Vitamin D

...and we're back! Summer school is just about out. I'm about to hold the much earned Exercise Science diploma and start the next chapter of life. I have learned SO much this summer, and can't wait to add to this blog, all the things I find interesting and applicable to the average person. Before I start the new material, I need to finish up these vitamins! Sooooo... let's get goin'!














Vitamin D is called the "sunshine vitamin", because it is made in your body with the help of UV rays from the sun. Most Vitamin D can be synthesized by receiving adequate sun exposure.

Functions of Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps bone health by regulating calcium and phosphorous. Vitamin D stimulates the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in your intestinal tract, helping to keep the levels of these minerals within a healthy range in your blood. Therefore, vitamin D helps build and maintain your bones. Vitamin D is also said to help prevent diabetes and some forms of cancer (breast, colon, prostate). Vitamin D helps to regulate the growth and differentiation of certain cells. Concerning diabetes, many individuals with type 2 diabetes have low blood levels of vitamin D, which is a cause of insulin resistance.

Daily Needs
Not everyone can rely on the sun to meet their daily vitamin D needs, especially those who live in colder climates (like UTAH in the winter). The sun exposure in colder climates typically isn't strong enough to synthesize vitamin D in the skin. Adults need 5 to 15 micograms (200 to 600 IU) of vitamin D daily (depending on age). The DV on the Nutritional Facts panel is set at 400 IU, twice the amount recommended for children, teenagers, and many adults.

Food Sources
For the sake of getting through these vitamins, I will not do a table. Instead, here are a list of sources with the most vitamin D.

• Salmon, 3 oz: 309 IU
• Tuna fish, light, canned in oil 3 oz: 201 IU
• Soy milk, 1 cup: 126 IU
• Non Fat Milk, 1 cup: 102 IU
• 1% milk, 1 cup: 127 IU

Consuming too much vitamin D can cause loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and constipation. The upper level for vitamin D has been set at 2,000 IU. A chronically high amount of calcium in the blood (called hypercalcemia) can cause damaging calcium deposits in the tissues of your kidneys, lungs, blood vessels, and heart. Excess vitamin D can also affect your nervous system and cause depression. It is very unlikely that a person will get hypercalcemia, even sun worshippers. Overexposure of the skin to UV rays will eventually destroy the inactive form of vitamin D in the skin, causing the body to shut down production of vitamin D.

RICKETS: Rickets is a vitamin D deficiency disease that occurs in children. The bones of children with rickets aren't adequately mineralized with calcium and phosphorus, and this causes them to weaken. Because of their "soft bones" these children develop bowed legs. Since milk has been fortified with vitamin D in the 1930s, rickets has been considered a rare disease among children in the United States.

TIPS ON HOW TO GET VITAMIN D (from your food)

• Buy vitamin D -fortified yogurts, and vitamin D fortified cereals, and top it off with low fat milk!
• Eat more salmon! Find creative recipes if your family does not care for fish
• Make instant hot chocolate with hot milk, rather than water (then you can say it's more healthy.. right ;) )