What Is Vitamin D and It’s Benefits?

Vitamin D is an integral part of a healthy diet. New benefits of this vitamin are being discovered every day, but many people do not receive enough vitamin D to reap the wonderful benefits of it can provide for their health. Vitamin D is best known for his contributions to the health of joints and bones by helping the body absorb calcium. It has been shown that those who take sufficient vitamin D are less likely to have osteoporosis and arthritis. This vitamin can also slow the affects of arthritis and reduces back pain in many individuals. Research has shown that vitamin D may also help in preventing certain types of cancer.

Vitamin D is one of the only vitamins produced naturally by the body. However, in order for the body to produce vitamin D, it has to be exposed to a sufficient amount of sunlight. Generally, one hour per week more than enough, but surprisingly, many people are not exposed to sufficient sunlight to produce useful amounts of vitamin D. Also, research has shown that as we age, we tend to produce significantly less vitamin D even with the sun exposure. These are the main reasons why many adults to monitor their diet to make sure they take enough vitamin D.

Milk is usually enriched with vitamin D, and you can also find a good amount of vitamin D in several types of fish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Cod liver oil is a herbal supplement that is rich in vitamin D. Vitamin D supplements can be also widely available.

Although it is important to have sufficient vitamin D in your diet, it is possible to take too much vitamin D. This frequently happens when an individual receives a number of good sun exposure and take a lot of food containing a moderate amount of vitamin D, but also continues to take supplements of vitamin D. For this reason, it is important to discuss with your doctor whether or not you need extra vitamin D supplement as part of your diet.