Vitamin D deficiencies can effect your health more than you think

I am sure that everyone knows that we all need vitamin D for our bones and to stay strong and healthy. If not, then it wouldn't be a vitamin. But I have found other rather interesting reasons why you should look into how much vitamin D you are getting in your diet along with how much your children are consuming as well. Always remember to talk to your family doctor before adding any kind of supplement into your family's health practices. You need to be more safe now, rather than hurting in the end.

• Vitamin D is needed for strong bones, we all know that, or at least we should. But now studies have been shown a lack of it can play a certain role in asthma, cancer, depression, heart disease and weight gain.

• Vitamin D allows the body to absorb calcium. You own bones can become brittle and weak without it. Too little vitamin D in adults can lead to malformed bones and osteoporosis. In children, a vitamin D deficiency once caused many problems in the U.S. before they started fortifying the milk with this vitamin. By doing that, it virtually eliminated this disorder.

• Low levels of vitamin D can have greater risks of heart disease and depression in older adults. There is a greater chance of asthma in children with low levels of the vitamin.

• The body can produce vitamin D on its own with enough sun exposure. An estimated time of 15 to 30 minutes of skin exposure to the sun a few days a week. But the UV rays that stimulate vitamin D production also cause skin cancer. Most experts don't recommend getting vitamin D from the sun.

• The darker the persons skin, the more difficult it is for them to get vitamin D from sunlight. Fair-skinned people can risk the 10 to 15 minutes to get enough sunlight but the problem is that unless you live in the south half of the U.S., there is usually not enough sunlight year around to produce all the vitamin D the body needs. So, that is where supplements comes in.

• Vitamin D deficiency can effect adults, infants, children, and adolescents. If you don't eat foods like milk, salmon, eggs..(and other high vitamin D foods) your risk can go up. Most people don't notice symptoms from low vitamin D levels but other risk factors include obesity, digestive disorders like celiac disease, people over 50 and some medications 

• High blood pressure and low vitamin D levels can be deadly. People with hypertension and a vitamin D deficiency were twice as likely to have a cardiac event, in the observation study. The lack of vitamin D was not linked to cardiovascular problems in those with out hypertension.

• Low levels of vitamin D can worsen the prognosis for women with beast cancer. Women low in vitamin D had a 94% greater chance of the cancer spreading. And also 73% greater chance of dying in the next 10 years. Other studies say good levels of vitamin D can offer protection against breast cancer.

• Colon and prostate cancer can also be lowered by good vitamin D levels. But the thing is, is that it is more effective in people that are not overweight, stay healthy and exercise regularly.

• One possible reason why vitamin D deficiency is linked with depression is that vitamin D causes the parathyroid gland to produce more hormone. Low levels of vitamin D and higher levels of the hormone have been linked with depression. 

• Most women gain weight after menopause until they reach there 60's. There is evidence that taking a vitamin D and calcium supplement may slow weight gain. One study show women not getting enough of the two nutrients at the start were 11% less likely to gain weight and more likely to stay the same or lose weight.

• Children with good levels of vitamin D are less likely to develop type 1 diabetes. Also low levels of vitamin D are linked to more severe childhood asthma which leads to more visits to the hospital and more asthma medications.

• A few good ways to get more vitamin D in your diet is starting your breakfast off with a full glass of milk or orange juice, some eggs or a good healthy cereal (there are some out there). 

• Other good choices that can up your vitamin D intake for lunch or dinner would be fish like mackerel, salmon, tuna, and sardines. One 3oz portion of cooked salmon can provide about 200% the recommended daily intake. Mushrooms that have also been exposed to UVB light can be around 100%.

•  Vitamin D is available in two forms of supplements. D2 and D3. D3 is the kind the your body makes. In studies D3 can be 3 times more effective at raising the vitamin D level quickly and staying longer.

• The amount of Vitamin D intake depends on your age and risk factors. The recommended dietary intake for adults up to 70 is 600 IU a day. For people 71 and older up to 800 IU is needed. Some need higher doses depending of health issues but too much can harm you. 

• Breast milk has multiple benefits for babies but vitamin D is not one of them. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends all breast fed babies get a 400 IU a day of vitamin D supplement starting shortly after birth until he/she is drinking about 1000 IU of vitamin D though milk. 1,000 IU for babies up to 6 months old and 1,500 IU for babies 6 to 12 months old. 

• Children usually get there vitamin D through milk. At the 1st birthday the recommended dietary intake is 600 IU. Supplements are good but if there eating enough of the vitamin through food, then there not needed.

• There is a upper limit of how much vitamin D can be taken a day. The Institute of medicine recommends up to 4.000 IU a day is safe. Taking more than 10,000 IU a day can cause kidney and tissue damage. The BEST way to know if to check with your health care provider before taking vitamin D supplements.