Vitamin D: The Health Benefit of Sunshine

Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, benefits every part of your body. It affects your blood circulation, helps with calcium and phosphorus absorption, and helps strengthen your bones. It’s part of a healthy immune system and is beneficial for mood, heart health, and even weight loss. You can get vitamin D from food and supplements, and your skin produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. So, what is vitamin D and what are its benefits? What are the best sources of vitamin D?

What Is Vitamin D?

If you constantly use sunscreen, don’t get much sun exposure, and/or have darker skin pigmentation, you may not get the recommended amount of vitamin D. Since very few foods naturally contain vitamin D, supplements can be a good option for some people. This type of vitamin is necessary to stay healthy and to help strengthen bones. It’s also part of the fat-soluble vitamin group. This vitamin forms when the skin is exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. It’s also found in dietary supplements and certain foods.

What Are the Types of Vitamin D?

There are two main types of vitamin D in humans. D3 is produced in the body in direct response to sun exposure. D2 (ergocalciferol), on the other hand, is synthesized in plants. Both types need to be converted in the liver and kidneys into 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, the active form used by the body.

What Are the Benefits of Vitamin D?

Helping the body absorb calcium and phosphorus in the small intestine is vitamin D’s main function. Calcium is necessary to eliminate the problem of bone hardening and to support proper nerve and muscle function and cell functions.

People with a vitamin D deficiency can develop a disease of weakened, soft, and brittle bones known as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Because of its role in balancing calcium and phosphorus and for bone health, vitamin D is of great importance. Vitamin D intake is especially important for preventing bone loss or bone softening in those using certain medications such as corticosteroids or managing medical conditions including osteoporosis.

In addition, beyond bone disorders, vitamin D is beneficial in many other areas. The benefits of vitamin D may include:

Heart Health

According to an observational study that checked blood vitamin D levels in more than 18,000 healthy men and followed them for 10 years, men with a vitamin D deficiency were twice as likely to have a heart attack compared to men with adequate vitamin D levels.

Cancer

According to observational studies and preliminary laboratory studies, higher vitamin D and calcium intake may be linked to a lower risk of cancer (especially colorectal cancer). However, because of the way vitamin D affects calcium levels, it’s difficult to separate the effects of the two. According to one study, those with the highest vitamin D levels had a 50% lower risk of colorectal cancer compared to those receiving lower doses.

Colds and Flu

Conditions such as flu and the common cold are known to affect people the most in cold weather. This has led some researchers to hypothesize that influenza may be related to vitamin D levels. Vitamin D levels are lowest in winter. Other studies have found that people with low vitamin D levels are more likely to catch respiratory infections.

In addition to the potential health benefits listed above, some people take vitamin D to treat a wide variety of conditions, including the following:

• Multiple sclerosis
• Prevention of dental cavities and gum disease
• Fibromyalgia
• Psoriasis
• Acne and pimple problems
• Skin conditions such as eczema
• Fatigue
• Low energy
• Pain
• Seasonal depression
• Diabetes
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Crohn’s disease
• Thyroid and kidney disease

What Are the Best Sources of Vitamin D?

As is well known, the best source of vitamin D is the sun. Supplements containing vitamin D are also frequently chosen. However, some foods also contain vitamin D. Sources of vitamin D can be listed as follows:

• Cow’s milk
• Plant-based milk
• Breakfast cereal
• Yogurt
• Orange juice
• Mushrooms
• Trout
• Sardines
• Salmon
• Eggs
• Liver

Remember that vitamin D2 is mainly found in plants, while D3 is found in animal foods. When listing the amount of vitamin D in foods, most sources don’t distinguish between vitamin D2 and D3. Some foods contain a mixture of both forms.

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