Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for the body, commonly known to promote calcium absorption. However, studies also reveal this nutrient offers other benefits such as reducing risk of osteoporosis and protection from respiratory tract infections. Learn about this important nutrient and how it can affect your health.
Vitamin D: A Background
The human body naturally produces vitamin D when the skin is exposed to the sun for a certain period. What happens is that the sunlight synthesizes a chemical found in the skin into what is commonly known as calciferol. Despite this natural process, prevalence of vitamin D-deficiency around the globe affects an estimated 1 billion people. In the Philippines, data from a 2018 National Nutrition Survey reveals the combined prevalence of Vitamin D-insufficiency and deficiency is at 60.6% for Filipino children aged 6-12 years old.
It is a common occurrence to develop vitamin D-deficiency because the vitamin is found in few types of food like fatty fish, egg yolks, mushrooms, and liver. Staying mostly indoors will also limit exposure to the sun thus vitamin D-deficiency has higher incidence in urbanized areas of the Philippines.
Why do you need it
Vitamin D is essential to the body because it is linked to many functions, such as:
- Calcium absorption in the gut
- Maintenance of adequate calcium and phosphate levels in the body
- Growth and strengthening of bones
However, studies in recent years discovered how Vitamin D plays a key role in reducing your risk of certain conditions like multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and the flu. Research also shows how it may affect regulation of mood and prevention of depression.
Vitamin D-deficiency can affect your immune function and increase your risk of developing acute respiratory tract infections. With the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the past year, experts around the globe continue to mount research to know the potential of vitamin D for protection against severe COVID-19 or even death.
While definitive and confirmatory research data have yet to be published, several “quasi-experimental studies” show promising results. In one study mounted in the United Kingdom, they used cholecalciferol booster therapy in hundreds of COVID-19 patients which was associated in the reduction of severity and deaths. Meanwhile, there are also other researches that reveal vitamin D plays no significant role in the prevention of COVID-19. It is important to take all these emerging research with a grain of salt because COVID-19 is a novel disease and many factors surrounding it are still unknown.
How much vitamin D is enough
The 2015 Philippine Dietary Reference Intakes list from the Philippine Department of Science and Technology Food and Nutrition Research Institute indicate these daily requirements for vitamin D:
| Recommended Intake per Day | Upper Limit per Day | |
|
Infants: 0-11 months |
5 µg (200 IU) | 25 µg (1,000 IU) |
|
Children and young adults: 1-18 years old |
5 µg (200 IU) | 50 µg (2,000 IU) |
|
Adults: 19-49 years old |
5 µg (200 IU) | 50 µg (2,000 IU) |
|
Adults: 50-59 years old |
10 µg (400 IU) | 50 µg (2,000 IU) |
|
Elderly: 60 years old and above |
15 µg (600 IU) | 50 µg (2,000 IU) |
To ensure you have enough vitamin D in your body, remember to eat healthy, expose yourself to the sun through outdoor activities, and take your vitamins and supplements as necessary. Consult your doctor about vitamin D and how this can benefit your health. It is important to remember that vitamin D supplementation should not be used as one course of action against any disease or condition, but rather used to ensure your body is functioning optimally.
General disclaimer
Your doctor will always be in the best position to give the appropriate medical advice for your condition. For suspected undesirable drug reaction, seek medical attention immediately and report to the FDA at www.fda.gov.ph and UNILAB, Inc. at 8-UNILAB-1 or productsafety@unilab.com.ph. Always buy your medicine from your trusted drugstores and retailers.
Sources:
- Vitamin D Status and Usual Nutrient Intake of Filipino Children Aged 6–12 Years in Selected Areas in the Philippines: A 2018 National Nutrition Survey
- Vitamin D: The “sunshine” vitamin
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin D Supplementation to Prevent COVID-19 Infections and Deaths—Accumulating Evidence from Epidemiological and Intervention Studies Calls for Immediate Action
- Vitamin D helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body..
- Vitamin D helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body..
- Vitamin D Deficiency.
- Vitamin D, an Essential Nutrient with Versatile Functions in Nearly all Organs
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