About Vitamin D Supplements
Vitamin D has been the focus of many health studies. Health and nutrition experts advise that most of us don't get enough of the vitamin. Consequences can include poor health, including increased risk of death from stroke; heart attack; and all-cause mortality, including cancers, infection and autoimmune diseases.
Considerations
According to estimates, 1 billion people worldwide are either deficient in vitamin D or have some form of insufficiency. An article published July 2007 in The New England Journal of Medicine estimates that vitamin D deficiency is common in adults and children, despite the addition of vitamin-fortified food to our diet.
Most tissues and cells of the body contain vitamin D receptors, designed to convert inactive 25-hydroxyvitamin D circulating in the body to the , 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D.
Our biggest natural source of vitamin D is from sunshine---without daily sunshine, the body cannot convert vitamin D to its active form. Most of us don't get enough sunshine, nor do we consume sufficient quantities of fortified foods to meet the body's demand, making vitamin D supplements a viable alternative for disease prevention.
Theories/Speculation
The adequate level of vitamin D for the body still hasn't been determined. Most nutrition experts agree that without sunshine exposure, most children and adults need approximately 800 to 1,000 IU (international units) of vitamin D daily.
Significance
Disease prevention isn't the only reason the body needs vitamin D. Without adequate levels, calcium and phosphorus are poorly absorbed in the intestine. Both are essential for bone health and optimal cellular function.
Prevention/Solution
Taking vitamin D supplements is recommended, in addition to 20 minutes of sunshine daily. Foods that contain vitamin D include mushrooms and oily fish. Milk, Swiss cheese, fortified juice and cereals should be included in a healthy diet.
Vitamin D supplements are supplied as vitamin D2 or vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 is believed to be more effective because of the manufacturing process and the way they are metabolized. Both forms will work in combination with dietary intake of vitamin D-rich foods.
Many vitamin D supplements have been reformulated to the more readily metabolized vitamin D3. Ask your pharmacist for a recommendation, or read the label on the bottle before your purchase.
Warning
More is not better. Though rare, vitamin D intoxication (more than 50,000 IU per day) can lead to high levels of calcium and phosphorus in the bloodstream, leading to kidney problems.
If you take certain medications, you may be at even more risk of vitamin D deficiency. Examples include Prednisone, which can lead to bone loss; the weight-loss drug Orlistat; and the seizure disorder medications phenobarbital and phenytoin (Dilantin).
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