Best Vitamin D Supplements to Take This Winter
Vitamin D – also known as “the sunshine vitamin” – is essential for many functions in the body. However, with winter coming and food source limitations, getting vitamin D isn’t always as easy as walking out in the sun.
Why is vitamin D important?
Vitamin D helps to keep your immune system strong and can lower your chances of developing cancer, diabetes, heart disease and multiple sclerosis buy Truvani supplements. Research has also shown that vitamin D may have an impact on helping to prevent migraine headaches and depression too. It’s used by your body to help absorb calcium and improve bone health.
Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a loss of bone density, which can contribute to osteoporosis and fractures (broken bones).
What percentage of the world is vitamin D deficient?
Vitamin D deficiency is a common global issue. About 1 billion people worldwide have vitamin D deficiency, while 50% of the population has vitamin D insufficiency. Approximately 35% of adults in the United States are vitamin D deficient. The National Diet and Nutrition Survey shows that about 1 in 6 adults in the UK have low levels of vitamin D in their blood.
Sources of vitamin D
You can get vitamin D from the sun, food and supplements. When possible, try to get your vitamin D through sunlight exposure since it’s the least processed form.
Vitamin D is found in a variety of foods like fish and eggs, but most Americans get their daily intake through sun exposure.
Foods high in vitamin D are: cod liver oil, salmon, tuna, foods fortified with vitamin D, dairy and plant milks fortified with vitamin D, fortified cereals, liver, egg yolk, according to Harvard School of Public Health.
Two of the best sources of dietary vitamin D for vegans are cereals and plant-based milks fortified with vitamin D.
When we cannot get enough vitamin D from sunlight or food, supplements are used to combat such deficiencies. We need vitamin D supplements in the cold season, when the sun is scarce – typically during October – April every year.
How much vitamin D do we need daily?
Unfortunately, there is no consensus on the right level of vitamin D for humans. As a result, it can be difficult to determine how much you need to take as a supplement.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the recommended daily amount of vitamin D is 400 international units (IU) for children up to age 12 months, 600 IU for people ages 1 to 70 years, and 800 IU for people over 70 years. However, 1,000 to 2,000 IU per day of vitamin D from a supplement is considered safe for most healthy individuals.
However, long-term supplementation with vitamin D3 in doses ranging up to 5000 IUs/day (even more) appears to be safe.
Concerned your levels of vitamin D are too low? The best way to know for sure is by asking your doctor, who may do blood work to assess your vitamin D levels.
What is the best way to get vitamin D from supplements?
Since vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin—meaning it doesn’t dissolve in water—your body can most easily absorb it when you take it with food. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin – which means if you take a supplement, you’ll need to take it with a healthy fat, such as avocado, olive oil, coconut oil or other vegetable fat.
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