5 Top Benefits of vitamin D | Vitamin D Benefits, Deficiency, Sources
Vitamin D is beneficial for your teeth, bones, and skin health.
This sunshine vitamin is made just beneath your skin when exposed to sunlight. Besides, it is also essential to improve your immunity.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means it needs fat to get absorbed. Plus, it can be stored in your body for a long time.
This vitamin acts as a precursor of hormones as unlike other vitamins it can be produced by the body.
Kinds of vitamin D found in nature:
- Vitamin D2 – ergocalciferol – comes from plant-based sources like mushrooms.
- Vitamin D3 – cholecalciferol – comes from animal-based food sources like milk, egg yolk.
Here are some vitamin D benefits that one can obtain through proper diet supplements and sunlight exposure.
Helps prevent diseases
According to different studies in Vitamin D improves the immune system functioning of the body to avert chronic diseases.
Vitamin D is a part of the steroid hormone family that is vital to regulate calcium and cell proliferation. Moreover, the presence of vitamin D receptors in the cardiovascular system indicates the connection between vitamin D levels and the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
Promotes weight loss
Calcium plus vitamin D supplements can help you reduce your fat mass. A 15-week weight–reducing program concluded that women who took calcium and vitamin D supplements achieved significant fat mass loss. Therefore, including more of this vitamin in your diet to lose weight can provide you considerable benefits of vitamin D.
Can avert depression
A study shows a causal relationship between vitamin D intake and reduction in symptoms of depression.
Similarly, analysis indicates that people who are depressed are found to have a low level of vitamin D. Conversely, individuals with low vitamin D blood levels were at higher risk of depression.
Improves teeth and bone health
Vitamin D is essential to absorb sufficient calcium and phosphorous from our food, supplements. Deficiency of vitamin D can also lead to dental problems like tooth decay or cavity.
A study on old-age group people suggests that regular intake of calcium and vitamin D strengthens your bones’ health. Moreover, it improved dental health even at an older age.
Increases skin health
This sunshine vitamin plays a vital role in the lifecycle of a cell. A significant amount of sunlight prevents skin cells from free radicals. However, too much sun exposure can damage your skin health.
Besides, the deficiency of vitamin D can even lead to dry and itchy skin that further causes severe skin problems.
Good for muscles
Apart from regulating calcium this vitamin also maintains immune functionality and neuromuscular system. Further, observational studies show that vitamin D has influential effects on muscle strength and functionality.
Likewise, people who lack an adequate amount of vitamin D levels had a greater risk of postural deformity or muscular strength. However, more studies are required to conclude the effect of vitamin D and muscles functionality.
Vitamin D food and vegetable list
There are only a few food sources of vitamin D
- Milk
- Salmon
- Egg yolk
- Cod liver oil
- Mushrooms
Vitamin D deficiency symptoms
Vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of rickets in children and exacerbates osteomalacia and osteoporosis among adults.
The most common vitamin D deficiency symptoms include bone pain, weak muscles. However, deficiency of this vitamin may also lead to severe conditions like
- Increased cardiovascular risks
- Signs of asthma in children
- Chances of developing certain cancer
- Cognitive impairment in the old age group
Vitamin D is essential to use calcium and phosphorous in the body. Moreover, regular intake of this vitamin helps get rid of diseases like diabetes, glucose intolerance, multiple sclerosis, and hypertension.
The deficiency is common in vegans due to the very small range of food sources containing vitamin D. Additionally people with less sunlight exposure may lead to vitamin D deficiency.
How to increase vitamin D level
Since vitamin D is quite essential for your fitness you should definitely manage its required amount of blood level in the body.
There are two major ways to increase vitamin D levels:
1. Food or supplements
2. Sunlight exposure
The daily recommended dose of vitamin D is 400 – 800 IU (international units), which is also equivalent to 10 -20 mcg (microgram).