With all of the positive health benefits that come from Vitamin D, it is important to make sure we are regularly getting adequate amounts. Fortunately, in addition to the many supplements and numerous sources of fortified foods, getting sufficient Vitamin D is as easy as stepping outside on a sunny day.

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that exists in several forms, the most common being calciferol. Vitamin D is found in some foods, but is also produced by the body with help from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. Vitamin D is most necessary to maintain the right level of phosphorus and calcium within the blood. Along with several other minerals, vitamins, and hormones, Vitamin D is needed to form and maintain strong, healthy bones that will not break nor become brittle. Vitamin D deficiencies may result in increased risks of hip and bone fractures, particularly in older women.

Another possible health benefit of Vitamin D being studied and researched through clinical trials is the promotion of a healthier immune system, and cancer prevention. Regarding the latter, there has been some concrete evidence that vitamin D may have the potential to protect the body from certain types of cancers such as colon cancer. However, more research is needed to determine if it is the increase of the vitamin that actually protects the cells from cancer, or whether instead it is a deficiency of Vitamin D that increases one’s cancer risk.

In the United States, Vitamin D deficiencies were rampant in the 1930s, prompting the government to implement a fortified milk program. Rickets, which is a weakening and softening of the bones, usually occurs in children suffering from a lack of Vitamin D, but is relatively unheard of in the U.S. since the advent of fortified foods. Osteomalacia is a condition that causes a weakening of the bones without an adequate supply of Vitamin D that affects adults, as well as the potential for osteoporosis.

Sources of Vitamin D
Sunlight: UV rays from the sun cause a process within the skin known as Vitamin D synthesis. The liver and kidneys are also vital to the absorption of Vitamin D as they both work to chemically convert it into its active form, the essential dihydroxyvitamin D. 10 to 15 minutes of daily sunlight exposure is an adequate amount. However, factors such as the time of day and year, clouds, pollution, and sunscreen all affect the absorption of Vitamin D.

Food: Foods that naturally contain Vitamin D include:
- Cod liver oil
- Eggs (yolks)
- Fatty fish (mackerel, salmon, sardines)
- Liver (beef)

Some foods that are fortified with vitamin D include:
- Bread
- Breakfast/snack bars
- Cereals
- Crackers
- Ice cream
- Margarine
- Milk
- Pastries
- Pudding (made with fortified milk)

Recommended Daily Requirements
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of Vitamin D will vary depending upon a few factors, such as a person’s age, with the number of International Units (IUs) increasing as we grow older. The RDA refers to the amount of vitamins that are needed to meet all of the minimum requirements needed for good health.

Age 19 to 50 – 200 IUs daily
Age 51 to 69 – 400 IUs daily
Age 70 + up  – 600 IUs daily

While getting the right amount of sun exposure and consuming fortified foods are usually enough to maintain a healthy level of Vitamin D, there are some groups of people who may still need a dietary supplement to meet the daily requirements. Infants who are only fed breast milk may need a daily supplement of fortified formula during the first few months of life. Older adults, people who are homebound, or who have limited exposure to the sun, such as those living in the northern hemisphere, may need a dietary supplement to avoid a Vitamin D deficiency.

With all of the positive health benefits that come from Vitamin D, it is important to make sure we are regularly getting adequate amounts. Fortunately, in addition to the many supplements and numerous sources of fortified foods, getting enough of the “sunshine vitamin” is as easy as stepping outside on a nice, sunny day. Colin Albert manages the CalciumShop web site. The website discusses a product called SolarCal-D, a natural supplement that uses coral calcium and Vitamin D to help boost the body’s overall health.

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Eat foods that are Vitamin D enriched such as cereals, butter or margarine, yogurt, soy milk, bread, cereal grain bars, and whole milk. Fatty fish such as sardines, cooked mackerel and salmon, also contain Vitamin D.

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You probably know that you need Vitamin D to have a healthy body. Almost everyone has seen milk that is fortified with Vitamin D and you have to assume that’s something that your body needs since ‘milk does your body right’. But did you know that milk alone is not able to give you the significant amount of Vitamin D that your body needs? More importantly, did you know that sun tanning can actually help to combat a Vitamin D deficiency?

It’s true. You see, Vitamin D is sometimes called ‘the sunshine vitamin’ because it is stimulated in our bodies when we are out in the sunshine. More specifically, the UV rays that are emanated by the sun help to give our bodies the Vitamin D that we need. But the reality of our lives these days is that we often aren’t in the sun enough. We’re indoors, in climate controlled environments, primarily sitting at our computers. We go outside only briefly and often stay at the office until long after the sun has gone down. And while that’s great for the productivity of our society, it’s not so great for our bodies. By not getting the sunshine that we need, we deprive our bodies of the right amount of Vitamin D.

