On the other hand, many people may not realize they are not getting enough sun all day/all summer long and lack of sun exposure is a common cause for vitamin D deficiency. When the sun's UV-B rays hit the skin, a reaction takes place that enables skin cells to manufacture vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for strong bones, because it helps the body use calcium from the diet. |
Treatment for Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency involves getting more vitamin D -- through diet and supplements. Although there is no consensus on _vitamin D levels required for optimal health - and it likely differs depending on age and health conditions - a concentration of less than 20 nanograms per milliliter is generally considered inadequate, requiring treatment.
Guidelines from the Institute of Medicine increased the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin D to 600 international units (IU) for everyone ages 1-70, and raised it to 800 IU for adults older than age 70 to optimize bone health. The safe upper limit was also raised to 4,000 IU. Doctors may prescribe more than 4,000 IU to correct a vitamin D deficiency |
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Natural Food Sources of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is found in relatively few foods. The richest natural sources of vitamin D are fish liver oils, salt-water fish such as sardines, herring, salmon and mackerel are also rich in vitamin D. Eggs, meat, milk and butter also contain vitamin D, but in small amounts. Plants are poor sources, with fruit and nuts containing no vitamin D at all. The amount of vitamin D in human milk is not enough for the infant needs.
Most dietary sources of vitamin D do not contain sufficient amounts of the vitamin to satisfy daily requirements. The following foods contain the indicated amounts of vitamin D, including fortified foods, as reported by the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Nutrient Data Laboratory:
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