National Institutes of Health
by Admin
Posted on 10-06-2023 08:16 PM
According to the national institutes of health, there are certain populations at risk for vitamin d deficiency who could benefit from either vitamin d screening or counseling on supplementation.
6 these groups include breastfed infants due to low levels of vitamin d in breastmilk; 106 older adults, due to decreased ability to synthesize vitamin d from sun exposure and increased likelihood of being indoors 111 ; people with limited sun exposure, such as individuals who wear full body clothing 112 ; people with dark skin, as increased skin melanin reduces vitamin d production from sunlight 4 , 113 ; people with conditions that limit fat absorption, as they may have more difficulty absorbing vitamin d from foods that are fortified, such as dairy products 114 ; people who are obese, due to vitamin d being sequestered in subcutaneous fat 115 ; individuals with a history of gastric bypass, as they may have limited ability to absorb vitamin d from the upper small intestine ( table 2 ).
Otten jj, hellwig jp, meyers ld. Vitamin d. In: dietary reference intakes: the essential guide to nutrient requirements. Washington, dc: national academies press, 2006. Institute of medicine committee to review dietary reference intakes for vitamin d and calcium. Dietary reference intakes for calcium and vitamin d. Editors: ac ross, cl taylor, al yaktine, hb del valle. Washington, dc: national academies press; 2011. National institutes of health, office of dietary supplements (2021). Vitamin d fact sheet for consumers. Retrieved may 4, 2022, from https://ods. Od. Nih. Gov/factsheets/vitamind-consumer/ herrick ka, storandt rj, afful j, et al. Vitamin d status in the united states, 2011–2014. https://f004.backblazeb2.com/file/pkrkkl/herbalcolonicscomplex/Specialist-supplements/History-edit.html
Vitamin d is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for health. It keeps your bones strong, can improve your mental health and helps you sleep. According to the national institutes of health, almost 1 in 4 u. S. Adults are considered low in vitamin d. Symptoms depend on how severe the deficiency is and the person. Primary care doctor mindy lacey, md , screens for this condition in patients struggling with fatigue, depressive symptoms and bone issues. "vitamin d deficiency has become more common over the past several years," explains dr. Lacey. Here dr. Lacey shares what vitamin d deficiency looks like – and three ways to overcome it.
What is vitamin D deficiency?
Vitamin d deficiency means that your body is not getting enough vitamin d to stay healthy.
). Research suggests that about 24% of people in the united states are vitamin d deficient. Other areas of the world may have higher rates of deficiency. It’s estimated that in europe, about 40% of the population has vitamin d deficiency ( ). Our bodies produce vitamin d when exposed to sunlight. There are a few reasons why it’s hard to get enough vitamin d this way. To reduce the risk of skin cancer, it’s smart to cover up, wear sunscreen, and avoid being outside during peak sun hours. And depending on where you live in the world, it may just not be possible to have enough year-round sun exposure.
Why do I need vitamin D and how do I get it?
Getting enough vitamin d is essential so kids’ bones can grow strong and their immune systems can ward off illness. Vitamin d gets into the body through absorption of sunlight and ingestion of food. From april through the end of october, spending just 15 to 30 minutes outside in the middle of the day with hands and face exposed will stimulate the skin to make all the vitamin d your child needs. In fact, on a sunny summer day, a child wearing a bathing suit can generate 10,000 to 20,000 international units (iu) of vitamin d after 15 to 30 minutes.
Vitamins are substances that your body needs to grow and develop normally. Vitamin d helps your body absorb calcium. Calcium is one of the main building blocks of bone. A lack of vitamin d can lead to bone diseases such as osteoporosis or rickets. Vitamin d also has a role in your nerve, muscle, and immune systems. You can get vitamin d in three ways: through your skin, from your diet, and from supplements. Your body forms vitamin d naturally after exposure to sunlight. However, too much sun exposure can lead to skin aging and skin cancer. So many people try to get their vitamin d from other sources.
Lips pt. Worldwide status of vitamin d nutrition. The journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology. 2010 jul 1;121(1-2):297-300. Robinson pd, högler w, craig me, verge cf, walker jl, piper ac, woodhead hj, cowell ct, ambler gr. The re-emerging burden of rickets: a decade of experience from sydney. Archives of disease in childhood. 2006 jul 1;91(7):564-8. Kreiter sr, schwartz rp, kirkman jr hn, charlton pa, calikoglu as, davenport ml. Nutritional rickets in african american breast-fed infants. The journal of pediatrics. 2000 aug 1;137(2):153-7. Misra m, pacaud d, petryk a, collett-solberg pf, kappy m. Vitamin d deficiency in children and its management: review of current knowledge and recommendations.
Vitamin d is a fat-soluble vitamin in a family of compounds that includes vitamins d1, d2, and d3. Your body produces vitamin d naturally when it’s directly exposed to sunlight. You can also get vitamin d from certain foods and supplements to ensure adequate levels of the vitamin in your blood. Vitamin d has several important functions. Perhaps the most vital are regulating the absorption of calcium and phosphorus and facilitating normal immune system function ( ). Getting enough vitamin d is important for typical growth and development of bones and teeth, as well as improved resistance to certain diseases.
This is a fact sheet intended for health professionals. For a general overview of vitamin d, see our consumer fact sheet on vitamin d. For information on vitamin d and covid-19, see dietary supplements in the time of covid-19.