The Importance of Vitamin D

Angela Sader | posted June 18, 2009 |

Vitamin D is often known as the “sunshine vitamin” due to the fact that it is synthesized in our bodies when our skin is exposed to sunlight.  What many people may not realize is just how important this nutrient is.

Vitamin D is referred to as a hormone.  Its function is to be a messenger to the body to absorb Calcium from sources other than bone.  Thus, when missing, the body starts mining the bone for Calcium, making our bones weak and brittle.  This is just the beginning.  Vitamin D deficiency has long been linked to rickets, which causes weakening of the bones and may lead to fractures.

Studies show that most Americans do not get enough Vitamin D.  There are only a few foods that provide Vitamin D in our diets, e.g., fatty fish, liver and fortified foods such as milk, orange juice and some breads and cereals.  The rest of our Vitamin D usually comes from exposure to the sun.

I understand that it can be difficult to get enough Vitamin D from the sun when we live in a culture that has been trained to always wear sun screen to avoid skin cancer.  However, exposure to the sun without sun screen for 10 minutes a day, three times a week is usually long enough to allow our bodies to synthesize enough Vitamin D.

As people age, however, their ability to produce Vitamin D from sun exposure declines so special attention must be paid to their Vitamin D levels.  An important reason that seniors in particular should make sure they get enough Vitamin D is that research shows that getting enough Vitamin D may help reduce the risk of falls due to a possible strengthening effect that Vitamin D has on the bones.  Furthermore, scientists are now learning that Vitamin D deficiency can also affect things such as brain performance in older adults, immune deficiency, cardiovascular health, hypertension, insulin resistance and cancer risk.

Vitamin D excesses are stored by the body and therefore too much can also be toxic to your system.  That is why fortification of foods is so heavily regulated. 

Therefore, I recommend that seniors talk to their doctor or dietitian about Vitamin D and find out whether or not a supplement is recommend.  People who live in northern parts of the country may not get enough Vitamin D from sunlight during the winters.  Also, people who have darker skin may require longer amounts of time in the sun to produce the same amount of Vitamin D as those with fair skin.  No matter your age, paying attention to the amount of Vitamin D in your diet is a great way to help ensure that you stay as healthy as possible.