Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning
• What you need

Vitamin D is a nutrient that has the ability to prevent many chronic diseases, including many types of cancer. However, most of us are deficient in vitamin D because most foods are not rich in this nutrient.In fact, the most abundant source of vitamin D is the sun, but prolonged exposure to the sun is dangerous for the skin. Getting enough vitamin D may not be easy, but with the right diet, moderate sun exposure and dietary supplement intake you can get the benefits of this vital nutrient. this.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Increase vitamin D supplements

1. 

   Take vitamin D supplements. Although very important for health, vitamin D is not much in everyday foods. Therefore, with diet alone, it is not possible to get enough vitamin D. Besides looking for vitamin D-rich foods, you should also take supplements - an important part of your health care routine. healthy - to supplement this rare vitamin. Vitamin D supplements come in two forms of over-the-counter medications: vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol).
   • Vitamin D3 is the form of vitamin D found naturally in fish and produced when the body metabolizes sunlight. In large amounts, vitamin D3 is also thought to be less toxic than vitamin D2, even though vitamin D3 is stronger and offers more health benefits.
   • Most experts recommend vitamin D3 supplements over vitamin D2 supplements. Consult with a healthcare professional about dosage and quality of reputable brands.
   • Magnesium should be supplemented with vitamin D. Magnesium is a mineral that is needed to absorb vitamin D but is depleted in the process. Therefore, not supplementing with magnesium while supplementing vitamin D can lead to magnesium deficiency.
   • Always consult your doctor before starting any supplement.

2. 

   
   
   Opt for vitamin D2 supplements if you are vegetarian. Vitamin D3 is the more complete vitamin D but derived from animals. So while vitamin D2 has many benefits, vegans and vegans may not want to use it. In contrast, vitamin D2 supplements are synthesized from moss, and not related to animal products.

3. 

   
   
   Increase exposure to sunlight and be careful during exposure. Vitamin D is a rare vitamin in food sources but abundant in sunlight. However, you need to maintain a delicate balance between insufficient sun exposure and too much sun exposure to avoid sunburn. Ideally, you should spend 10-20 minutes in the sun twice a week and remember to apply sunscreen to your face. Or you can also spend 2-3 minutes in the sun several times a week and always apply sunscreen to your face. Be careful not to bathe for 1 hour after sun exposure.
   • Be careful not to expose the skin too much to the UV rays in the sun. Ultraviolet rays cause skin cancer, an estimated 1.5 million cases a year in the US. Therefore, you should avoid sunburn, as it not only causes pain but also damages skin cells and leads to cancer.
   • Apply sunscreen every time you are exposed to the sun. Your body can still absorb vitamin D when you apply sunscreen, but its ability to protect your skin from harmful UV rays can also decrease vitamin D production.
   • You do not need to sunbathe until you have a tan to be considered a vitamin D supplement.

4. 

   
   
   Be aware of factors that can affect vitamin D production through sun exposure. The proximity to the equator is also one of the factors influencing; People living near the equator are more exposed to sunlight than people living near the North and South Pole. Natural skin color can also affect vitamin D production; Light skin produces vitamin D faster than dark skin due to its lower content of melanin.
   • While these factors cannot be altered, you can still choose a time of day to be exposed to the sun. Should choose midday time instead of early morning or late afternoon. At midday, strong sunlight helps the body to produce more vitamin D.
   • Get as much sun exposure as possible. During sun exposure, don't wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. The more the body is exposed to the sun, the higher the amount of vitamin D produced. However, you should adjust accordingly because if you live in an area with strong sunlight, not covering it can cause burns.
   • Note that sun exposure remains high on cloudy days.
   • The body stores vitamin D, so spring and summer sun exposure can provide vitamin D throughout the year.

5. 

   Eat foods rich in vitamin D. Although you cannot meet your vitamin D requirements through normal diet, you should still get as much vitamin D with food as possible. The best source of vitamin D is fish, including salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines. Cod liver oil is also a good source of vitamin D that you should take in (if you can swallow it). Animal sources of food including egg yolks and cheese also contain small amounts of vitamin D.

6. 

   Choose fortified foods. As people are increasingly aware of the benefits of vitamin D, many companies add vitamin D to their foods (these foods are not beneficial without vitamin D). Therefore, you should read the nutritional information to see if the product is fortified with vitamin D. Foods that are most commonly fortified with vitamin D are milk and whole grains.

7. 

   Limit your caffeine intake. Research has found that caffeine can affect vitamin D receptors and inhibit vitamin D absorption. Due to its effect on vitamin D, caffeine can negatively affect calcium levels in the body (because of vitamin D). helps calcium absorption). Therefore, you should avoid consuming caffeine-rich products like coffee, tea, and caffeine-fortified beverages.
   • Vitamin D supplements should be taken near the end of the day, for example lunch, and not with coffee or morning tea.

8. 

   Combines all 3 sources of vitamin D. There is no single method that can guarantee that you get enough vitamin D. Research has shown that supplements are not as effective as dietary sources of vitamin D, and that dietary sources of vitamin D are not sufficient. health is optimal. The most abundant natural source of vitamin D - the sun - is also extremely dangerous if exposed to too much and can cause cancer. The best approach is to combine all 3 sources - supplements, sun, and diet - to increase vitamin D levels.

Method 2 of 2: Understand the importance of vitamin D

1. 

