Vitamin D Facts - Discover Amazing Facts on the Role of The "Sunshine Vitamin" on Your Health!

Here are some of the essential vitamin D facts -

1) Vitamin D or Calciferol is also called as the "sunshine vitamin".

2) Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin. It is a stable compound. Therefore, neither long-term storage nor cooking reduce the vitamin D content in food.

3) Vitamin D is found in food, but it can also be manufactured in our body when it is exposed to the ultraviolet rays from the sun.

4) Vitamin D is measured in micrograms or international units (IU). 1 microgram of cholecalciferol is equivalent to 40 IU of vitamin D.

How does vitamin D interact with other nutrients?

Vitamin D plays a key role in the maintenance of the calcium levels in the blood. Thus, it impacts the storage and absorption of calcium. Vitamin D also acts like a stimulatory agent in the proper absorption of phosphorus.

Vitamin D also plays a role as a regulatory agent in the production of specific calcium binding proteins in our bones and kidneys. These binding proteins require vitamin K, which points towards an interrelationship between vitamin K and vitamin D.

It has also been found that a deficiency of iron in the body results in a decrease the absorption of vitamin D.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for Vitamin D

As such, there are no RDA established for vitamin D. Instead of that, the adequate intake levels (AI) have been established. It helps to keep a healthy level of the vitamin D in the blood that is essential for good health.

The 1998 vitamin D adequate intakes (AI) for adults are as follows: (in international units IU and micrograms MCG)

Men

Ages 19-50: 200 IU or 5 mcg*
Ages 51-69: 400 IU or 10 mcg*
Ages 70 +: 600 IU or 15 mcg*

Women

Ages 19-50: 200 IU or 5 mcg*
Ages 51-69: 400 IU or 10 mcg*
Ages 70 +: 600 IU or 15 mcg*

*1 mcg vitamin D is equivalent to 40 International Units (IU)

Vitamin D Rich Food Sources

Here are a few of the best vitamin D food sources --

Fishes like salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines are the richest sources of vitamin D.
A large number of breakfast cereals, milk and grain products are often vitamin D fortified. This is due to the fact that there are not many foods that are vitamin D rich.
Vitamin D is predominantly found in animal foods -- unless it is added through fortification.

Here are some of the protein food sources of vitamin D: