Vitamin D - Make sure you get your day's requirement

Vitamin D is a fat soulble vitamin that is extremely essential in humans. The human body can synthesize this vitamin if there is adequate exposure to sunlight. A deficiency of Vitamin D increases the risk of some common and serious diseases - cancers, type I diabetes, cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoporosis.

Sources of Vitamin D: Generally not easily available in food. Oily fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines and cod liver oil are excellent sources. Some foods come fortified with this vitamin - cereals, breads, milk and orange juice. However for the vegetarians the primary source is exposure to sunlight. The incidence of weak and brittle bones are far more common in colder countries and amongst muslim women who wear the purdah/burkah. The skin can generally produce good amounts of vitamin D3 but the synthesis decreases with age. In warmer months the vitamin D3 synthesized in this way is stored in the fatty tissues of the body for use in colder months.

Who is at risk for vitamin D deficiency?
1. Breastfed babies - breastmilk has very limited vitamin D and babies need supplementation.
2. The elderly are at risk because of poor dietary intake, poor exposure to sunlight and diminished synthesis by the skin. By 70 years of age there is a 75% reduction in the synthesis.
3. Race: The darker the skin color the lesser the synthesis of vitamin D.
4. Obesity: The vitamin stored in large fat compartments are not easily accessible for use.
5. Pregnant women: The requirement goes up in pregnancy.

Consequences of vitamin D deficiency:
Vitamin D is needed for absorption of dietary calcium by the small intestine. Without vitamin D the absorption reduces to 10% instead of the normal 30% in its presence.
1. Children: Develop Rickets, a condition characteristic in children with bow legs, protruding rib-sternum joints and fragile bones.
2. Osteomalacea in adults: In the absence of vitamin D the bones become fragile and liable to fractures because to maintain the calcium levels in blood (calcium is important for muscle contraction and heart rhythm) the parathyroid gland hormone (parathormone) removes calcium from bones and makes them weak.
3. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with increased risk of colon, breast and prostate cancer. A breakdown product of vitamin D suppresses the rapid multiplication of cancer cells normally.
4. With not much evidence vitamin D is also thought to reduce incidence of diseases like type I diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

How to avoid vitamin D deficiency?
1. Without exposure to sun the recommended daily allowance is 1000 International Units. Measure the blood levels of 25(OH)D - the active form of vitamin D yearly to identify at the earliest any deficiency.
2. Increase consumption of foods fortified with vitamin D and for those who love fish, eat oily fish at least thrice a week.
3. Go and get yourself a nice tan but do not burn yourself! The best way to get enough vitamin D is by moderate exposure to sunlight. Exposure of the hands, face and arms, or arms and legs to sunlight for a period of time equal to a quarter of that required to make the skin pink is quite sufficient.
4. If you are taking a multivitamin pill, get one that gives you 400 International Units of vitamin D per day.

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