Vitamin D: Literally Everything what you need to know

You will be surprised to know that vitamin D is completely different than most other vitamins.

Indeed, it is a hormone, a steroid hormone produced from cholesterol, when the skin is exposed to sunlight.

Therefore, vitamin D is often called vitamin "sun".

However, sunlight is often missing in these days, which makes it to people about their food (or supplements) is necessary.

This is important because vitamin D is for optimal health ( 1 ).

Unfortunately, only a handful of foods contain significant amounts of this vitamin, and deficiency is very common ( 2 , 3 ).

In fact, according to 2005-2006 data, is a huge 41.6% of the US population suffers from a deficiency of this vitamin / hormone criticism ( 4 ).

This article will explain everything about vitamin D. Need to Know

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin (A, D, E and K), which means that in the oil / fat dissolves and can be stored in the body for a long time.

Actually, there are two main forms in food ( 5 )

• Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is found in some foods of animal origin such as fatty fish and egg yolks.
• Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) is found in certain plants.

Of the two, D3 (cholecalciferol), the present because it is almost twice as effective in increasing the levels of vitamin D in the blood as D2 (Form 6 , 7 ).

Conclusion: Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that can be stored for a long period of time in the body. There are two main forms, D2 and D3, D3 much more effective.

What makes vitamin D in the body?

Vitamin D is initially quite useless.

Must go through two stages of transformation "active" to be ( 8 , 9 ).

First, it will calcidiol ^[1] , or 25 (OH) D in the liver. This is the storage form of the vitamin in the body.

Second, is converted calcitriol ^[2] or 1,25 (OH) 2D, especially in the kidneys. This is the active form of the hormone, a steroid of vitamin D.

Calcitriol moves around the body to give the nuclei of cells. It that a receptor known as interacting vitamin D receptor ^[3] (VDR), which (can be found in almost all cells of the single body 10 , 11 ).

If the active form of vitamin D to bind to this receptor gene is on or off, leading to changes in the cells ( 12 , 13 ). This is similar to the steroid hormone form a different function.

It is generally known that vitamin D more cells with bone health by counting the cells in the intestine to calcium and phosphorus (connected absorb, for example, means 14 ).

But now scientists have discovered that it (is involved in all types of processes including immune function and protect against cancer 15 ).

So people. A lack of vitamin D deficiency (the form of the steroid hormone) calcitriol, which are deficient in one of the most important hormones in the body, in fact,

Conclusion: Vitamin D is calcidiol, the storage form of the vitamin, which then calcitriol, the active form steroid. Calcitriol binds to vitamin D receptor in the cells, the genes on or off.

Sunlight is the best way to get vitamin D

Vitamin D can be generated from cholesterol in the skin when exposed to sunlight. UV-B (UVB) sun provide for the reaction (occurring energy demand 16 ).

If you live where there is plenty sunshine throughout the year, then you can probably all the vitamin D you go outside and enjoy the sun several times a week is enough.

Note that you need to explain a large part of the body. If you produce only the presentation of their face and hands, and less vitamin D.

Also, if you stay behind glass or sunscreen, then you will produce less vitamin D, or not at all.

This makes the advice of sunscreen use to protect questionable against cancer of the skin. Increased risk of vitamin D deficiency, which may instead lead to other diseases ( 17 ).

If you decide to take your vitamin D from the sun, be sure to never never burn.

The sun is healthy, but sunburn can cause premature aging of the skin and (increase cancer risk of skin cancer 18 , 19 ).

If you stay in the sun too long, consider going without sunscreen for the first half hour and then apply it before you start recording.

Vitamin D is stored in the body for a long time, weeks or months, so you may occasionally the sun in order to obtain sufficient blood levels upright.

All this being said, not everyone (myself included) to live where it all year round sun. In these cases, vitamin D is obtained in food or supplements is essential, especially in the winter months.

Conclusion: Sunlight is the best way to get vitamin D, but blocks solar production. Many people do not have access to the sun for most of the year.

Very few foods contain this vitamin in large quantities

Here, the content of the selection of vitamin D3 in some foods ( 20 )

Although fatty fish such as salmon ^[4] , mackerel, swordfish, trout, tuna and sardines are decent sources would have to eat almost every day to get enough.

The only good dietary source of vitamin D include cod liver oil, such as fish oil, cod liver ^[5] which contains up to twice the daily value ^[6] in a tablespoon.

Note that milk products ^[7] , and cereals are often vitamin D (fortified 21 ).

Some rare fungi also contain vitamin D, and egg yolks contain small amounts.

Conclusion: cod liver oil, fish is the best source of vitamin D3. Fatty fish is also a good source, but you have to eat often to get enough.

Vitamin D deficiency is a serious matter

Vitamin D deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency.

Some people are more at risk than others. Although the average is 41.6%, the percentage rises to 82.1% in the black population and 69.2% among Hispanics ( 4 ).

Older people are more likely inadequate (being 22 ).

