How is vitamin D beneficial?
How is vitamin D beneficial?
Vitamin D is unique in its kind, as the body can get it not only from food, but also independently produce it from sunlight. Our body receives less sun rays in winter, replenishing them with the beginning of spring. We figure out why we need vitamin D and where to get it in the winter.
What is vitamin D and why is it needed?
The group of biological substances includes several names, each of which has its own characteristics. For example, D2 (ergocalciferol) is ingested with food, while D3 (cholecalciferol) is synthesized under the skin by ultraviolet rays. The main task of vitamin D is to promote the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. The substance strengthens bones and helps the brain, therefore it is especially important for children during the growth period. A lack of vitamin causes a breakdown and contributes to a predisposition to colds and the development of diseases of the teeth and bones.
What Causes Vitamin D Deficiency?
The most obvious factor in the lack of this vitamin is the lack of sun and prolonged stay indoors, especially without windows, recalls the medical portal Medicine Net. As people age, their skin's response to ultraviolet light decreases, and a sedentary lifestyle aggravates the problem. Closed clothing also inhibits the release of the substance, even if you walk all day. Moreover, the darker the skin, the higher its protection from the sun. Being overweight is considered one of the reasons for poor absorption of the vitamin.
How the sun helps the production of vitamin D?
The body converts ultraviolet rays into chemicals that become vitamin D3. Cholesterol processes provitamin D - it passes through the bloodstream through the liver and kidneys, after which it is converted into calcitrol. To replenish the amount of vitamin necessary for the body, you need to be in direct sunlight, while more than half of the skin should be open, writes Healthline. A study by the Boston University School of Medicine shows that the brighter the sun, the less time it takes to get vitamin D. And British experts have calculated that it is enough to be outdoors for 13 minutes three times a week at noon. Try to follow the rules of tanning and protect your skin from burns.
How to get vitamin D from food?
Foods of animal origin are suitable for replenishing vitamin D reserves: cheese, fish oil, kefir, egg yolk, butter, fish, and oysters. Cod liver oil holds the record for vitamin D, according to the US Agricultural Research Service, with about 448 IU (international units) in a teaspoon. Some plant foods also contain vitamin D, such as parsley, mushrooms, nettles, soy milk, and orange juice. Manufacturers sometimes supplement food with vitamin D by adding it to yogurt, milk, or oatmeal. It should be kept in mind that the efficacy of vitamin D decreases during heat treatment when it is cooked. For example, before transportation, the fish is frozen, and before use, it is cooked under the influence of high temperatures- as a result, some of the useful properties disappear.
How to store vitamin D in foods?
So that the maximum amount of nutrients remains in the prepared food, it is better not to soak meat and fish in water before cooking. Try defrosting them slowly, leaving them at room temperature. It is best to steam, grill or bake in foil. You should not reheat the food prepared the day before - this significantly reduces its useful properties. In addition, it is dangerous to expose some products to repeated thermal exposure.
How to replace the sun?
Doctors advise getting at least 600 IU of vitamin D per day, the WebMD portal cites data with links to scientific publications. These rates are higher for pregnant and lactating women. The only sure way to replenish vitamin reserves without ultraviolet radiation is to use pharmaceutical preparations. As a rule, they are prescribed for children and adults during the cold season. It is difficult to get the "solar vitamin" in the right amount only from food (for example, you will have to eat 20 eggs daily). It is much easier to use a water-soluble preparation or fish oil capsules (especially from cod liver). A vitamin D overdose is unlikely if you do not take more than 10,000 IU per day for a long time. Nevertheless, before buying pharmaceutical drugs, you should consult with a medical professional.
14 facts about Vitamin D
Do you know that?
The formation of vitamin D requires not just sunlight, but ultraviolet radiation of the "B" spectrum, which does not reach the Earth’s surface in all regions of the country.
The intensity of ultraviolet radiation of the "B" spectrum, sufficient for the formation of vitamin D in the skin, is observed only at certain times of the day (from 11:00am to 2:00pm).
UV-B radiation does not penetrate glass and clothing.
The supply of vitamin D obtained during the summer period is enough for about two to three months.
From October to May, the entire area of the world above 400 N (Rome (Italy) is located at a latitude of 420 N) is at an increased risk of diseases caused by a lack of vitamin D.
Sunscreens with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 8 or more block the production of vitamin D.
Recent studies have shown a high prevalence of low vitamin D levels in all age groups.
Women have an increased need for vitamin D as they lose more calcium during pregnancy and lactation than men.
Seniors with low blood levels of vitamin D are 11 times more likely to be depressed.
60% of patients with fibromyalgia have a low level of vitamin D. The main symptom of fibromyalgia is diffuse muscle pain.
Taking vitamin D helps to reduce systolic blood pressure by 2-6 mm Hg.
With a daily intake of 1600 IU of vitamin D, the risk of developing influenza and acute respiratory infections is reduced by 49%.
Vitamin D supplementation can reduce the incidence of falls by about 50%.
Daily intake of vitamin D (1100 IU / day) in the fall-winter period led to a 60% reduction in cancer incidence (all cancers) during four years of clinical trials.
