Spotlight On Aging: Vitamin D Deficiency
Older people are more likely to develop vitamin D deficiency for several reasons:
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Their requirements are higher than those of younger people.
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They tend to spend less time outdoors and thus are not exposed to enough sunlight.
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They may not be exposed to enough sunlight because they are housebound, live in long-term care facilities, or need to stay in the hospital for a long time.
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When exposed to sunlight, their skin does not form as much vitamin D.
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They may consume so little vitamin D in their diet that even taking vitamin D supplements in low doses does not prevent the deficiency.
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They may have disorders or take drugs that interfere with the processing of vitamin D.
Older people should take 20 micrograms of vitamin D each day to keep their bones healthy.
Vitamin D has not been shown to prevent cancer or other disorders or to prevent falls in older people. Research to look for other benefits of vitamin D is ongoing.
Older people who take high doses of vitamin D supplements need to have periodic blood tests to check their levels of calcium, vitamin D, and parathyroid hormone.
The Best Source: Sunshine
The fastest way to increase vitamin D levels is to expose your skin to natural sunlight. It’s the vitamin D3 component of vitamin D that your skin produces when combined with sunshine. The Vitamin D Council says that in as little as 15 minutes for a fair-skinned person, the body can produce 10,000 to 25,000 IU of vitamin D. How much time you need in the sun depends on the time of day, season, where you live and skin color. Don’t worry about getting too much vitamin D from sunshine because excesses are stored in your body’s fat for later use.
Do I Have A Vitamin D Deficiency
A deficiency in vitamin D means you dont have enough to satisfy your bodys needs. Symptoms of insufficient levels of this vitamin are subtle and easily mistaken for other causes. So, its important to pay attention to what your body is telling you.
A clinical deficiency could manifest in many ways, including bone pain and muscle weakness. But for many people, the symptoms arent obvious, explained Life Extensions Education Specialist, Dr. Crystal M. Gossard, DCN. So, if you notice you get sick more often or feel tired all the time, you may want to check your vitamin D level.
Here are other signs and symptoms associated with low vitamin D levels:
- Slow-healing wounds Research suggests that the vitamin helps increase the production of compounds involved in forming new skin.
- Low bone density Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption and healthy bone density.
- Hair loss While we tend to blame stress, severe hair loss may indicate low vitamin D levels.
- Depression Research has shown that vitamin D intake for people who are deficient may help improve mood, including seasonal depression that can occur during winter months.
Not to mention, having low vitamin D has been linked to high blood pressure and other heart-related health concerns, which leads to an increased risk for serious heart disease.
So, if your results show that you have a less than ideal level, having a strategic plan can help you get back to an optimal level.
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Are Vitamin D And D3 The Same
Vitamin D has two main forms: D2 and D3. You can absorb both types in your body, but studies have shown that vitamin D3 raises your levels more effectively than vitamin D2. “I personally recommend over-the-counter supplements that contain vitamin D3,” says Dr. Lacey. You can also take a cod liver oil supplement if you’d prefer that to a pill.
“The Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin D for children 1 to 18 years, pregnant women, and nonpregnant adults through age 70 years is 600 international units. After age 70, it is recommended to increase to 800 international units,” says Dr. Lacey. “If your levels are severely low, there is a prescription-strength dose of vitamin D.”
Try Supplements With Your Doctors Supervision
The easiest and most efficient way to increase vitamin D levels may be to take supplements. Considering the skin cancer risks of using sunlight to boost vitamin D and the difficulty of getting enough vitamin D in your diet, supplements are often the primary recommendation for people who are deficient in vitamin D.
Vitamin D can be found in many multivitamin supplements, but it can also be taken on its own. There are two types of vitamin D: D2 and D3. Both types are available in supplement form, and their effect on overall vitamin D levels is roughly equivalent. However, some research has indicated that D3 may lead to a greater and more sustained elevation of vitamin D in the blood than D2.
Various studies have estimated that it takes up to 24 hours for vitamin D3 supplements to raise vitamin D levels in the bloodstream. However, vitamin D then needs to be converted to its active form D). After taking a high dose of vitamin D3, a study showed it can take approximately seven days for it to convert and cause a peak in 25D levels, the form tested by your doctor.
The critical takeaway is that vitamin D levels increase gradually. If a test reveals that your vitamin D levels are low, you’ll need to consult with a doctor to determine how much vitamin D you need to take to raise your levels and keep them up.
While there is much debate about how much vitamin D people need, the Office of Dietary Supplements says:
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Your Bodys Ability To Create Its Own Vitamin D
Vitamin D is measured in international units. The most common types of vitamin D are vitamin D2 and D3. Compared to D2, vitamin D3 is said to be more effective and is the preferred form for addressing insufficient levels of vitamin D by the office of dietary supplements.
