Are you getting enough Vitamin D?
If you’re a healthy adult, the answer is most likely yes. But like many vitamins and supplements these days, questionable sources and articles tout bogus benefits from taking vitamin D supplements—and potentially put your health at risk.
Vitamin D’s primary importance is that it influences how well your body absorbs calcium. If not enough calcium is absorbed, the body must take calcium from its stores in the skeleton, which weakens existing bone and prevents the formation of strong, new bone.
Inadequate calcium significantly contributes to the development of osteoporosis. Many published studies show that low calcium intake throughout life is associated with low bone mass and high fracture rates.
Calcium is also needed for our heart, muscles and nerves to function properly and for blood to clot.
The Hype
Vitamin D gets into the body three ways: sunlight, food and supplements. Sunlight on your skin causes the body to produce its own vitamin D—the reason it’s sometimes called the sunshine vitamin.
According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, adults should have a daily intake of 600 IU (international units) of vitamin D up to age 70. Men and women over age 70 should increase their uptake to 800 IU daily. Like any vitamins, the best way to ensure adequate intake is to eat a varied diet and receive proper nutrition from healthy foods.
Increasing exposure to the sun is not recommended as a way to increase vitamin D because it increases the risk of skin cancer.
Recently, websites and other sources have been teasing the public with ideas that vitamin D is a cure for multiple conditions from depression and fatigue to heart disease and multiple sclerosis. However, there are no studies to support these claims.
On the other hand, regularly consuming excessive amounts of vitamin D has serious health risks. Vitamin D toxicity can cause non-specific symptoms such as anorexia, weight loss, frequent urination and irregular heart rhythms. More seriously, it can also raise blood levels of calcium, which leads to vascular and tissue calcification, with subsequent damage to the heart, blood vessels and kidneys.
Deficient?
Most people in the United States are sufficient in vitamin D. Only about 8 percent of the population is at risk of deficiency, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force found insufficient evidence to support routine vitamin D tests for healthy adults. People with signs or symptoms of vitamin D deficiency who have conditions that may require extra vitamin D, pregnant women, or people who live in a nursing home may require vitamin D deficiency screening.
So, who is most likely to have vitamin D deficiency?
- Seniors. Their skin cannot synthesize vitamin D as efficiently, and they may not eat enough foods that have vitamin D.
- People with dark skin. Pigment in the skin reduces its ability to produce vitamin D from sunlight.
- People with certain conditions, such as liver diseases, cystic fibrosis and Crohn’s disease. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, and its absorption depends on the gut’s ability to absorb dietary fat.
- People who are have had gastric bypass surgery. Changes to the upper small intestine where vitamin D is absorbed can affect a person’s vitamin D levels.
- People who are bed bound. Limited sun exposure can lead to low vitamin D levels.
In general, the recommendation for healthy adults is to consume between 600 and 800 IUs daily depending on age.
Ask your healthcare provider if you think you need more vitamin D. Vitamin D is naturally found in some foods, such as salmon, beef liver and egg yolks. Vitamin D is also added to foods and drinks like milk, orange juice and cereal. Milk products such as cheese and ice cream are generally not fortified. The best way to get the recommended daily allowance of vitamin D is in your diet.
Most people in the United States are sufficient in vitamin D. Only about 8 percent of the population is at risk of deficiency. There are no studies that show that healthy adults need vitamin D sufficiency screening or vitamin D supplementation. In addition, taking too much vitamin D can make you sick. If you think you need supplements, talk with your healthcare provider before you start taking them.
Dr. Rajinder Sahi is a doctor of internal medicine at PinnacleHealth. For more information about preventive services for adults, visit pinnaclehealth.org/phmg.
