Vitamin D

Vitamin D is one fat soluble vitamin that is sometimes neglected in our diets. This is because it can be naturally created by our body if the skin is exposed to UV sun rays. On the other hand, it is also included in some foods and we can not rely on sun exposure to meet recommended dosage. The problem is that there are different forms of vitamin D and they do have different functions and activities. You should also know that our kidney and liver are responsible for the transformation of vitamin D into an active form. This is exactly why people suffering from liver and/or kidney problems can be faced with vitamin D deficiencies.

Vitamin D is very important for the human body because it regulates the levels of phosphorus and calcium in our body. It is crucial in calcium absorption and helps in maintaining and forming bones. Vitamin D promotes the mineralization of bones in concert with other vitamins, hormones and minerals. If we do not get enough of this nutrient in our diet we will be faced with bones becoming brittle, thinner, misshapen and softer. As you can imagine it is very important in children and adults with osteomalacia.

We can get vitamin D from food or sun exposure. In most cases the one dominant dietary source of this vitamin comes from fortified foods. The most common one we consume is fortified milk. One cup is enough to give us around a fourth of what is needed daily. Remember that most dietary foods are not fortified with vitamin D and milk is the only food that might include the vitamin. We must understand that we are faced with few foods that contain vitamin D naturally. The best amounts are obtained from fish oils and fatty fish. On the other hand, sun exposure does give us good quantities of vitamin D. The bad news is that the weather also effects vitamin D synthesis so we can not really rely on that. Also, wearing sunscreen can stop formation of the vitamin. If you are faced with limited sun exposure and a deficient nutrition plan you might not have any other alternative except vitamin supplements.

Vitamin D deficiency is very possible. A lot of people suffer from this without even knowing it. The problem is that serious deficiency can lead to hard to handle diseases like osteomalacia and rickets. Skeletal deformities caused by vitamin D lacks in children should be avoided at all costs through adequate intake of the nutrient. To make everything even more complicated, people over 50 have an increased risk of having to fight vitamin D deficiency. This is because the skin will not be able to convert vitamin D properly by the use of UV rays and kidneys might not work properly. Unfortunately in this case vitamin D supplements are crucial to the well being of the individual.

Women that are breastfeeding must pay special attention to vitamin D. This is because human milk does not always contain the quantities that the child requires. The good news is that formula or breast fed children might not need extra vitamin D supplementation if they are gradually exposed to sun. Remember that small children do need less vitamin D when compared to an adult. Unfortunately if the kid has limited sun exposure and is only fed via breast milk you should consult a good pediatrician in order to supplement everything properly.

In conclusion, vitamin D is a very important nutrient but we need to make sure that it is always included properly in our nutrition plan. This is because deficiencies can easily appear and we should make sure that they do not happen.