MAIN Health Vitamins & Minerals Vitamin D

In the U.S., vitamin D is added to the national milk supply, although most people around the world get their daily requirement from exposure to sunlight that earns vitamin D its nickname — " the sunshine vitamin."

Other good food sources of Vitamin D include fatty fish such as salmon and sardines.

Along with being a proven benefit to strong teeth and bones, Vitamin D has been gaining a reputation most recently as the "rock star" of vitamins for its newly-discovered indications for treating Parkinson's disease, for heart disease, breast cancer and a number of other women's cancers.

Due to this increasing evidence of its benefits in fighting off a variety of conditions, in October 2008 the American Academy of Pediatrics doubled its recommendation for the minimum amount of vitamin D from 200 to 400 UI for infants, children, and teens.

Watch for recommendations for adult dosages to be increased, as well, in the near future.

One of the most important health benefits of vitamin D is its role in cancer prevention. One study showed that those who take 1000 IUs of vitamin D a day had a 77% reduced chance of developing cancer. Another study showed that there is a clear difference in cancer rates between countries rated as generally sunny versus those rated as generally cloudy. Vitamin D, which is produced by the skin in reaction to the sun, caused people in sunny countries to have reduced cancer rates.

Canada, a generally cloudy country, has taken this to heart, and the government there officially recommends that everyone take 1000 IU's daily of vitamin D during the fall and winter months. In fact it has been suggested that cancer patients who have surgery during the summer months have a better chance of beating their cancer because they are exposed to more sunlight during the critical recovery time than those who have surgery during winter and fall months.

One of the reasons vitamin D supplementation is so important is because a great many people are vitamin D deficient. And one of the main symptoms of vitamin D deficiency is an increased chance of developing cardiovascular disease. In fact those who are vitamin D deficient have a 62% greater risk of developing some form of cardiovascular disease, which makes getting enough vitamin D a crucial step towards having a healthy body.

There are several ways to get your daily intake of vitamin D. Vitamin D is produced naturally by the skin in reaction to the sun, so moderate sun exposure during hours when the sun isn't at its peak is a perfectly healthy way to get the daily vitamin D requirement. Vitamin D is also a cheap, widely available vitamin supplement, and it occurs naturally in fish oils and various fatty fishes.

Around the Web, check out more information on Vitamin D including its benefits, suggested food sources, and risks of deficiency and overdose...

About Vitamin D - Comprehensive information on the vitamin with an historical overview, its chemistry and biochemistry, facts on its manufacture, nutritional benefits, causes and symptoms of deficiency, related references.

Vitamin D - Facts on the vitamin's benefit in increasing calcium absorption with good food sources and supplements, recommended daily allowance by age level, with additional information on calcium supplements.

Dietary Supplement Factsheet : Vitamin D - Good overview leading to a detailed discussion on sources, recommended intake, dangers of deficienty or overdose, current issues and controversies surrounding vitamin D, with tips on dietary sources and related references.

MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Vitamin D - Functions and benefits, suggested food sources, causes and symptoms of deficiency.

Osteomalacia and rickets (vitamin D deficiency) - Definition of the disease, causes, symptoms and treatment, populations at risk, good food sources, with more on testing for the disease including information on blood tests and bone scans.

Eat Well, Be Well - Vitamin D - Natural sources, functions and benefits, risks of deficiency and overdose, suggested daily requirement with a complete scientific assessment in PDF format.

also see -> Combat arthritis symptoms with vitamins C, D

also in Vitamins & Minerals --> Vitamin A | Vitamin B1 | Vitamin B2

Vitamin B3 | Vitamin B6 | Vitamin B12 | B-Complex | Pantothenic acid

Vitamin C | Vitamin E | Vitamin K | Beta-carotene