Without the Vitamin D that we need, we can suffer a number of problems. Vitamin D helps to regulate cholesterol which in turn helps to make the heart healthier and more efficient. Vitamin D is also critical to calcium density and bone growth. Vitamin D also helps with mood disorders, specifically combating depression. And Vitamin D has been shown to help with other things ranging from weight loss to cancer prevention. So it’s obviously important that we’re getting enough of it, and taking our vitamins isn’t enough. If you aren’t out in the sun on a regular basis, you need to go those UV rays from somewhere else.

Tanning, whether out in the sun or indoors, can give you the UV rays you need to combat a Vitamin D deficiency. According to The Indoor Tanning Association, the average person needs approximately 1000 IU/day of Vitamin D. This amount can be obtained through moderate UV exposure in a tanning salon. Alternatively, of course, you can tan outdoors to get the rays directly from the sun. In either case, you should be sure to use the right tanning lotions and get the right amount of exposure to avoid burning the skin and causing problems to your health. After all, you’re trying to get healthier, not harm yourself!

Tanning is one of the best ways of combating a Vitamin D deficiency but to get the best effects, you should tan in addition to take other measures to improve your Vitamin D levels. Vitamin supplements, milk, and salmon can all be added to the diet to improve Vitamin D. Additionally, taking care of your skin with lotions, exfoliants and moisturizers will help to maximize the effects of exposure to sun rays. And finally, maintaining overall good health and exercise habits will help you to get the most out of your Vitamin D absorption. ”

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Baxter Owens is the developer of TanTans.com, an ultra premium Dark Tanning Lotion website & vendor. TanTans.com offers premium tanning lotion at discount, wholesale prices. Visit TanTans.com today for all of your indoor tanning & skin care needs!

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An easy way to start correcting this deficiency is through the use of a tanning bed such as those used by Sunday’s Blue Box Tanning Resorts. This will supply the UVB rays which will help to increase your daily intake of .

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The D vitamin is the only vitamin that is not obtained from foods that are consumed. Instead, the D vitamin is actually obtained by sunlight on the skin. There has been a lot of media coverage about the dangers of getting too much sun but it is essential that the skin is exposed to sunlight to obtain the recommended daily allowance of the D vitamin. In reality, the amount of time that a person has to spend in the sun to receive a sufficient dose of the D vitamin is extremely small and just a few minutes a day will be sufficient and not have any adverse effects from the amount of ultra-violet light received.

The most important function of the D vitamin is to help control how much calcium is absorbed from food. The majority of the calcium is used to build strong teeth and bones but it is also needed to send messages along the nerves and to help muscles, such as the heart muscles, to contract. It is the D vitamin that ensures that there is always sufficient calcium in the blood to perform these tasks. Other functions that require the D vitamin relate to the immune system and it is believed that it is also a contributing factor in reducing the risk of contracting cancer and, in particular, colon cancer.

The variant of the D vitamin that is formed under the skin is known as vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol. This D vitamin is created when the ultraviolet in the sunlight reacts with a type of cholesterol that is found under the skin naturally. The D3 is converted into a more active form of the d vitamin in the liver and is then diverted to where it is needed the most. Some of the D vitamin remains in the liver and kidneys to help reabsorb the calcium from the blood. The rest of the D vitamin is dispersed to the bones to help them retain their calcium and the intestines to aid absorption of calcium from food.

Even though the majority of the D vitamin is formed through the exposure of the skin to sunlight there are some foods that do contain some of the vitamin naturally. This form of the D vitamin is known as vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol. This is used in the same way as the other D vitamins and is the type used to create the majority of D vitamin supplements.

By: Jake Saab

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Information on vitamin b17 can be found at the Vitamin Information site.

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Yes, the best way to get all the nutrients your body needs is through whole foods. That should be easy right? Our culture of fast and convenient foods means that we are eating a lot of processed foods that don’t contain enough of the nutrients we need.

As a result, nutritional supplements are big business because we know we aren’t eating right. Even in developed countries like the United States it is still possible to become deficient in important nutrients. Illness, poor diet and environment can all create deficiencies. Here are the signs and symptoms associated with a deficiency in specific vitamins:

A - A lack of this can create problems with vision, particularly night-time sight. It can also cause the conjunctivitis of the eye to thicken or form milky white spots. If you take a nutritional supplement for A, be aware that it is fat soluble which means it stays in the body longer making it easier to take too much.

