What is Vitamin D’s Health Benefits?

The human body produces vitamin D as a response to sun exposure. A person can also boost their vitamin D intake thru certain foods or supplements.

Vitamin D is essential for several reasons, including maintaining healthy bones and teeth. It may also protect against a range of diseases and conditions, such as type 1 diabetes.

Despite its name, vitamin D is not a vitamin but a prohormone, or precursor of a hormone.

Vitamins are nutrients that the body cannot create, and so a person must consume them in the diet. However, the body can produce vitamin D.

In this article, we look at the benefits of vitamin D, what happens to the body when people do not get enough, and how to boost vitamin D intake.

Benefits

Vitamin D has multiple roles in the body. It assists in:

  • promoting healthy bones and teeth.
  • supporting immune, brain, and nervous system health.
  • regulating insulin levels and supporting diabetes management.
  • supporting lung function and cardiovascular health.
  • influencing the expression of genes involved in cancer development.

Read on to find out about these roles in more detail:

1. Healthy bones

Vitamin D plays a significant role in the regulation of calcium and the maintenance of phosphorus levels in the blood. These factors are vital for maintaining healthy bones.

People need vitamin D to allow the intestines to stimulate and absorb calcium and reclaim calcium that the kidneys would otherwise excrete.

Vitamin D deficiency in children can cause rickets, which leads to a severely bowlegged appearance due to the softening of the bones.

Similarly, in adults, vitamin D deficiency manifests as osteomalacia or softening of the bones. Osteomalacia results in poor bone density and muscular weakness.

A vitamin D deficiency can also present as osteoporosis, for which over 53 million people in the United States either seek treatment or face an increased risk.

2. Reduced risk of flu

A 2018 review trusts The source of existing research suggested that some studies had found that vitamin D had a protective effect against the influenza virus.

However, the authors also looked at other studies where vitamin D did not have this effect on flu and flu risk.

Further research is, therefore, necessary to confirm the protective effect of vitamin D on the flu.

3. Healthy infants

Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to high blood pressure in children. One 2018 study found a possible connection between low vitamin D levels and stiffness in the arterial walls of children.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAI) suggests that evidence points to a connection between low vitamin D exposure and an increased risk of allergic sensitization.

An example of this is children who live closer to the equator and have lower rates of admission to the hospital for allergies, plus fewer prescriptions for epinephrine autoinjectors. They are also less likely to have a peanut allergy.

The AAAAI also highlights an Australian study of egg intake. Eggs are a common early source of vitamin D. Children who started eating eggs after 6 months were more likely to develop food allergies than children who started between 4 and 6 months of age.

Furthermore, vitamin D may enhance the anti-inflammatory effects of glucocorticoids. This benefit makes it potentially useful as a supportive therapy. a trusted source for people with steroid-resistant asthma.

4. Healthy pregnancy

A 2019 review Trusted Source suggests that pregnant women who are deficient in vitamin D may have a greater risk of developing preeclampsia and giving birth preterm.

Doctors also associate poor vitamin D status with gestational diabetes and bacterial vaginosis in pregnant women.

It is also important to note that in a 2013 study, trusted source, researchers associated high vitamin D levels during pregnancy with an increased risk of food allergy in the child during the first 2 years of life.

Deficiency

Although the body can create vitamin D, a deficiency can occur for many reasons.

Causes

Skin type: Darker skin, for example, and sunscreen, reduce the body’s ability to absorb the ultraviolet radiation B (UVB) rays from the sun. Absorbing sunlight is essential for the skin to produce vitamin D.

Sunscreen: A sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 can reduce the body’s ability to synthesize the vitamin by 95% or more. Covering the skin with clothing can inhibit vitamin D production as well.

Geographical location: People who live in northern latitudes or areas of high pollution, work night shifts, or are homebound should aim to consume vitamin D from food sources whenever possible.

Infants who exclusively breastfeed need a vitamin D supplement, especially if they have dark skin or have had minimal sun exposure. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all breastfed infants receive 400 international units (IU) per day of oral vitamin D.

Although people can take vitamin D supplements, it is best to obtain any vitamins or minerals thru natural sources wherever possible.

Symptoms

Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency may include:

  • Regular sickness or infection
  • fatigue
  • Bone and back pain
  • low mood
  • Impaired wound healing
  • hair loss
  • Muscle pain

If vitamin D deficiency continues for a long time, it may result in complications, such as:

Sources of vitamin D

Getting sufficient sunlight is the best way to help the body produce enough vitamin D. Plentiful food sources of vitamin D include:

  • fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna
  • egg yolks
  • cheese
  • beef liver
  • mushrooms
  • fortified milk
  • fortified cereals and juices

Dosage

People can measure vitamin D intake in micrograms (mcg) or international units (IU). One microgram of vitamin D is equal to 40 IU.

The recommended daily intake of vitamin D is as follows:

  • Infants 0–12 months: 400 IU (10 mcg).
  • Children 1–18 years: 600 IU (15 mcg).
  • Adults up to 70 years: 600 IU (15 mcg).
  • Adults over 70 years: 800 IU (20 mcg).
  • Pregnant or lactating women: 600 IU (15 mcg).

Sensible sun exposure on bare skin for 5–10 minutes, 2–3 times per week, allows most people to produce sufficient vitamin D. However, vitamin D breaks down quite quickly, meaning that stores can run low, especially in winter.

Risks

The upper limit that healthcare professionals recommend for vitamin D is 4,000 IU per day for adults. However, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) says that vitamin D toxicity is unlikely at intakes of under 10,000 IU per day.

Excessive consumption of vitamin D can lead to over calcification of bones and the hardening of blood vessels, kidneys, lungs, and heart tissues.

The most common symptoms of excessive vitamin D include headaches and nausea. However, too much vitamin D can also lead to the following:

Excessive vitamin D usually occurs from taking too many supplements. It is best to get vitamin D from natural sources.

If someone is taking supplements, they should choose their brand carefully as the FDA does not monitor the safety or purity of supplements.

It is the total diet and eating pattern that is most important in disease prevention and good health. It is better to eat a diet with a variety of nutrients than to concentrate on one nutrient as the key to good health.

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