Did you know that around 1 billion people around the world have low levels of vitamin D in their blood?
And did you know that vitamin D is not a vitamin at all?
It’s a prohormone, and prohormones are substances that your body is converted into. And that’s why, unlike vitamins, every cell in your body has a receptor for it. This also means that it needs to be broken down from its original form into a form that your body can use.
This so-called VITAMIN D is important for many functions of your body, especially your skeletal system, as it supports bone growth and promotes muscle health.
Most people in the US consume less than the recommended daily allowance of vitamin D.
Data from a 2013-2016 study (from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) showed that 92% of men, more than 97% of women, and 94% % of all people over a year old, received less than the recommended daily dose of 400 IU of vitamin D in food or drink!
Further analysis of their data from 2015 to 2016 showed that the average daily amount of vitamin D from foods and beverages was only 204 IU in men and 168 IU in women.
Children between the ages of 2 and 19 consumed only 196 IU per day.
These data (2015-2016) also showed that 28% of people aged 2 years and older were taking a vitamin D supplement in the United States.
Age groups 2 to 5 took nutritional supplements and 14% of children aged 6 to 11 took a vitamin D. These rates increased with age, 10% of 12 to 19 year olds took vitamin D supplements, 49 % of men and 59% of women over 60 years of age took a preparation.
Finally, studies showed that vitamin D levels rose dramatically (more than three times higher) when people ate healthily.
The nutritional guidelines for Americans describe a healthy diet as one in which:
- A variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat or low-fat milk, or dairy products and oils.
- Milk, some ready-to-eat muesli, some kinds of margarine and yogurt, and some orange juice can be fortified with vitamin D.
- Of course, cheese already contains small amounts of this vitamin.
- A variety of protein foods are eaten, including seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, legumes (beans and peas), nuts, seeds, and soy products. ,
- Tuna, and mackerel are very good sources of vitamin D.
- Beef liver and egg yolks contain small amounts of vitamin D.
- Saturated and trans fats are limited, added sugars and sodium are limited.
Regardless of whether you are lacking in vitamin D, the first (and best) thing to do is make sure that your diet is rich in sources of vitamin D. Plus, you should also get more sunlight! r
If your doctor suggests a supplement, you can easily find the right amount without a prescription, or you can get a prescription for a supplement once or twice a week. In other words, correcting a vitamin D deficiency is relatively easy if you make an effort for your health.