• 2024. 2. 28.

    by. Health information

    Vitamin D is often referred to as a free gift from the heavens, and it's easy to get enough of it from the sun. However, our country is deficient in vitamin D, with 93% of the population being deficient.

     


    Most of us are vitamin D deficient. Let's take a look at this essential nutrient in an easy-to-understand way.

     

    Vitamin D
    Vitamin D



    What is vitamin D?

    Vitamin D is a nutrient that your body makes when you get sunlight, and it's made by the combination of ultraviolet light from the sun and fat in your skin.

     

    Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means it's absorbed by fatty tissue, but fatty tissue doesn't let go of vitamin D easily, which is why obese people are more prone to vitamin D deficiency.

     

    So, let's take a look at some of the benefits of vitamin D and why your body needs it.

    Vitamin DVitamin DVitamin D
    Vitamin D

    Vitamin D Benefits

    ✅ Vitamin D prevents rickets and strengthens bones and teeth.

    ✅ Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorus from food. This is why vitamin D is often included in calcium supplements.

    ✅ Vitamin D may help prevent autoimmune diseases, boost immunity, and protect against infections.

    ✅ Vitamin D helps prevent skin diseases and supports muscle and strength recovery.

    ✅ Vitamin D helps prevent depression.

    ✅ Vitamin D has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties.

    ✅ Vitamin D helps prevent complications in pregnant women.

    ✅ Vitamin D helps prevent and promote the treatment of liver disease.

    ✅ Vitamin D helps prevent dementia by increasing cognition and memory.

    ✅ Vitamin D helps prevent circulatory disease.

    Recommended Daily Allowance for Vitamin D

     

    Blood levels of vitamin D are linked to immunity.

    For this reason, it's best to take vitamin D supplements after measuring your blood levels and getting the right dose recommended for you.

    However, if you don't have your blood vitamin D levels measured, the general recommendation is to supplement with 80 IU daily in the form of vitamin D3.

    Also, during a viral pandemic, it is recommended to maintain blood levels between 30 and 60 ng/ml, which requires 2,000 to 4,000 IU of vitamin D daily.

    If you are very obese, you may need to take 4,000 to 7,000 IU, and children and adolescents may need a lower dose of vitamin D, with 1,200 to 2,000 IU being sufficient.

     



    So there you have it, the benefits of vitamin D and the recommended daily allowance.

    We hope you're feeling energized and have a great day.


    References: Nutrition and Food to Fight Viruses by Kyung Chul Kim and Hae Young Kim, Can I Take This Medicine? by Arie Kwon