Vitamin D Supplements Essential for Prevention of Diseases & Maintaining Adequate Bone Health
Vitamin D, also known as calciferol, is an integral fat-soluble vitamin essential for humans. Usually present in natural foods, vitamin D supplements are added to the diet to promote calcium absorption in the stomach and also maintain adequate serum calcium and phosphate concentrations.
Naturally, vitamin D is obtained from adequate sun exposure whereas other sources include cod oil, salmon, swordfish, orange juice, dairy and plant milks fortified with vitamin D. This vitamin is crucial for strengthening the immune system, aiding in weight loss, lowering blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart disease and mainly in building strong bones and muscles.
Vitamin D: The Ultimate Source for Maintaining Adequate Bone Health
Vitamin D is essential for the body to effectively absorb calcium so that your bones can be strengthened. A deficiency of this vitamin may cause osteomalacia due to weak bones, bone pain and muscle weakness. In case of a fracture, regulated levels of vitamin D are required for rejuvenating bone cells which is critical for overall bone health.
For infants, vitamin D intake becomes even more crucial as their bones are at the developmental stage. Since vitamin D is a secosteroid hormone that is essential for maintaining calcium absorption levels, it is positively associated with the maintenance of adequate bone density. Infants who show signs of vitamin D deficiency are more prone to being diagnosed with rickets whereas adults are known to show signs of osteomalacia.
Who Should Intake Vitamin D Supplements Alongside a Balanced Diet?
In August 2022, MD Pharmaceuticals (a Singapore-based healthcare distributor) introduced a new vitamin D supplement by the name of Rapid-D with DSM. This supplement is beneficial in rapidly boosting immunity. Vitamin D is being studied for its potential links to a variety of medical conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, and inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis. More research is needed before they can comprehend the effects of vitamin D on these conditions.
There are a few individuals that need to watch their vitamin D intake levels since they are at a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency:
Breastfed babies, because human milk contains little vitamin D. If you are nursing, give your baby a 400 IU vitamin D tablet every day.
Older people, because your epidermis does not produce vitamin D as effectively as it did when you were younger, and your kidneys are less capable of converting vitamin D to its active form.
People with dark complexions have a lower capacity to make vitamin D from sunlight.
People with fat-handling diseases such as Crohn's disease or celiac disease, because vitamin D requires fat to be metabolized.
Obese individuals are more likely to have a vitamin D deficiency since their body fat binds some vitamin D and prevents it from entering the bloodstream.
Vitamin D Supplements Assisting in Prevention of Diseases?
Vitamin D deficiency can occur due to insufficient intake of vitamin D in your diet. This can also happen if your body is not able to absorb enough vitamin D from food or exposure to sunlight. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), severe vitamin D deficiency can lead to diseases including rickets and osteomalacia.
Vitamin D is also known to alter the activity and the number of white blood cells to reduce the spread of bacteria and viruses, ultimately boosting immunity for better health in individuals. Vitamin D supplements assist in modulating the innate and adaptive immune responses of the human body, essential in increasing autoimmunity. By metabolizing enzymes, vitamin D supplements help in fighting off infections and inflammations.
This can however be corrected by increasing the intestinal absorption of calcium and phosphate which is present in vitamin D supplements including. Healthline recommends the best vitamin D supplements in 2023 including Pure Encapsulations D3 10,000 IU, NOW Foods D3 10,000 IU, Pure Encapsulations Vitamin D3 (Vegan) Liquid, HUM Nutrition Here Comes the Sun, Nordic Naturals Zero Sugar Vitamin D3 Gummies 1,000 IU, and others.
Vitamin D Supplements Safe for Pregnant Women?
Vitamin D supplements cater to a wide number of audiences including pregnant and breastfeeding women, geriatric population and infants. With rising intensive fortification initiatives by international governments worldwide, the demand and consumption of vitamin D supplements increased rapidly.
Professional medical experts recommend the intake of 10 micrograms of vitamin D every day especially if it is winter and the sun’s rays aren’t very strong. Vitamin D supplements are considered extremely safe for pregnant women as it helps to regulate calcium and phosphate in the body to keep the bones, teeth and muscles healthy. Pregnant According to the World Health Organization, nutritional vitamin D supplements are essential to prevent rickets and avoid deficiencies during pregnancy.
It is recommended by doctors that supplemental vitamin D is safe in dosages leveling up to 4,000 international units per day when women are either pregnant or lactating. This will help both the baby and the mother to regulate the right levels of vitamin D to ensure a healthy birth and avoid any complications likely to occur during birth.
Vitamin D Supplements: A Short Summary
Intaking too much of vitamin D causes vitamin D toxicity which can be extremely harmful for the body. The signs of this toxicity include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, constipation, and other symptoms. This can also cause severe damage to the kidneys while also raising calcium levels in the bloodstream.
Hence, it’s essential to regulate the levels of vitamin D so that sufficient amounts of the vitamin can be inculcated into the body. The Department of Health and Social Care suggests that infants after birth should have at least 8.5 to 10 micrograms of vitamin D to ensure proper growth and development for the long run.
International governments worldwide are encouraging the regulation of vitamin D by launching “Project Dhoop” to spread awareness about ensuring the maximum absorption of vitamin D, especially in younger generations. The increasing awareness about preventive healthcare measures is expected to drive growth for vitamin D supplements in the coming years. With guidance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the introduction of laws limits the intake of vitamin D supplements to avoid over intake of these medications.