Best Sources of Vitamin D

It is generally known that vitamin D promotes calcium absorption in the body, which is needed to maintain strong, healthy bones and teeth. However, vitamin D is linked to many other aspects of human health. Recent and ongoing studies are finding that vitamin D deficiency may be to blame for ailments such as depression, poor immunity, and increased risk of stroke and cancer. Studies have also shown that maintaining sufficient levels of vitamin D may prevent vision loss by reducing the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration as we get older. Vitamin D levels seem to correlate with cell regeneration and overall health as well.

With this in mind, it is important to understand that vitamin D is not a cure for any illness, but it’s clearly an essential aspect of healthy living from early childhood and throughout life.

Dietary sources of vitamin D

Unfortunately, vitamin D is not very common in our day-to-day diets, and well-intentioned skin cancer prevention campaigns discourage people from getting direct sun exposure, which is necessary for vitamin D synthesis. To make up for the lack of natural sources, more and more foods are being supplemented with vitamin D. Fortified milk has been around for decades; more recently, vitamin D is being added to foods such as breakfast cereal, yogurt, and orange juice. Vitamin D is found naturally in other foods including egg yolks, wild sockeye salmon, and sun-dried shitake mushrooms.

Vitamin D from sunlight

Besides diet, much of the body’s vitamin D is synthesized in the skin. When skin is exposed to direct sunlight, UV rays from the sun start a chemical reaction that produces vitamin D. The UV rays needed to form vitamin D cannot pass through glass, clothing, or sunscreen. In order for this synthesis to occur, bare skin (face, arms, legs) must be directly exposed to sunlight for 15 minutes daily, or at least two or three times per week. Such moderate sun exposure is gradually and cautiously gaining acceptance as one of the more promising means of combatting widespread vitamin D deficiency among the general population; however, patients with a history of skin cancer or risk factors should consult their physicians before going outdoors without protection.

Remember, the damaging effects of the sun’s rays are very real. Apply sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more if you plan on being outside longer than 30 minutes to reduce the risk of skin cancer and melanoma.

Vitamin D supplements

The International Osteoporosis Federation’s vitamin D recommendations, though developed to prevent fall and fractures in older adults, offer an evidence-based guidepost for younger and middle-aged adults, too: Taking a vitamin D supplement of 800 to 1,000 IU per day will help people, on average, achieve adequate blood levels of vitamin D, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. These vitamin D amounts are safe and easy to achieve, since more and more multivitamins now contain 800 to 1,000 IU of vitamin D. If your multivitamin contains only 400 IU of vitamin D, consider adding an extra vitamin D supplement. As with all supplements, it’s a good idea to discuss the use of vitamin D with your doctor first.

For more information on vitamin D and vitamin D supplementation, including a list of groups at higher risk of vitamin D inadequacy, visit:

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/

Dr. Jeff Pinkerton
I care for you.