Your liver and kidneys activate vitamin D. When UVB rays strike the surface of your skin, your skin will then convert a cholesterol derivative, which will turn into vitamin D3. Calcifediol is further hydroxylated by the kidneys to form calcitriol , the biologically active form of vitamin D.
How Much Vitamin D Does A Body Require
Usually, 1,000-4,000 IU is considered a safe daily dose for maintaining healthy levels of vitamin D. However, people may need much larger doses especially if their current levels are very low or they have limited exposure to sunlight. The optimal blood level of vitamin D is not concretely established but likely falls between 20 and 50 ng/mL. Calcium supplementation along with Vitamin D consumption is essential for structurally strong bones and muscles.
There is a significant debate about how much vitamin D is needed by the body.
- As per the U.S. National Academy of Medicine: 600-800 IU of daily vitamin D is considered to be sufficient for the majority of the population.
- The U.S. National Academy of Medicine further suggests that a daily intake of up to 4,000 IU of vitamin D is safe for most people, although much higher doses may be temporarily necessary to raise blood levels in some individuals.
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Can Low Vitamin D Cause Grey Hair
What foods boost vitamin D?
The vitamin D status of the Finnish adult population has improved considerably during the time period studied, noted the 2017 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. This increase is mainly explained by food
How to actually raise your vitamin D level?
Fish Think salmon, trout, mackerel, tuna and eel. A 3 oz salmon fillet contains 450 IU of vitamin D Mushrooms Rich in vitamin D2 from UV sunlight, mushrooms are a great source of vitamin D Almond milk With over 100 IU of vitamin D, almond milk is always a healthy alternative to cows milk
Vitamin D Has A Direct Impact On Your Immune System
However, most importantly, Vitamin D plays a major role in strengthening the bodys defenses. Building a robust immune system is more important now than ever before.
Vitamin D deficiency has a direct impact on the immune system, creating an increased susceptibility to infection. Adequate levels of Vitamin D increases the bodys ability to fight a variety of infections. Therefore, it is essential to note that a deficiency of this critical vitamin can put you at higher risk for conditions like respiratory infections.
Vitamin D has been used to treat infections like tuberculosis before antibiotics were invented. 6 Avoiding influenza is another reason you want to keep your vitamin d levels optimized. In one randomized trial of vitamin D supplementation, researchers gave students a placebo or 1200IU/d of Vitamin D3 supplementation. In the placebo group, Influenza A occurred in twice as many children as those supplemented with vitamin d3.
Those who suffer from insomnia may benefit from maintaining their vitamin D blood level at 60-80 ng/ml, as this is where optimal sleep occurs. Make note that it is the D blood level, not the strength of the supplement we take, that determines our health and good sleep cycles.
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Prevention Of Vitamin D Deficiency
Many people need to take vitamin D supplements. Getting enough exposure to sunlight may be difficult, especially because the skin also needs to be protected from sun damage. Natural foods rarely contains enough vitamin D to compensate for lack of sunlight.
Vitamin D supplements are particularly important for people who are at risk . To prevent deficiency, older people should usually take 20 micrograms of vitamin D daily in supplements. Higher doses are rarely needed.
Commercially available liquid milk is fortified with vitamin D in the United States and Canada. Many other countries do not fortify milk with vitamin D. Breakfast cereals may also be fortified.
In breastfed infants, starting vitamin D supplements at birth is particularly important because breast milk contains little vitamin D. Supplements are given until infants are 6 months old, when they begin to eat a more varied diet. For formula-fed infants, commercial infant formulas contain enough vitamin D.
The Health Benefits Of Vitamin D
Some of the benefits associated with keeping up your vitamin D levels include:
- Maintaining healthy bones and teeth
- Supporting the immune system
In addition to these sources, some foods are fortified with vitamin D, like milk, yogurt, cereal, and orange juice. Certain mushrooms can also be a good source of vitamin D if they have been exposed to ultraviolet light while growing.
In order to actually benefit from your vitamin D intake, its also important to get enough of the other vitamins and minerals that help your body absorb and utilize vitamin D. These include vitamin A, vitamin K, zinc, boron, and, most importantly, magnesium. Eating beans, nuts, and fish can help you get enough of these essential nutrients.
