THURSDAY 28 January 2021
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient, and recent research has suggested that it may also help protect against severe COVID-19.
But how much is enough and how difficult is it to get the right amount of vitamin D?
“We know that a large percentage of the population has suboptimal levels of vitamin D. In fact, as many as half of the U.S. population may be deficient in vitamin D,” said Kristin Gustashaw, clinical dietitian at Rush University Medical. Center in Chicago, said. “It can possibly lead to symptoms, such as fatigue, tiredness, hair loss, delayed healing of the wound, reduced immune health, muscle aches and more, without any other causes.
“Part of the difficulty in maintaining vitamin D levels is because there is not a large variety of foods that are high in vitamin D,” Gustashaw added in a news release from the medical center.
The vitamin is accessible to humans through food, supplements and even sunshine.
Food sources include egg yolks, milk, cheese, beef or veal liver and certain fish, such as salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines. Other foods are fortified with vitamin D, including certain cereals, bread, soy milk and orange juice.
Gustashaw also recommends that people get out in the sun for at least 15 to 30 minutes a day, but says they should make sure they get a constant source of the nutrients from their diet and supplement.
Adults should receive a minimum of 600 IU of vitamin D and 800 IU every day over the age of 70. Children should receive 600 IU each day. And infants up to 12 months should receive 400 IU / day. Gustashaw says that you can determine your vitamin D levels through a blood test.
If you have low vitamin D levels, it is always best to talk to your healthcare provider or dietitian about the best way to increase your intake, Rush University experts say.
Certain medications can affect vitamin D uptake. These include steroids, the cholesterol-lowering drug cholestyramide and the seizure medication phenobarbital and phenytoin.
Although vitamin D toxicity is rare, there is no evidence that ingestion of more than the upper limit of the recommended dose is beneficial, experts said. In some cases, excess amounts of vitamin D can lead to kidney failure, calcification of soft tissues in the body, including in heart vessels and heart valves, heart rhythm disorders and even death.
More information
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more to do with making sure your children get the right amount of vitamin D.
SOURCE: Rush University Medical Center, news release, January 22, 2021
Cara Murez
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QUESTION
Besides red peppers, you can get most of the vitamin C at ________________.
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