Vitamin D can help maintain strong bones throughout your lifecycle.
Eggs, fish, cod liver oil, fortified milk and sun exposure provide vitamin D for the human body. Supplements can enhance a healthy diet for those with a poor food intake of vitamin D or lack of sufficient sun exposure.
Function
Most recognized for its role in bone health, vitamin D also contributes to cell differentiation, cancer prevention, blood pressure regulation, enhanced immunity, calcium absorption, and maintenance of blood levels of calcium and phosphorus.
Types
Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and the more potent form, vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) form the two types of vitamin D in supplements and fortified foods. Vitamin D can be found in multivitamins or as a single nutrient in quantities of 50 to 2,000 International Units (IU). Pharmaceutical companies market supplements as soft gels, capsules, tablets or liquid form.
The Facts
The Adequate Intake (AI) for adults is 200 IU. The Linus Pauling Institute suggests an intake as high as 2,000 IU for healthy adults, which is the Tolerable Upper Limit (UL) for vitamin D.
Considerations
The Food and Nutrition Board continues to reevaluate AI of vitamin D and update the value as research warrants. American Academy of Pediatrics has increased their recommendation for children from 200 IU to 400 IU daily.
Warning
Toxicity can cause bone loss, increased blood calcium levels, altered mental status, impaired kidney function, calcification of organs and abnormal heart rhythm.
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