| All rights reserved. |
Almond Street Natural Foods
Your Healthy Resource Center
Your Healthy Resource Center
Health Foods Multivitamins Herbal Formulas Vitamins and Nutritional Supplements
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is important in helping the body absorb and use calcium from food
and supplements. It aids in bone and tooth formation and supports muscle and
nerve function, and studies have shown that vitamin D helps to prevent
osteoporosis.
Nutritionists categorize vitamins by the materials that a vitamin will dissolve in.
There are two categories: water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins. Fat-soluble
vitamins—vitamins A, D, E and K—are stored in the fat tissues of the body for
a few days to up to six months. If you get too much of a fat-soluble vitamin, it
can be stored in your liver and may sometimes cause health problems. Vitamin D
is a fat-soluble vitamin.
Taking mega-doses of fat-soluble vitamins can lead to toxicity. Eating a normal
diet of foods rich in these vitamins won't cause a problem. Remember, you only
need small amounts of any vitamin.
Some health problems can make it hard for a person's body to absorb these
vitamins. If you have a chronic health condition, ask your doctor about
whether your vitamin absorption will be affected.
How Much Vitamin D Is Enough?
The National Institutes of Health recommend that men and women ages 19 to
50 consume a minimum of 200 IU (or 5 mcg) of vitamin D each day. People ages
51 and over should consume at least 400 IU (or 10 mcg) of vitamin D daily. The
need for vitamin D increases with age because your body's ability to convert
sunlight to vitamin D decreases.
You should always eat foods or supplements rich in vitamin D with foods rich in
calcium for better absorption. When you are exposed to the sun's rays, your
body converts a cholesterol compound in the skin to vitamin D, so aim for three
15-minute sessions of sun exposure a week.
Sources of Vitamin D
Fortified milk
Fortified cereals
Eggs
Tuna
Fish-liver oils
Sun exposure
Can You Have Too Much or Too Little?
Too little vitamin D in the diet can lead to weakened bones and an increased
risk of fractures.
Overconsuming vitamin D can cause nausea, vomiting, poor appetite,
constipation, weakness and weight loss. Calcinosis, the deposition of calcium
and phosphate in soft tissues like the kidney, can be caused by vitamin D
toxicity.
Antacids, some cholesterol lowering drugs, mineral oil, some anti-seizure
medications, and steroids interfere with the absorption of vitamin D.
Vitamin Storage
If you want to get the most vitamins possible from your food, refrigerate fresh
produce, and keep milk and grains away from strong light. Vitamins are easily
destroyed and washed out during food preparation and storage. If you take
vitamin supplements, store them at room temperature in a dry place that's free
of moisture.