Why You Should Take Vitamin D

Mind is All

Should you take a Vitamin D supplement? What’s the buzz about this vitamin?

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient required for multiple health functions. Vitamin D is responsible for calcium absoption and the production of certain "feel good" hormones, as well as is considered part of a healthy defense against some kinds of cancer and hypertension. If you are lacking Vitamin D, you may be at higher risk of developing brittle bones, cardiovascular issues, rickets, and diabetes.

Many Americans don't get enough Vitamin D. If you religiously wear sunscreen and avoid the sun, you might be deficient.

But how much is too much, and what are the recommended amounts of Vitamin D? Doctors are debating this topic, but baically it is agreed that you need somewhere in the range of 200-2000 IU a day. You probably want to keep your consumption to under 2000 IU because most doctors think anything over that amount can be potentially toxic. The most popular answer right now is to take about 1000 IU a day.

How can you get Vitamin D? You can get a natural dose of Vitamin D by sunbathing. Just ten minutes of direct sunlight each day can get you your baseline (200 IU) of Vitamin D each day. Some scientists think we'd benefit from about twenty minutes in the sun each day before hiding underneath the SPF30 sunblock. However, there are many other ways to get Vitamin D as well, and those other methods won’t give you leathery skin, sunburn or put you at risk for skin cancer.

One simple method is supplements, although you will want to watch the dosage. Your daily vitamin may now provide a large dose of Vitamin D. Drink orange juice and milk fortified with Vitamin D. You can also get Vitamin D from fish, cod liver oil, and eggs.

Ask your doctor about Vitamin D at your next visit, and see if a supplement might be a good idea.