Everyone is taking vitamin D. Do I need it too?

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Why do you need vitamin D at all?

Its main task is to promote the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. The substance strengthens bones and helps the brain. Vitamin D also improves blood clotting and maintains normal heart function, normalizes the thyroid gland and prevents the growth of cancer cells. Vitamin D is also involved in the production of dopamine, the pleasure hormone. Therefore, do not be surprised if you are overcome with blues and apathy in the fall.

Lack of vitamin D causes a breakdown and makes a person prone to colds. In addition, the development of osteoporosis, in which bones become fragile, is associated with a lack of substance.

But is vitamin D produced by exposure to sunlight? Maybe I’ll just sunbathe?

If you are going to a solarium (because now we all do not have many options to go to the sun), then he is not your friend in getting vitamin D. Vitamin is produced by direct contact of exposed skin with the sun’s rays. But there is not a single study that would accurately determine how long it takes to stay in the open air to get the required amount of the substance. Everything is individual here and depends on skin color, age, season and even the position of the sun in the sky.

What if next time I spend my entire vacation in the sun? Everything will be OK?

No. First, vitamin D can only be stored in subcutaneous fat. And the prospect of increasing its volume will hardly seem tempting to anyone.

Secondly, do not forget about melanoma – a skin cancer that develops with excessive sun exposure.

Are you persuading me to eat right?

Not without it. But there are not many foods high in vitamin D. This is mainly fatty fish and its liver. Some vitamin D is found in mushrooms, beef liver, cheese, soy milk, orange juice, and yolks.

The problem is that in order to obtain the required amount of vitamin with food, they will have to be consumed in kilograms. Not the best diet considering their fat content. And from plant products, the vitamin is much worse absorbed, and it is almost impossible to get the right amount.

Even more deplorable is that the content of the substance in the product decreases during heat treatment. That is, for example, the fish must first be thawed slowly, then (ideally) steamed and then eaten without leaving it for tomorrow’s lunch – reheating will destroy the last useful microelements.

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So the solution is to just take vitamin D?

Doctors believe that if you live in Russia, there is definitely a lack of vitamin D. It is due to the location in the northern belt, limited exposure to the sun, working in the office and eating meat from animals that have not been in the sun (grown on farms).

To be 100% sure of this – take an analysis for the content of vitamin D in blood serum. Values ​​in the range of 30 to 100 nanograms per milliliter are considered normal. If the number in the analyzes is less, it’s time to think about taking additional vitamin D.

If you take vitamin D, in what form?

It is sold in two forms – D2 and D3. A specialist will help you choose the right one for prevention or treatment, he will also prescribe the dosage you need.

In general, vitamin D is available in oil capsules, water and oil solutions, tablets. Since it is fat soluble, many believe that oily forms are better. This is not entirely true. Oil solutions are more natural, but it is undesirable to combine them with fatty foods.

If you are already taking multivitamins – pay attention to whether it contains vitamin D. If so, the dose of “pure” vitamin D will have to be adjusted.

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Is an overdose possible?

It used to be thought that consuming large amounts of vitamin D was hazardous to health, leading to increased blood calcium levels and kidney failure. Therefore, it is better to adhere to the dosages recommended by a specialist.