Getting Your Sunshine's Worth

Vitamin D is a vitamin necessary for life in humans. Deficiencies in this vitamin are very common and exist largely in the United States. This deficiency is found in every age group and can cause several health risks and diseases.

The most prevalent deficiency for Vitamin D is found in African-American teens. Many people are not aware that Vitamin D has several uses. This vitamin helps in regulating cardiovascular health, reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes, several types of cancers, occurrences of multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. Without enough vitamin D, the endocrine function will be unable to provide adequate calcium from the diet to meet the body's daily needs which can lead to an increased risk for falls. Several studies have shown that having adequate levels of vitamin D can reduce the risk for prostate, colon, breast, lung, and lymphoma cancers. Other studies have shown insufficient vitamin D can cause chronic pain and muscle weakness.  About 90% of vitamin D comes from sunshine, while 10% comes from food. Vitamin D absorbed by sunshine is stored longer in the body rather than ingested from food.  Working long hours out of the sun and children who spend most of their times indoor are at increased risk for Vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamin D levels in the blood are usually highest in the summer and their lowest levels during the cold and flu seasons. About 5 to 30 minutes of sun exposure between the times of 10 a. m.- 3 p. m., twice a week, to the face, arms, legs, and back can lead to a sufficiency on vitamin D synthesis. Using sunscreen with a protection factor of 8 or more will block vitamin D production.  The recommended dosage of vitamin D for people who are mostly indoors is 1000 IU (international units).  Some sources of food such as salmon, tuna, and cod liver oil contain amounts of vitamin D. Small amounts are found in beef, liver, cheese, and egg yolks as well. Mushrooms contain the vitamin D2.  Dairy, eggs, cereals, and orange juice also contain vitamin D. Consuming three servings of dairy per day will help in obtaining optimum vitamin D levels. Taking a Vitamin D supplement on a daily basis will help increase your levels which can prevent many diseases.