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Prevalence Of Vitamin D Deficiency
The incidence of vitamin D deficiency D < 20 ng/mL) in US adults is approximately 25% for men and approximately 35% for women.38 Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis are especially likely to exhibit deficiency.1,63 The problem is not limited to older women. Seventy-four percent of a cohort of newly diagnosed premenopausal patients with breast cancer from the New York City area66 and 50% of a cohort of premenopausal women from the Kansas City area at high risk for the disease were reported as exhibiting vitamin D deficiency.67
Timeline For Recovering From A Vitamin D Deficiency
Depending on where your vitamin D levels are to start, it may take months to raise them.* Some supplements, however, are more effective than others. For example, our vitamin D supplements work 3x faster and are 3x more effective at increasing your vitamin D levels than traditional vitamin D supplements.*
Even if you want to boost your vitamin D levels faster, you should not consume more than the tolerable upper intake level of the vitamin. Excessive vitamin D intake can have negative effects such as hypercalcemia or nausea.
Say goodbye to deficiency and improve your vitamin D levels today!* If youre trying to figure out how to increase vitamin D levels quickly, theres no better supplement to get the job done than d.velop vitamin D.*Check it out!
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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.Clinical studies have shown that ampli-D can achieve optimal vitamin D status on average 3X faster, and is 3X more effective, compared to the same mcg amount of conventional vitamin D3. Source: Quesada-Gomez and Bouillon Osteoporos. Int. 29, 1697-1711.ampli-D is a trademark of DSM
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How Can I Get More Vitamin D
There are a few foods that naturally have some vitamin D:
- Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel
You can also get vitamin D from fortified foods. You can check the food labels to find out whether a food has vitamin D. Foods that often have added vitamin D include:
- Other dairy products, such as yogurt
Vitamin D is in many multivitamins. There are also vitamin D supplements, both in pills and a liquid for babies.
If you have vitamin D deficiency, the treatment is with supplements. Check with your health care provider about how much you need to take, how often you need to take it, and how long you need to take it.
What Is Vitamin D Deficiency
A vitamin D deficiency is defined as a lack of adequate vitamin d in the body, which can lead to moderate to severe side effects, including :
A vitamin D deficiency can be caused by a lack of sun exposure or a poor diet. However, several other things could be at play and preventing your body from properly absorbing the vitamin as it should.
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Signs Of Deficiency And Toxicity
Deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency may occur from a lack in the diet, poor absorption, or having a metabolic need for higher amounts. If one is not eating enough vitamin D and does not receive enough ultraviolet sun exposure over an extended period , a deficiency may arise. People who cannot tolerate or do not eat milk, eggs, and fish, such as those with a lactose intolerance or who follow a vegan diet, are at higher risk for a deficiency. Other people at high risk of vitamin D deficiency include:
- People with inflammatory bowel disease or other conditions that disrupt the normal digestion of fat. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that depends on the guts ability to absorb dietary fat.
- People who are obese tend to have lower blood vitamin D levels. Vitamin D accumulates in excess fat tissues but is not easily available for use by the body when needed. Higher doses of vitamin D supplementation may be needed to achieve a desirable blood level. Conversely, blood levels of vitamin D rise when obese people lose weight.
- People who have undergone gastric bypass surgery, which typically removes the upper part of the small intestine where vitamin D is absorbed.
Conditions resulting from prolonged vitamin D deficiency:
Toxicity
Symptoms of toxicity:
- Irregular heart beat
- Hardening of blood vessels and tissues due to increased blood levels of calcium, potentially leading to damage of the heart and kidneys
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Increase Vitamin D Packed Food In Your Diet
Then there is food that can be added to a diet to increase vitamin D levels. Sources of vitamin D can be found in oily fish, red meat, egg yolks, liver and in some fortified breakfast cereals.
Increasing vitamin D for vegetarians and vegans is harder. The majority of food for increasing vitamin D is found in non-vegan and vegetarian food. A high quality, vegan supplement can help to solve this problem. Its worth noting, not all supplements are made equal. It is worth choosing quality over quantity.
Does Sun Help Vitamin D
The Sun Is Your Best Source of Vitamin D When your skin is exposed to sunlight, it makes vitamin D from cholesterol. The suns ultraviolet B rays hit cholesterol in the skin cells, providing the energy for vitamin D synthesis to occur. Vitamin D has many roles in the body and is essential for optimal health .
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How Did Researches Came Up With The One Week Average
Knowing what happens to a chemical compound after it gets inside of your body is very important.Thats the goal of fields such as pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.But, if every person is different, how can scientists ever reach a conclusion?By studying a drugs effect in a large sample of people, scientists can estimate how much itll take for an average person to react to it.For example, in 2012 a group of researchers published a paper on the effects of a single dose of 70,000 IU of vitamin D in 61 women, 27 of whom were pregnant. How long did it take for 70,000 IU to raise these women vitamin D blood levels?See if you can tell:
The graphic you are looking at, labeled A refers to the results obtained by measuring the levels of the 37 non-pregnant women.The circles represent the distribution of the results.
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