Vitamin DHeather Bannerman

Unit 4 ProjectHW 499-01

What is Vitamin D and what does it do for you?

“The term "vitamin D" refers to several different forms of this vitamin. Two forms are important in humans: vitamin D2, which is made by plants, and vitamin D3, which is made by human skin when exposed to sunlight.”(Mayo Clinic, 2013).

It is an essential Vitamin that everyone needs incorporated into their daily life. The health benefits are worth it alone!

Vitamin D is a nutrient found in some foods that is needed for health and to maintain strong bones. It does so by helping the body absorb calcium (one of bone's main building blocks) from food and supplements. People who get too little vitamin D may develop soft, thin, and brittle bones, a condition known as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. (NIH, 2011).

How much Vitamin D do you need?

Below is the RDA (recommended daily allowance) by the NIH (national health institute) for Vitamin D based on your age.

Birth to 12 months 400 IU

Children 1–13 years 600 IU

Teens 14–18 years 600 IU

Adults 19–70 years 600 IU

Adults 71 years and older 800 IU

Pregnant and breastfeeding women 600 IU (NIH,2011).

Where can you get my DRA of Vitamin D?

Its important for people to know where and how to get Vitamin D, especially during winter season.

There are some foods that have been fortified with Vitamin D, but there are very few. Below is a list that show foods that have vitamin d.

Salmon, tuna, and mackerel

Beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks provide small amounts.

Almost all of the U.S. milk supply is fortified with 400 IU of vitamin D per quart. But foods made from milk, like cheese and ice cream, are usually not fortified.

Vitamin D is added to many breakfast cereals and to some brands of orange juice, yogurt, margarine, and soy beverages; check the labels.(NIH, 2011).

You can receive Vitamin D from the sun, but limit the amount of exposed sun rays to decrease the chance of getting cancer.

Vitamin D Deficiency Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to being a contributing factor to

MS, rickets, and heart disease.

“The heart is basically a large muscle, and like skeletal muscle, it has receptors for vitamin D. So perhaps it’s no surprise that studies are finding vitamin D deficiency may be linked to heart disease. The Health Professional Follow-Up Study checked the vitamin D blood levels in nearly 50,000 men who were healthy, and then followed them for 10 years. They found that men who were deficient in vitamin D were twice as likely to have a heart attack as men who had adequate levels of vitamin D. Other studies have found that low vitamin D levels were associated with higher risk of heart failure, sudden cardiac death, stroke, overall cardiovascular disease, and cardiovascular death. How exactly might vitamin D help prevent heart disease? There’s evidence that vitamin D plays a role in controlling blood pressure and preventing artery damage, and this may explain these findings. Still, more research is needed before we can be confident of these benefits.”(HSPH, 2013).

Where to get educated?There are many sources to educate yourself

about Vitamin D.

NIH.gov

MayoClinic.org

These are the two most accurate internet sources available when it comes to health and

wellness education.

ResourcesHarvard School of Public Health (2013). Vitamin D and

Health | The Nutrition Source | Harvard School of Public Health. Retrieved from http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-d/

Mayo Clinic (2013, November 1). Vitamin D - Drugs and Supplements. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/vitamin-d/background/hrb-20060400

Institutes of Health (2011, June 24). Vitamin D — QuickFacts. Retrieved from http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-QuickFacts/