What Supplement Should I Take If I Am At Risk Of Low Vitamin D
The UK government recommendation stays at a minimum of 10µg vitamin D a day for vulnerable groups like the over 65s, people with darker skin and those who cover a lot of their skin for religious reasons, etc.
They just recommend that you take it all year round, and not just in autumn and winter.
We hope this guide has helped you determine which vitamin D supplement is best for you.
As always, this information cannot replace medical care, so please check with your doctor before trying any new supplements.
How Much Vitamin D Is Enough
Adults and children over the age of one need 10mcg of vitamin D per day. This is the same for everyone, including people at risk of vitamin D deficiency and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Babies up to one year old need 8.5-10mcg of vitamin D per day. Find out more about how you can reach this from the NHS.
Q: Why Is Vitamin D Important
A: Research I have done in this area has found that people with low blood levels of vitamin D have a greater risk of a heart attack, heart failure, stroke, diabetes or high blood pressure later in life. In pregnant women, low vitamin D levels are linked to pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes and adverse pregnancy outcomes. No matter your age or stage of life, having adequate vitamin D levels is important.
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Why Experts Say You Should Be Taking Vitamin C Vitamin D3 And Zinc
- Why Experts Say You Should Be Taking Vitamin C, Vitamin D3 and Zinc
While the warmer months promote the proliferation of bugs , the colder months can encourage the spread of other kinds of bugs .
Though theres no surefire way to avoid getting sick, enhancing your immune system is a smart place to start. Vitamins, essential minerals, and other nutrients are needed by the immune system to help protect your body from billions of potentially harmful bacteria, viruses, and other germs.
Some home remedies that support healthy immunity include such staples as garlic, ginger, and echinacea. But these arent essential for the immune system to work. Recent research has underscored the potential synergetic effects of essential nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin D3, and zinc in supporting the immune system.
Lets take a closer look at the benefits of this potent vitamin/mineral trio.
How To Obtain Vitamin D
Before we look at what vitamin D3 can do for you, lets first take a quick look at how you can obtain vitamin D. Vitamin D3 actually refers to a form of this vitamin that can be obtained through supplements. This is an excellent form of vitamin D that is easily absorbed by the body thus offering numerous benefits to the human body. Sunlight is also an effective sourced vitamin D.
In addition to taking supplements, there are also numerous food sources that offer a decent amount of vitamin D. Including these in your daily diet can also help you obtain an adequate supply of this vitamin daily. According to Dr. Axe, high vitamin D foods include cod liver oil, sardines, mackerel, salmon, caviar, raw milk, and tuna.
Vitamin D3 Sorces and Benefits. Shutterstock Images
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How Much Vitamin D Do You Need
In healthy people, the amount of vitamin D needed per day varies by age. The chart below shows the often-cited recommendations of the Institute of Medicine, now the Health and Medicine Division of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. It is important to know that these are general recommendations. If your doctor is checking your blood levels, he or she might recommend higher or lower doses based on your individual needs.
If you have osteoporosis, your doctor might suggest a blood test of your vitamin D levels. The amount of vitamin D supplement can be customized for each person, based on the results. For many older patients, a vitamin D supplement containing anywhere between 800 to 2000 IUs daily, which can be obtained without a prescription, can be both safe and beneficial. It is important to speak with your doctor about your individual needs.
| People by age |
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*refers to adequate intake vs recommended dietary allowance of the other age groups.
How Should I Take Cholecalciferol
Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Use only the recommended dose of cholecalciferol.
It may be best to take cholecalciferol after a meal, but you may take this medicine with or without food.
Measure liquid medicine carefully. Use the dosing syringe provided, or use a medicine dose-measuring device .
The chewable tablet must be chewed before you swallow it.
To take a disintegrating tablet, place it on your tongue and do not swallow the tablet whole. Allow it to dissolve in your mouth without chewing. If desired, you may drink liquid to help swallow the dissolved tablet.
The cholecalciferol wafer is usually taken only once per week or once per month. Follow your doctor’s dosing instructions very carefully. The wafer must be chewed before you swallow it.
While using cholecalciferol, you will need frequent blood tests. You may also need x-rays.
Your doctor will determine how long to treat you with this medicine.
Cholecalciferol may be only part of a complete program of treatment that also includes dietary changes and taking calcium and vitamin supplements. Follow your doctor’s instructions very closely.
Learn about the foods you should eat to make sure you get enough calcium and vitamin D in your diet. Your cholecalciferol dose may need to be adjusted as you make changes to your diet.
Store at room temperature away from moisture, light, and heat.
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Improve Symptoms Of Seasonal Affective Disorder
While vitamin Ds potential role in helping prevent or manage clinical depression is still unclear because of limited research, researchers believe that a person’s vitamin D level may indeed play a role in the risk of seasonal affective disorder, or seasonal depression, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. People with seasonal affective disorder appear to produce less vitamin D, which may affect the activity of the neurotransmitter serotonin.
