daily dose of the elderly over 71 is limited to 800 IU. The public must pay attention to the dosage, and supplementing too much harms health.

Despite being called a vitamin, vitamin D is not a vitamin at all but a hormone that promotes calcium absorption in the body. About 80% of vitamin D in the human body comes from sunlight. After the skin is exposed to sunlight, the cholesterol is converted into vitamin D3. People can sunbathe for about 10 minutes at noon every day to maintain sufficient vitamin D in the body. Or take vitamin D from food.

Salmon, which contains many oils, is an excellent source of vitamin D, with 361 to 685 IU of vitamin D per 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving. (Photo via unsplash.com)

Although sun exposure is the primary way for the human body to produce vitamin D, diet is also essential. Although there are not many types of foods containing vitamin D in nature, they are easy to obtain. They are mainly distributed in milk, meat, fish, and eggs. One of the best ways to supplement vitamin D. Usually rich in fatty fish will contain more vitamin D, such as salmon, flat cod, mackerel, sardines, and so on. In addition, foods such as animal liver, cod liver oil, beef, oysters, milk, or egg yolks are essential sources of vitamin D intake. Vegetarians can eat mushrooms that have been exposed to sunlight. Studies have shown that mushrooms can produce vitamin D after exposure to sunlight, which can also supplement the vitamin D content of the human body.

Supplementing vitamin D is not difficult, as long as you stay in the sun for about 10 minutes daily. Still, the difficulty is that modern people do not like to be in the sun, and sufficient sunlight is difficult to achieve in specific regions or certain seasons. Not to mention air pollution or allergies. More and more studies have confirmed that vitamin D deficiency, in addition to affecting the absorption of calcium in the body, is also related to cardiovascular disease, autoimmunity, chronic diseases, etc. The public must pay attention to this problem. Eat more of these foods that are naturally rich in vitamin D. If necessary, and you can also seek professional medical advice from a doctor to improve your physique.