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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...
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Vitamin
D
Fast Facts
Foods:
Salmon, sardines, egg yolks,
enriched milk.
What
it's good for: strong
teeth & bones, and in recent
studies shown to be a preventative
against a variety of serious diseases
and conditions.
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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
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