Serotonin is the same chemical that your brain pumps out when you go on a long run, eat a piece of chocolate, or hold the hand of the person you love. Its a feel-good hormone. So when the serotonin level is thrown off you may feel blue or be at a greater risk for mood disorders, notes an article published in June 2015 in World Psychiatry.
Foroutan points out that healthcare providers may prescribe vitamin D supplements to help treat seasonal affective disorder.
The Final Verdict On Vitamin D
No bones about it, the endocrinologists we interviewed agree with our dermatologist.
“Just being outdoors, you get a fair amount of sun exposure and some sun-related generation of vitamin D, says Dr. Insogna. Because skin cancer, particularly melanoma, can be such a devastating disease, it’s best to use sunblock when outdoors in strong sunlight for any prolonged length of time. Because this may limit the amount of vitamin D you get from sun exposure, make sure your diet includes sources of vitamin D from foods or supplements, he says.
Both your skin and your bones will thank you.
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Is Vitamin D Deficiency Common
For most people, itâs somewhat tricky to get enough amounts of vitamin D through diet or sun exposure alone. It is estimated that 41.6 percent of American adults are deficient in vitamin D. And this worrying figure can jump to 69% in Hispanics and up to a whopping 82% in African Americans, according to a 2011 analytic study published in the journal Natural Research.
Opting for supplements might be your best shot at meeting recommended daily intake . Taking dietary supplements helps you stay on top of your vitamin needs, especially during winter months and if you work and play mostly indoors.
Some groups are also more prone to low vitamin D levels than others, if you:
- Are obese
Top 9 Health Benefits Of Vitamin D3 For Men And Women
We have evolved into a generation where our lives are constantly busy business meetings, reports that need to get done, the kids need to be dropped off at school and then picked up again, food needs to be prepared these are only a few examples of tasks many people need to accomplish every single day.
During our busy lives, we often fail to consume healthy foods and in many cases opt for unhealthy food choices when we are too busy to prepare a healthy meal for the family or grab a packet of potato crisps during lunch, and that packet is packed with unsaturated fats and other unhealthy ingredients.
Luckily, there are some little known secrets to better health that we can utilize that can help us maintain a healthy body even when time does not allow us to prepare the healthiest of meals during the day. Today, we want to focus on one particular health hack that many people fail to realize this is the fact that vitamin D3 supplements can be used to provide the body with a large number of benefits ranging from a better mood to bones that are not brittle or weak, here we are going to look at the many health benefits of vitamin D3.
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Healthy People Wont Reduce Their Fracture Risk By Taking Calcium And Vitamin D Supplements Sarah Leyland
We know that healthy people living in the community wont reduce their fracture risk by taking calcium and vitamin D supplements, Leyland says. However, people who may not be getting enough such as those who are housebound or live in sheltered accommodation can benefit from these supplements.
Still, researchers havent found clear evidence of that, either. One meta-analysis examining the prevention of fractures in community, nursing home and hospital inpatient populations concluded that vitamin D alone is unlikely to prevent fractures in the doses and formulations tested so far in older people. And some evidence suggests that high doses can actually result in an increased number of fractures and falls. One randomised study found that high-dose monthly vitamin D supplements increased the risk of falls among the elderly population by 20-30% compared to those on a lower dose.
D for disease
There is also conflicting research on the relationship between vitamin D and other diseases, even ageing.
One main claim is that vitamin D supplements will boost the immune system. Adrian Martineau, professor of respiratory infection and immunity at The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, who leads a research group on the effects of vitamin D on health, has found that vitamin D plays a role in improving respiratory infections.
One study found that vitamin D helps decrease the risk of respiratory infections though only slightly
Vitamin D Can Support The Immune System And Fight Inflammation
Dr. Nasrallah adds that vitamin D can also help build immunity. It can support the immune system by fighting off harmful bacteria and viruses, she says. In fact, this role in possibly preventing infections has become a critical concern during COVID-19 pandemic, as researchers are interested in its potential role in infection outcomes. There is particular interest in its role in viral infections such as influenza and coronavirus,Barry Boyd, MD, RDN, a Yale Medicine hematologist, oncologist, and nutritionist, tells Health. He points to a 2017 BMJ analysis of 25 randomized control trials comparing vitamin D supplements to placebos, which found that vitamin D reduced the risk of acute respiratory infection with either daily or weekly vitamin D supplementation, particularly in individuals who were deficient in it. Studies indicate that high latitudes and winter season are risk factors for both low vitamin D, increased influenza, and other respiratory illness and adverse outcomes, he says. We now are seeing a similar pattern with higher mortality rates in COVID-19 infections,” though more research still needs to be done to determine whether the link is causal or merely a correlation.
