Vitamin D – also known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’, plays an important role in your health and well-being. Getting sufficient vitamin D – from your diet, sunlight, and supplements helps with several important bodily functions and processes. Let’s take a closer look at why getting your Vita-D is a priority!

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, naturally found in various foods. It’s essential for functions like strengthening the bones, supporting cell growth and regulation, retaining and absorbing calcium, and improving immunity. However, food and sunshine aren’t the most effective ways to absorb Vitamin D into the body. Therefore, it might be a good idea to bring in Vitamin D reinforcements – your supplements.

Types of Vitamin D

There are two main types of vitamin D:

D2 – ergocalciferol and D3 – cholecalciferol

The difference between the two is minimal, but D2 is naturally found in plants and D3 is naturally found in animals. D3 is also produced by the skin when exposed to sunlight.

D3 is the form that is most recommended to meet your Vitamin D needs because it lasts longer in the body.

Benefits of Vitamin D

• Supports immunity.
• Boosts your mood.
• Can lower the risk of heart disease.
• Strengthening of bones.
• Boosts energy.

Vitamin D food sources

• Salmon.
• Mushrooms.
• Egg Yolk.
• Canned Tuna.
• Fortified Milk.
• Fortified Yogurt.

Low on Vitamin D – what now?

Often, especially women, struggle to absorb Vitamin D via food and sunlight so taking vitamin D supplements could help.

When there is a Vitamin D deficiency, your body is not absorbing adequate vitamin D from sunlight alone.

Symptoms of a Vitamin D deficiency include:

• Tiredness, aches, and pains.
• Severe bone or muscle pain or weakness.
• Fatigue.
• Mood changes.
• Increased inflammation.
• Frequent infections.
• Rickets (in children).
• Bone disorders.

Too much Vitamin D – what to do

You can have an excess amount of Vitamin D –this is not due to being in the sun too much. Your body may be storing what it has and unable to flush it out through the urine like many other vitamins.

Vitamin D toxicity can lead to an increase in your blood calcium levels and symptoms include:

• nausea.
• vomiting.
• abdominal pain.
• dehydration.
• confusion.
• increased thirst.

Vitamin D is a sneaky one. It’s difficult to meet the body’s needs with food alone, so starting a supplement program will be very beneficial to you.

Health Tip: A little goes a long way! It is a very inexpensive vitamin supplement to get but it holds a lot of power.

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Featured Image: Getty Images