How Much Vitamin D Do You Need?
Vitamin D is essential. It helps the body absorb calcium, promotes bone growth, and plays an important role in your immune system . It is commonly referred to as the “sunshine vitamin” because our bodies use the energy from sunlight to produce vitamin D, which by definition is actually a prohormone . Given the dramatic changes in our lives caused by the pandemic, which have led many of us to take far fewer street trips, many people have wondered if they are getting enough vitamin D and if they should be doing something about it.
Many Americans are already vitamin D deficient.
Vitamin D deficiency is common; about 42% of Americans have lower levels of the hormone than strongly recommended. We spend much less time in the sun than our ancestors.
However, there are several ways to get enough vitamin D, including increasing the amount of sunlight you get; Eating foods that naturally contain vitamin D, such as oily fish and eating fortified foods or taking vitamin D supplements.
Vitamin D is what your body will store for later use, which means you don’t need to get enough of it every single day – you just need to get enough to last for a period of time.
How much vitamin D do you need?
How much vitamin D you need depends on a number of factors, including your age, race, amount of regular sun exposure, and the season. On average, most people require 10 to 20 mcg. Because vitamin D can be stored safely in the body, this is an average; blood levels above 20-30 ng / ml are considered sufficient.
The more melanin your skin has, the more sunlight you need to make vitamin D. If you don’t get much sun or if you live in the northern part of the country, you may also need to take in more vitamin D from other sources, which may come in. in the form of vitamins or fortified foods.
What foods contain vitamin D?
Foods containing vitamin D include oily fish such as tuna, mackerel, or salmon; beef liver; cheese and egg yolks. There are also a number of foods that are commonly fortified with vitamin D, such as certain dairy products, orange juice, soy milk, and cereals. For these foods, you’ll need to check nutritional labels – some brands add vitamin D while others don’t.
Milk is generally considered a source of vitamin D, but it will only be present if the milk is fortified – and this will be indicated right on the label.
How much sunlight do you need?
When it comes to vitamin D production, the midday sun is most effective. Under the right circumstances, 10-15 minutes of sunlight a few days a week is enough for the body to produce all the vitamin D we need.However, these right circumstances depend on the season, location, cloud cover, and a number of other factors. You also want direct sunlight, not early morning or late evening sunlight, which is more difficult to get during the winter months.
People living above 37 degrees north latitude, including Americans in Richmond, Virginia, Denver, Colorado, and St. Louis, and more northerly cities, can only get enough direct sunlight during the summer months, putting them at higher risk. vitamin D. deficiency.
If that’s you, and you don’t think you can get enough vitamin D from just sunlight, it’s worth taking a look at your diet to see if you might need to add one of the sources discussed above. The good news is, you have options. Which one works best will depend on your situation.