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What is vitamin D, which foods contain vitamin D?
What is Vitamin D?
The presence of vitamin D is very important for building healthy bones and maintaining bone health. This is mainly because calcium (the primary component of bone) is only absorbed by the body in the presence of vitamin D. Vitamin D is produced in the body when sunlight converts a chemical in the skin into an active form of vitamin (calciferol).
The amount of vitamin D you make can vary depending on the time of day, the season, skin pigmentation, where you live and lifestyle. Vitamin D production can decrease or be completely absent.
How do I get vitamin D?
Sun exposure is an easy and safe way for most people to get vitamin D. Exposing hands, face, arms and legs to sunlight 2-3 times a week takes about a quarter of the time it takes for a mild disease to develop. Too much sun exposure also has negative effects because the exposure time depends on age, skin type, season, time of day.
Calculation example: Just 6 days of sun exposure without sunscreen can make up for 49 days without sun exposure. Body fat stores excess vitamin D in fat and releases it when needed.
The main source of vitamin D is the sun. Vitamin D is produced as a result of some metabolic processes that take place after contact of ultraviolet rays with the skin. For this reason, sufficient vitamin D can be produced by sunbathing for 20 to 30 minutes every day, with the face and arms open, depending on the position of the sun (the most ideal hours: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.).
What is the ideal vitamin D level?
Most people who are not exposed to regular sunlight have difficulty absorbing vitamin D. Therefore, it will be beneficial to support bone health with multivitamins that contain vitamin D.
The recommended daily vitamin D is;
400 for children up to 12 months
1-70 years old 600 IU
It hovers around 800 UI for those over 70.
But the elderly are at risk for vitamin D deficiency. Because they spend less time in the sun, their skin has fewer receptors that convert sunlight into vitamin D, they may not be able to get enough vitamin D from food, and their absorption can be problematic.
Without vitamin D, bones can become soft, thin and brittle. Insufficient vitamin D has also been linked to osteoporosis and some cancers. If you don't get vitamin D from sunlight and certain food sources, you may need vitamin D supplements. Taking vitamin D supplements with a fat-containing diet ensures better absorption.
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