   Understand the health benefits of vitamin D. Many recent studies show that vitamin D is an effective way to prevent chronic diseases. In particular, vitamin D can increase the body's ability to absorb calcium, prevent bone problems, from rickets to osteomalacia (soft bones) and osteoporosis. Other studies show that increasing vitamin D supplements can help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke, and lower your risk of diabetes, autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple fibrosis. hard.

2. 

   Be aware of the dangers of vitamin D deficiency. It is important to combine multiple sources to increase vitamin D levels in the body, as vitamin D deficiency can lead to many chronic diseases. Low vitamin D levels have been linked to type 1 diabetes, chronic muscle and bone pain, several cancers, including breast, colon, prostate, ovarian, esophageal, and cancer. lymph.
   • Approximately 40-75% of the population is deficient in vitamin D, largely because this nutrient is not found in natural foods and because people live in areas with insufficient sunlight. Furthermore, increasing awareness of the association between ultraviolet rays and cancer has increased the need for sunscreen, which in turn contributes to reduced vitamin D production.

3. 

   Recognize the risk of vitamin D deficiency. Approximately 40-75% of the population does not have enough vitamin D in the body, and people in certain groups are at higher risk of deficiency. Therefore, you need to be aware of your risks, so you can monitor and maintain vitamin D levels. High-risk groups include:
   • People with sun poisoning. The sun is poisonous to people with this disease.
   • People rarely work outdoors
   • People with fear of sun
   • People with malnutrition lead to extreme sensitivity to light
   • Young children are only allowed to breastfeed
   • Patients with poor absorption of fat
   • People always wear head-to-toe covering clothing
   • Elderly, poor skin absorption
   • People stay indoors all day, for example in nursing homes
   • People with a strict diet.

4. 

   Get tested for vitamin D deficiency. Check to see if your insurance covers the cost of a vitamin D deficiency test (called a 25 (OH) D test or a Calcidiol test. Your doctor will take a sample of your blood and analyze it in the lab.
   • If insurance does not cover this non-lice test, you can purchase a device online for home testing. Although a bit expensive, it is still more economical than going to the doctor for a test without insurance.
   • Vitamin D deficiency can be difficult to recognize, since the symptoms of deficiency are often similar to those of other illnesses. Therefore, it is extremely important to check your vitamin D levels regularly.

5. 

   Maintain vitamin D levels at the recommended levels. Once you have the Calcidiol test results, you need to be able to understand the results of the test and adapt your lifestyle accordingly. Test results provide data in ng / mL in the US (nanogram per ml) and in nmol / L (nanomol per liter) in other countries. This test measures the amount of calcidiol in the blood, which is an index of vitamin D levels.
   • According to the Endocrine Society of America, test results lower than 20 ng / mL (50 nmol / L) showed that the body is deficient in vitamin D. The number is 21-29 ng / mL (52.5–72, 5 nmol / L) indicates insufficient body vitamin D deficiency.
   • If the test results are either deficient or inadequate, you should adjust your diet, time in the sun and take supplements to increase your vitamin D levels.
   • Some people feel better when their vitamin D levels are higher than normal. Therefore, you should determine what concentration is best for you and control your vitamin D levels with vitamin D-rich supplements and foods.
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Advice

• 30 minutes of sun exposure per day is essential for the synthesis of enough vitamin D in the skin to maintain healthy vitamin D levels.
• Be careful when exposing babies, toddlers, and young children to the sun. These subjects should be regularly exposed to sunlight but should be properly protected, eg wearing hats and long-sleeved clothing.
• Take advantage of the sun near the end of the day, after you've removed your sunscreen. While it's a bit inconvenient because you need a shower to remove the sunscreen, this will be a good option to consider if you exercise after hours.
• Take vitamin D3 supplements if you live in a low sun or work the night shift. Doctors recommend taking 4000-8000 IU vitamin D daily. However, you need to consult your doctor if you want to supplement doses above 2000 IU.

Warning

• Cloudy coverage reduces UV energy by 50%; Shade (including shade caused by severe pollution) reduces UV energy by 60% but does not mean that people who are sensitive to the sun will be safe. In fact, there is still the phenomenon "Cloud Burn (burning when it is cloudy)", which is burning skin due to ultraviolet rays not filtered. UVB rays do not penetrate glass, so sitting indoors and exposed to sunlight through windows does not help produce vitamin D.
• Since vitamin D is fat-soluble there is a risk of an overdose of vitamin D. This is also true for all fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E and K. The maximum vitamin D dose should be less than 10,000. IU every day.
• Risks of vitamin D deficiency include:
  • Vitamin D Deficiency Syndrome (VDDS) is also known as rickets. Rickets is a soft bone condition in a child and can lead to fractures and deformity. Rickets can cause severe vomiting and diarrhea and will quickly deprive the body of important minerals.
  • In addition, vitamin D deficiency also increases the risk of tooth problems, muscle weakness (AKA Floppy Baby or Slinky Baby syndrome), broken green branches, bent legs, knuckles (AKA Windswept Knees), and abnormalities. form in large bones such as skull, pelvis, spine and calcium-resistant cause vitiligo.
  • Mental illnesses such as depression or Alzheimer's disease.

What you need

• Sunscreen if left outside for more than 20 minutes at any time
• Food fortified with vitamin D3
• Functional food supplement with vitamin D3