It is a fat-soluble vitamin that has types such as Vitamin D-1, D-2, and D-3. It is also known as the sunshine vitamin due to the fact that it is produced as a response to sunlight by the skin.
Sources of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is naturally produced by the body when it is directly exposed to sunlight. Other sources are supplements and food such as Salmon, Shrimps, Sardines, Red meat, Egg yolks and mackerel.
Recommended International Units (IUs) of Vitamin D
Below is the recommended IU of vitamin D needed in the body per day for different groups of people.
Children and teens: 600IU
Adults up to 70 years of age: 600IU
Adults above 70 years: 800IU
Pregnant or Breastfeeding women: 600IU
The highest level of IU that is considered safe is 4000IU.
Benefits of Vitamin D
It helps to fight diseases: Vitamin D can help to reduce the risk of diseases such as multiple sclerosis, heart diseases and flu by boosting the immunity of the body.
It reduces depression: It can help to regulate mood and ward off depression.
It can help to boost weight loss: Adding vitamin D supplements to your diet when trying to lose weight helps to aid weight loss.
Calcium Absorption: It helps to absorb calcium form the food consumed.
What happens when you have too much vitamin D in your system
When vitamin D builds up and reach a toxic level in the body, it can cause various ailments in the body. however it is rare for this to happen as most people don't get adequate amount of vitamin D and toxic levels cannot be reached through diet and sun exposure alone.
Too much Vitamin D can lead to
Elevated blood levels: the recommended blood level is 30ng of vitamin per ml of blood. When the amount of vitamin in the blood is high, it can result in fatigue, nausea, vomiting and other symptoms.
Elevated blood calcium levels can also occur when there is a high level of vitamin in the blood as vitamin helps to absorb calcium from what people eat. This can then result to digestive distress, fatigue, confusion excessive thirst and frequent urination.
Poor appetite and Nausea.
Stomach pain, constipation or diarrhoea.
Bone loss: This is because too much vitamin D can interfere with the activity of vitamin K2 a vitamin that helps to keep calcium in the bones and out of the blood.
Kidney Failure: It can lead to kidney injuries in both those with healthy kidneys as well as those with already established kidney diseases.
Risk of Low Level of Vitamin D
When your body lacks vitamin D, it puts you at the risk of developing bone abnormalities such as fragile bones (osteoporosis) or soft bones (osteomalacia).
Risk factors for low levels of Vitamin D
Not eating enough fish or diary.
Being overweight or obese.
Staying Indoors.
Always using Sunscreen.
Signs of Vitamin D Deficiency
Having a general feeling of tiredness.
Aches, pains in the body especially severe pain in the bones and muscles.
Difficulty climbing stairs or getting up from sitting.
Having stress fracture in the legs, pelvis and hips.
Getting sick or infected often.
Constantly feeling depressed.
Impaired (slow) healing of wounds.
Bone and hair loss.
The best way to determine if any of these sighs are as a result of vitamin D deficiency is to speak to a doctor and set up a blood level measurement test.
Factors That Limit Exposure to Sunlight
High pollution areas.
Application of sunlight.
Staying indoors too often.
Living in places where buildings block the sunlight.
High level of melanin in the skin. Melanin limits the amount of vitamin D the skin can absorb.
When the skin is not properly exposed to sunlight it can result in low levels of vitamin D in the body. This is why it is important to get vitamin from other sources as vitamin d deficiency can lead to various ailments.
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