People with certain diseases are probably deficient as well. One study showed that 96% of heart attack patients was low in vitamin D ( 23 )

Unfortunately, vitamin D deficiency is a silent epidemic. The symptoms are often subtle and can take years or even decades to surface.

The most prominent symptom of vitamin D deficiency is a bone disease called rickets ^[8] , which is common in children in developing countries.

Due to the public health measures in their time, they began to certain foods with vitamin D, which essentially eliminated rickets in Western societies (attach 24 ).

Deficiency has been implicated for the treatment of osteoporosis in combination, reduced mineral density and increased risk of falls and fractures in the elderly ( 25 ).

Studies have also shown that people with low levels of vitamin D have a much higher risk of heart disease, diabetes (type 1 and type 2), cancer, dementia and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, to name a few ( 26 ).

Vitamin D deficiency is also associated with a significantly increased risk of death from all causes (implicated in 27 , 28 , 29 ).

What is vitamin D deficiency have an effective contribution to these diseases, or people that low levels of vitamin D are more prone to it is not so clear.

Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency is a known cause of bone disease called rickets in children. However, the deficit has also been linked to many other health problems in communication and reduce life expectancy.

Take the health services too much vitamin D

Vitamin D has received considerable attention in common in recent years and decades.

The research has received a lot of resources, and studies conducted by hundreds.

Here are some of the potential benefits, a lot of vitamin D:

• Osteoporosis, falls and fractures: Higher doses of vitamin D can help prevent osteoporosis, falls and fractures in the elderly ( 30 ).
• Strength: The vitamin D can physical strength in both upper and lower extremities (increase 31 ).
• Cancer: Vitamin D may help prevent cancer. One study showed that 1,100 IU per day, with calcium, 60% reduction in cancer risk ( 32 , 33 ).
• Depression: Studies have shown that vitamin D is a slight reduction of symptoms in patients with clinical depression (cause 34 ).
• Type 1 Diabetes: A study showed that in infants 2,000 IU of vitamin D a day reduces the risk of type 1 diabetes by 78% ( 35 ).
• Mortality: Studies have shown that vitamin D reduces the risk of dying during the study periods the population, indicating that can help you live longer ( 36 , 37 ).

This is really just the tip of the iceberg.

Low levels of vitamin D associated with all types of diseases ^[9] , and supplements, has shown that there are many other advantages.

Note, however, that much of what is not yet definitively proven. A recent study of 2014 more evidence is needed to many of these benefits (to be confirmed 38 ).

Conclusion: The intake of vitamin D has been shown that many related cancer, bone health, mental health and autoimmune diseases, to name just a few advantages.

How much should you take?

The only way to know if you are deficient, and if you need to take a supplement, you can have their blood levels were measured.

Your doctor will the storage form, calcidiol or 25 (OH) D Any less than 12 ng / ml to measure is considered poor, and anything above 20 ng / ml is considered sufficient.

The recommended daily dose of vitamin D in the United States is as follows ( 39 ):

• 400 IU (10 mcg): babies 0 to 12 months.
• 600 IU (15 mcg): Adults and children 1-70 years.
• 800 IU (20 mcg): the elderly and pregnant or lactating women.

Although lack of official border of vitamin D is 12 ng / ml, many health experts believe that people should aim blood levels above 30 ng / ml for optimal health and disease prevention ( 40 ).

In addition, many believe that the recommended intake is too low, and that people need much more to (achieve optimal blood levels of vitamin 41 ).

According to the Institute of Medicine ^[10] , is the safe upper limit of 4,000 IU or 100 micrograms ( 42 ).

For people who are at risk of deficiency, this can be a good number to aim. Some doctors recommend much more than that.

Make sure you take vitamin D3, D2-No.

Vitamin D3 capsules are available in most supermarkets and health food stores, and there is a good selection of vitamin D3 ^[11] at Amazon.

What if you take too much?

Actually, it is a myth, easy to overdose on vitamin D

Vitamin D intoxication is very rare and only if you take crazy doses for long periods ( 43 ).

I personally live where there is very little sun this year, so I take 4000-5000 IU per day of vitamin D3 supplement.

I've had it for many years and consider it an essential part of my personal health strategy.

For more information, I recommend Vitamin D Council ^[12] s website. They have large, high-quality materials to findings on vitamin D on the basis

Credentials

1. ^{^} calcidiol (en.wikipedia.org)
2. ^{^} calcitriol (en.wikipedia.org)
3. ^{^} vitamin D receptor (en.wikipedia.org)
4. ^{^} salmon (authoritynutrition.com)
5. ^{^} cod liver oil (www.amazon.com)
6. ^{^} Daily Value (www.mayoclinic.org)
7. ^{^} dairy products (authoritynutrition.com)
8. ^{^} rickets (en.wikipedia.org)
9. ^{^} all kinds of diseases (www.vitamindcouncil.org)
10. ^{^} Institute of Medicine (www.iom.edu)
11. ^{^} good selection of supplemental vitamin D3 (www.amazon.com)
12. ^{^} Vitamin D Council (www.vitamindcouncil.org)