The Importance of Vitamin D for Your Health
Doctors often advise patients to ensure they get the right amount of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. One of the most important ones is Vitamin D. A lack of Vitamin D can pose serious issues to your health, making it one of the most essential nutrients that you need on a daily basis.
Vitamin D is important because it’s a crucial part of calcium absorption. Even if you take the right amount of calcium, it won’t be properly absorbed without the right amount of Vitamin D. A lack of Vitamin D can lead to poor bone health, which becomes more of a problem the older you get. In addition to its benefits for your bone health, Vitamin D has also been found to be crucial to boosting and maintaining your immune system.
The amount of Vitamin D adults need tends to be around 600 to 800 IUs, but some research has found that adults might need up to 2000 IUs for the most benefits. But what is the best way to get all of this Vitamin D? Most food does not contain Vitamin D naturally except for fatty fish, but many products such as milk, juice, or cereal are fortified with some of your daily required amount. Despite this, the best way to get Vitamin D is through sunlight. Just being outdoors between five to 30 minutes a day is enough for your body to produce its own Vitamin D. In ideal sunlight conditions you could be producing upwards of 20000 IUs of Vitamin D on your own! Of course, this can change depending on climate, season, and your schedule – not everyone is able to be outside when it’s sunny, especially office workers. That being said, food as well as supplements available at your local grocery store or pharmacy can serve as ‘top-ups’ for Vitamin D when you aren’t able to make it on your own.
For more information on the wellness services we offer at Simpson Medical, contact us today at (772) 320-5453.