Importance of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a hormone produced naturally by our body through sunlight and a nutrient that we can ingest orally through multiple food usage and medical prescription. Vitamin D is also known as ‘Sunshine Vitamin’ and referred as ‘calciferol’ as well. It is a vital Vitamin that helps retain and regulate calcium and phosphorous in our bodies and is a fat soluble vitamin that can be stored in the body and secreted when the body needs it. Calcium absorption in the gut and maintaining balanced serum calcium & phosphate is the prime responsibility of Vitamin D.
Benefits of Vitamin D
Vitamin D has a vital role to play in maintaining a good human health with plenty of benefits. Few are discussed here.
1. It helps strengthens bones and teeth.
Vitamin D3 helps regulate calcium, which is very important for bones and teeth. Calcium deficiency leads to several teeth diseases and joint pain associated with Osteoarthritis, but with a good Vitamin D intake, sufficient calcium will be regulated in the body.
2. It strengthens the immune system.
Vitamin D helps maintain and strengthen the immune system. People with low levels of Vitamin D are at an increased risk of various infections and illnesses.
3. It helps in lowering the risk of various diseases.
a. Cancer: Vitamin D3 prevents the development of cancer. Vitamin D helps repair and regenerate cells.
b. Rheumatoid arthritis: Low levels of Vitamin D lead to a chronic inflammatory disease known as Rheumatoid arthritis. Vitamin D helps properly function the immune system, which helps reduce the severity of the onset of this disease.
c. Type 2 diabetes: Recent studies have shown a proven link between Vitamin D deficiency, the body's resistance to insulin, and type 2 diabetes. The development of type 2 diabetes can be prevented by overcoming insulin resistance. So high intakes of Vitamin D are suggested.
d. Blood pressure: Hypertension is directly linked to Vitamin D deficiency. Studies have proven that a 10% increase in vitamin D levels leads to a decrease in hypertension by 10%.
e. Heart diseases: Low levels of Vitamin D can lead to high blood pressure, heart diseases, congestive heart failure, strokes, peripheral arterial disease, and heart attack.
4. It improves the functioning of the brain. Vitamin D plays a pivotal role in the functioning of the brain. It helps in nerve growth and repair. It also protects neurons and prevents inflammations in the brain.
Vitamin D foods.
Several Vitamin D-rich foods are found naturally. Fatty fish such as sardines, salmon, herring, and mackerel are the best Vitamin D food. Fish liver oils are also considered one of the best sources of Vitamin D. Egg yolks, beef liver, and cheese also have small amounts of Vitamin D. Mushrooms are the only non–animal source of Vitamin D that provides sufficient amounts of vitamin D2. Due to UV light exposure, wild mushrooms are the best source of Vitamin D2.
Various foods don't have Vitamin D naturally but are fortified for Vitamin D. Most common foods fortified with vitamin D include cow's milk, orange juice, soy milk, cereal, and oatmeal.
Although our bodies can make Vitamin D naturally through UV lights, and we can also increase the intake of Vitamin D foods to fulfill our needs, sometimes that cannot always meet our needs.
Many people cannot meet the minimum requirement for Vitamin By eating Vitamin D food only. Vitamin D supplements are used to treat the deficiency in these cases. People with less or enough exposure to the sun and those above 65 years and exclusively breastfed infants are always at a risk of Vitamin D deficiency. Taking Vitamin D supplements regularly is crucial for maintaining healthy levels of Vitamin D in the body. These are available in the markets in the form of tablets, capsules, liquids, and sublingual tablets. You can get your best Vitamin D supplements online to get best results and enjoy your life.