Thiamine (B1) -  This is an example of how poor diet and illness can create deficiencies. Alcoholics commonly lack enough thiamine. Beriberi is the disease that results and it attacks the nervous and cardiovascular systems of the body. Memory acuity and muscle control are greatly compromised. Edema and congestive heart failure are also a risk. B vitamins are water-soluble so they pass through the body faster than fat-soluble ones. It also means that you don’t have to take these nutritional supplements with food. However, you may have to take more of it throughout the day as opposed to one dose with a meal.

D- Sunlight helps the body produce its own D, but dangers of skin cancer have more and more people covering up. Luckily, most dairy foods have D added to it. But, if there is a deficiency, osteoporosis is an increased risk. Vitamin D facilitates the absorption of the calcium in the body and without it; bones lose out on the calcium they need. There is also a correlation to depression and fatigue. Research has shown that a D nutritional supplement works to alleviate the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder or SAD. Vitamin D is fat-soluble so, again, it stays in the body longer making it more possible to take too much.

C- Not enough C affects collagen production in the body. Collagen is a major building block for bones and tissue to it is essential. Because it facilitates the absorption of iron, a lack of C may cause you to become iron deficient anemic. C is water-soluble, so like the B vitamins, it passes through the body rather quickly and may require you to stagger your nutritional supplement dosing throughout the day to maintain good levels.

B12- It is essential to red blood cell production and proper functioning of the nervous system. It is found in the liver. Vegetarians and people with autoimmune diseases are at risk of a deficiency. Anemia is the result when the body is low on red blood cells. Fatigue, weakness, numbness and reduced mental acuity are all symptoms of a deficiency. Because it is water-soluble, regular dosing may be necessary to maintain proper levels, particularly if you fall into the at-risk categories above.

Before taking any nutritional supplements, it is a good idea to talk with your doctor. If you are concerned about deficiencies, he can test you and then prescribe a proper dosing schedule. It is possible to take much of a good thing, so read the dosing instructions on the bottle and follow your doctor’s recommendations.

By: Andrew Stratton

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There are signs and symptoms associated with a deficiency in specific vitamins. Fatigue, weakness, numbness and reduced mental acuity are all symptoms of a deficiency of vitamin B12. Taking a herbal nutrition supplement can help avoid such symptoms. Visit www.goodelements.com.

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This article talks about Vitamin D deficiency. It also tells the dangers as well as how to prevent Vitamin D deficiency.From the time we were little we were always told to drink our milk so we got our correct amount of Vitamin D. While we still are aware of this need in our body today, many of us don’t get the correct amount of Vitamin D leading to a Vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamin D deficiency can causes diseases such as rickets, osteoporosis and ostemalacia. Rickets is a serious disease that occurs in children up to two years of age. Rickets will cause the bones to have a reduced calcification (lack of calcium) when they should be doing the most growing. One of the most common symptoms of rickets is failure to grow, as they should. Other symptoms may be bone deformity, muscular hypotonia and hypo-calcemia, which can possibly cause convulsions.

Other Problems From Vitamin D Deficiency

Other problems can occur from Vitamin D deficiency such as a higher alkaline phosphates concentration in serum. This can result in the bones becoming deformed. Some of the bone deformities that might be noticed are legs becoming curved, deformed pelvis and pigeon chest. In young children, it may affect them by slowing down their walking as teething. If you feel your children are slower than normal in these milestones in their lives, contact your doctor to determine if there is a Vitamin D deficiency or some other deficiency.

Vitamin D Deficiency Can Affect Everyone

Vitamin D deficiency can affect adults as well as children. Although many adults aren’t aware of this, adults need Vitamin D just as much as young children do. When adults are Vitamin D deficient, it is referred to as osteomalacia. This problem occurs more often in women that are pregnant or nursing. This is usually when they need more Vitamin D because so much is going to the baby. Although osteomalacia and rickets are not considered a public health problem in India, they are both very prevalent there.

Osteoporosis is another health problem that can develop from a Vitamin D deficiency. This most often occurs with elderly or postmenopausal women that are not getting the required amount of calcium in their bodies due to hormonal changes. Doctors will usually recommend Vitamin D and calcium supplements for these individuals.

Vitamin D deficiency is Being Corrected

Although Vitamin D deficiency is still occurring in some individuals, it’s not near as common as it was years ago. One reason is that we are more aware now of your needs. Another reason is that there are many health care programs designed for mothers and children. These programs not only provide treatments but also provide them with healthy foods such as milk, cereal and dairy products. Although Vitamin D should be taken in any form possible, it is wiser to have your children get it from natural means like dairy products and plenty of sunshine rather than from a supplement.

By: Alison Addy

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Still looking for information about vitamin d deficiency? Alison Addy is the author of more resources published at www.bikecyclingreviews.com . Keep reading about vitamin c deficiency and vitamin c supplements at this website.

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