Regardless that Daylight Savings Time and the extra hour of sunlight that (most) communities receive each day, that might not mean much if you’re seldom out in the sun. In fact, most people aren’t receiving enough rays to help their bodies create vitamin D.
Under increasing scrutiny, vitamin D is making its way more into the news, as doctors and researchers explore that most people aren’t up to speed with the specs on how vital the vitamin is.
What is vitamin D?
Vitamin D is a hormone that the body creates from direct exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) sunlight and is significant in bone, heart, and immune system health. Vitamin D expert Michael Holick, professor of medicine, physiology and biophysics at Boston University Medical School, also links vitamin D deficiency to increased risk for osteoporosis, osteomalacia — the softening of bones — and certain cancers, autoimmune diseases and cardiovascular problems.
Vitamin D also may play a role in preventing diabetes and hypertension, according to the National Institutes of Health. A recent published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that men 40 to 75 with below-normal vitamin D levels had a higher risk of heart attack.
Growing numbers of studies highlight its importance
One of the strongest pieces of evidence is the link between the vitamin and colon cancer. Many studies have shown that people with higher vitamin D levels can have as little as half the risk of developing colon cancer as those with lower vitamin D levels. It goes beyond colon cancer, where others, such as oral and esophageal cancers, pancreatic cancer, prostate, breast and ovarian cancers, and leukemia, have also shown that there was a significant decrease.
Another recent test explored vitamin D deficiency and the increase in age-related cognitive decline. Published in the Journal of Geriatric Psychology, researchers assessed vitamin D levels in 2,000 people over the age of 64, finding connections between levels and their performance on attention and memory-related tests.
Multiple Sclerosis is increasingly connected with the vitamin, with numerous studies touting that vitamin D seems to regulate a gene known to increase the risk of MS.
In all tests, it doesn’t seem to matter where the vitamin D came from—food and supplements or sun exposure. Both sources had benefits. However, because there is an increase risk of skin cancer when exposed to the sun, fortified foods and supplements are a better choice.
Our (lack of) vitamin D know-how
A recent survey by the National Milk Mustache Campaign found that Americans are unaware of how vitamin D is formed, and where they can get it:
85% believe they get enough vitamin D from the sun
75% aren’t sure how much they need
23% (incorrectly) believe that regular exercise increases vitamin D
1/5 (incorrectly) believe that a good night’s sleep replenishes vitamin D in their systems.
Factors that affect vitamin D
There are many factors that affect how much vitamin D you naturally get from the sun, including:
Where you live: northern parts of the country get less UVB sunlight than southern parts
Amount of sun: Depending how you spend your day, if you rarely see the outdoors until closing time, chances are your amounts are lower.
Skin colour: darker skin produces less vitamin D than lighter skin. This is due to melanin, which gives skin its color. More melanin = less absorption
Your age: as you get older, vitamin D production decreases; infants don’t receive enough from breast milk
Your weight: if you are overweight or obese, you have less vitamin D in the blood because fat cells can hold onto the vitamin
Sources of Vitamin D
Even if your food is fortified, most are still not enough to meet the daily requirements.
- cod liver oil, 1 tablespoon – 1,360 IU
- salmon (cooked), 3.5 ounces – 360 IU
- tuna (canned in oil), 3 ounces – 200 IU
- sardines (canned in oil, drained), 1.75 ounces – 250 IU
- fortified milks (dairy or non-dairy), 1 cup – 98 IU
- fortified cereal (average) – 40 IU
- an egg (yolk included, that is where the D is) - 20 IU
- sun exposure (10 to 20 minutes, skin colour, location permitting) - 3,000 – IU
By having a simple blood test done, it can easily show you if you have the correct levels of the vitamin. Then, follow with your doctor for their suggestions. Most individuals can consume 1,000 IU daily.
Image courtesy of fotolia.com
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