Nutrition Corner by Dawn Heeke, RD
Posted By:Dawn Heeke
Posted On:August, 01st 2008
Category: Nutrition
 

Vitamin D Alert

 

 Is your body making enough vitamin D?    Are you using the vitamin D that your body is producing?  Are you getting enough vitamin D through your diet?

These are questions to consider.  It is becoming clear that more than half the U.S. population may have sub-optimal or deficient vitamin D levels.

This is important because vitamin D deficiencies can lead to muscle and bone weakness, chronic pain (fibromyalgia), and rickets (in children).  Newer research is also linking vitamin D deficiencies with autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis and Type I Diabetes along with certain cancers and depression.

We get most of our vitamin D from exposure to sunlight.  Our bodies, when subjected to sun, can produce vitamin D.  However; it is difficult to prevent skin cancer without causing a vitamin D deficiency.  Sunscreens with an SPF of 15 or more decrease vitamin D production by 99%.

To make matters worse, foods contain very little vitamin D.   For most people, fortified milk is the biggest source which contains 100 IU per cup.  Other food sources include oily fish, cod liver oil, liver, egg yolk, and fortified juices, breads, dairy, and cereal.

According to the Vitamin D Council, the current recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin D is too low.  Researchers and policy makers are considering increasing the RDA for vitamin D to 1,000 IU or more daily.

Obese individuals, older adults, and breast fed infants are at particular risk.  Deficiencies can be confirmed by a blood test and/or an x-ray.

Ask yourself the above questions, take a good look at your diet and lifestyle, and consider whether it would make sense to take a vitamin D supplement.   

Source: www.vitaminDcouncil.org