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How Much Vitamin D Does My Child Need
Vitamin D is measured in international units .
- Babies younger than 1 year old need 400 IU of vitamin D a day. Baby formula has 400 IU per liter, so babies who drink at least 32 ounces of formula each day get enough. If your baby drinks only breast milk or gets less than 32 ounces of formula each day, ask your health care provider about giving your baby a vitamin D supplement.
- Kids older than 1 year need 600 IU or more of vitamin D a day. Health care providers often want healthy kids to take 600 to 1,000 IU daily.
Some kids might need more vitamin D, such as those who:
- have certain medical problems
Do Babies Need Vitamin D
Yes, babies under the age of 1 need vitamin D too.
Babies up to 1 year of age who are being breastfed should be given a daily supplement that contains 8.5 10 µg every day to make sure they are reaching recommended levels.17
This still applies if the breastfeeding mother is taking a supplement herself.
However, babies fed infant formulas will not need a vitamin D supplement if they are having more than 500ml of formula a day, as it will already by fortified with vitamin D and other nutrients.
The easiest way to provide breastfed babies with vitamin D is with vitamin D drops.
We have a Vitamin D3 Drop formula that is specifically designed for babies to take daily from birth until they are 12 months old.
Summary
- Yes, babies who are being breastfed need 8.5-10µg vitamin D a day
- Babies drinking infant formula wont need to supplement as their milk will have been fortified with vitamin D already
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Vitamin D Can Help Strengthen Muscles
Along with its bone-building abilities, vitamin D is also influential in strengthening muscles. Lack of vitamin D in the body can increase the risk of having weak muscles, which in turn increases the risk of falls, Lana Nasrallah, MPH, RD, clinical dietician at UNC Health, tells Health. This is especially important for the elderly. Vitamin D may help increase muscle strength thus preventing falls, which is a common problem that leads to substantial disability and death in older adults.
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The Takeaway On Vitamin D And Your Health
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that can help fortify bones and keep them strong while also potentially lowering the risk of cancer and death from cancer for some individuals. But its other effects needs to be further investigated before scientists, doctors, and everyone else can make informed decisions about supplementing or upping dietary intake of the vitamin.
Until then, take steps to get your recommended daily amount of the nutrient through food, supplements, and sunlight . If you suspect that you have a vitamin D deficiency, talk to your doctor about getting a blood test to check if your level is adequate.
Additional reporting by Melinda Carstensen.
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Vitamin D3 And Your Health
Vitamin D3 could be called the bone-enhancing vitamin, as well as the sunshine vitamin. It is one of the most vital minerals required for optimal bone health.
Vitamin D3 ensures that your body absorbs enough calcium and phosphorus from your food to maintain bone strength. This is especially important as you get older, as the breakdown of bone occurs faster than new bone generation.
For women, menopause and the changes in hormones increase the risk of bone diseases such as osteoporosis. This is why bones become weaker as you age. To keep bones strong and prevent bone density loss, you need to keep vitamin D3 levels up.
In addition to bone health, vitamin D3 also provides benefits to other parts of the body.
Heart health: vitamin D3 works with vitamin K to help protect the heart. Calcium deposits can occur in arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Vitamin D3 ensures that calcium is more efficiently absorbed in the body, thereby reducing the calcium left around to form arterial plaques.
Supports weight loss: Vitamin D3 possesses appetite-suppressing effects, which have been proven to be beneficial as part of a healthy weight loss program. Vitamin D3 also helps to protect the heart by reducing heart disease markers that are commonly associated with being overweight.
Provide Relief For Symptoms Of Autoimmune Conditions
Researchers have long been fascinated with the potential effect that vitamin D may have on autoimmune disorders because of the nutrients role in regulating the immune system, according to Harvard University. But as is the case with much of the research on vitamin D, more study is needed.
A 2016 review of clinical trials and molecular studies published in Frontiers in Immunology concluded, Based on the current data on the effect of vitamin D supplementation, it is still not possible to draw conclusions about the added value for the treatment of autoimmunity.
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What Does Vitamin D3 Do
Vitamin D3 is such a powerful vitamin that its been found to be twice as effective at raising levels of vitamin D in the bloodstream, according to an April 2020 Healthline article.
If you dont get enough vitamin D, you may develop a weakened immune system and have poor hair growth along with higher levels of inflammation.
Other signs of vitamin D deficiency include:
- Fatigue
- Mood changes
- Muscle aches or weakness
If youre consuming less than 200 IU daily, you may be at risk of becoming deficient. This risk is especially common in pregnancy. But, women who are intentional about their vitamin D intake can help their babys growth. Research shows pregnant women with higher levels of vitamin D in their system may contribute to better brain development and higher IQ scores for their child.
