31 Aug Vitamin D: Importance & Deficiency

Vitamin D3 is an incredibly important compound that impacts numerous vital functions within the human body. Necessary for calcium regulation and bone function, vitamin D is something Americans need to pay attention to in their diet. But is that where we should look? Vitamin D is scarce in common foods ingested by the population as a whole. 

Next, Vitamin D is synthesized in response to ultraviolet rays when the human skin is exposed to the sun. Although this is true, studies show that as much as 40% of the population may have insufficient vitamin D levels. Insufficient vitamin D has been linked to the formation of different types of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and insulin resistance. 

Vitamin D deficiency has also been shown to be higher in younger subsections of the population. This means that combatting this deficiency is not something to be taken lightly or put off until later down the line. Incorporating time in the sun each day and consuming fatty fish, mushrooms, and vitamin D fortified milk are all excellent ways to ensure that you are increasing the levels of this essential compound in your daily regimen.

Vitamin D’s essential role in staving off chronic conditions that can cause havoc in our daily lives is relevant and crucial in the modern dayÍ. Finding supplements that can help increase vitamin D levels is also a fantastic way of fortifying your system with this protective compound outside of diet and exposure to sunlight. 

Source: Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency and Associated Risk Factors in the US Population (2011-2012)
Monitoring Editor: Alexander Muacevic and John R Adler
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6075634/