It might be difficult to acquire enough vitamin D in the middle of winter when sunlight is scarce, but one expert offers some guidance.
In addition to its well-known ability to maintain bone health, vitamin D is also important for heart and gastrointestinal system health. It is tougher to receive it [in the winter] because a lot of the absorption and how the vitamin gets turned into a useful chemical in our bodies is from the sun,” explained Dr. Mike Ren, an assistant professor in Baylor College of Medicine’s Department of Family and Community Medicine. “Your body can’t properly absorb sunlight to make vitamin D; it needs to be high in the sky, not rising or setting.”
“The typical adult needs 800 international units of it per day, which roughly translates to 15 to 30 minutes of good, direct sunlight,” Ren said in a Baylor news release. “There is no need to put on a bathing suit just to get the sun. You can be fully clothed with the sun shining on your face or hands for sufficient exposure. Make sure to get your sun exposure during peak sunlight and not at sunrise or sunset.”
Also read-The ADHD Medications During The Pandemic Is Causing Shortages Right Now
If that’s not possible and you find yourself indoors for most of the day, Ren recommends taking an over-the-counter it supplement. “If you take supplements, you need more than the recommended 800 international units per day because you’re not going to absorb 100% of that supplement, so get 5,000 international units as the baseline,” he said. “It’s a supplement, and it’s safe to take. If there is a little excess, your body will excrete it out.” Getting enough vitamin D can prove to be even more challenging for some.
Those who get weight-loss surgery often see a decrease in their ability to absorb it, and these folks might need more supplements than the average person, Ren said. People with cystic fibrosis or kidney and liver disease also have absorption issues, and he suggested they get their vitamin D levels checked and consider further supplementation. Just how important is it to your health? Also known as the “sunshine vitamin,” it helps with calcium absorption and bone health, but recent studies have also shown links between vitamin D and heart health, as well as vitamin D and low cancer risk, Ren noted.
“Some new studies are also finding that it is important for proper muscle function, like your constantly beating heart, as well as a lower risk of getting a variety of cancers,” he said. “These are new studies, so I don’t want to overestimate their importance, but on the flip side, I don’t want people to trivialize them and say they’re not important.”
Vitamin D
We can get it from food or from the hormones that our bodies produce. It is a fat-soluble vitamin that has long been recognized for aiding in the body’s absorption and retention of phosphorus and calcium, two elements essential to bone formation. Additionally, research in the lab demonstrates that vitamin D can lessen inflammation, help regulate infections, and slow the growth of cancer cells. Numerous organs and tissues inside the body include vitamin D receptors, indicating significant activities beyond maintaining healthy bones. Scientists are currently exploring additional potential applications for this vitamin.
Though some foods are fortified with the vitamin, few foods naturally contain vitamin D. It is difficult to get enough vitamin D from food; therefore for the majority of individuals, the best method to acquire enough is to take a supplement. There are two types of vitamin D supplements: vitamin D3 (also known as cholecalciferol) and vitamin D2 (also known as ergocalciferol or pre-vitamin D). Though D2 is created in plants and fungi and D3 in mammals, including humans, both are naturally occurring forms that are formed in the presence of the sun’s ultraviolet-B (UVB) rays, hence its nickname, “the sunshine vitamin.” The main natural source of vitamin D is the skin, but many people have inadequate amounts because they live in areas with little winter sunlight.
Also read-FDA Finds No Connection Between Drugs Like Wegovy, Ozempic And Suicide
images source: Google
Disclaimer: The opinions and suggestions expressed in this article are solely those of the individual analysts. These are not the opinions of HNN. For more, please consult with your doctor
