Vitamin D benefits

Vitamin D, which is also called the sunshine vitamin, has a great importance and an important role in the human body, so what do you know about the benefits of vitamin D?

The benefits of vitamin D are many and many, as the human body manufactures it as a result of exposure to sunlight, and it can also be taken from its sources or through supplements, and despite its name, it is not considered a hormone in the true sense of the word, because it is manufactured inside the body, contrary to the fact that vitamins .

Vitamin D Benefits

The benefits of vitamin D are many, but do you know what are the benefits of vitamin D for the body? And why do we need it? Here are the details:
  • Promote bone health
Vitamin D plays a role in regulating calcium and maintaining phosphorous levels in the blood, which are essential and important minerals for bone health. The body needs vitamin D in order to absorb calcium, and therefore a lack of its levels can cause rickets in children and thinning or osteoporosis in adults.
  • Reducing the risk of influenza
Vitamin D plays a good role in fighting influenza during the winter, as it was found that children getting 1,200 international units of vitamin D per day in the winter, may reduce the risk of influenza infection by approximately 40%.
  • Protection from diabetes
There is a relationship between vitamin D and type 2 diabetes, meaning that getting and maintaining appropriate levels of vitamin D will protect you and reduce your risk of developing diabetes, and in turn, low levels of vitamin D in people with diabetes will negatively affect On insulin secretion and glucose tolerance. Maintaining the health of infants
It is essential that infants get the appropriate levels of vitamin D, in order to protect them from developing asthma, eczema and many different infections.
  • Vitamin D benefits for a healthy pregnancy
Low level of vitamin D in pregnant women increases the risk of pre-eclampsia, cesarean delivery, and gestational diabetes, and it is necessary to ensure that the level of vitamin D does not exceed the required limit for pregnant women, which may pose a threat to the health of pregnancy as well.
  • Reducing the risk of cancer
Vitamin D is important in regulating the growth and communication of body cells, which means that adequate levels of vitamin D have an impact on reducing the risk of cancer.

The Right Dose of Vitamin D

The daily dose or ration of vitamin D varies depending on the age group and, according to the US Food and Drug Administration, includes:

  • Babies (0-12 months): 400 IU (10 mcg).

  • Children (1-18 years): 600 international units (15 mcg).

  • Adults (up to 70 years of age): 600 international units (15 mcg).

  • Over 70 years of age: 800 international units (20 mcg).

  • Pregnant and breastfeeding women: 600 international units (15 mcg).

Sources of Vitamin D from Food

As we mentioned, the sun and the UVB lights is the main source of vitamin D which it can be fined in tanning beds. As for food, its sources are:

  1. Whale liver oil

  2. Swordfish

  3. Salmon

  4. Sardines

  5. Eggs

  6. Fortified milk