Monday, September 18, 2006
Vitamin D - Do You Get Enough Sunlight?
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which assists in maintaining the blood levels of calcium. This is done by increasing how much calcium is absorbed from food and minimizing calcium loss during urination. The more calcium that is absorbed by the blood stream from our food, the less calcium is extracted from what is stored in our bones. This is a good thing because the more that calcium is extracted from the bones, the more dense and brittle the bones become.
Vitamin D (sometimes called Cholecalciferol), is strangely enough, produced by the skin, when the body is subjected to light energy. We all know, of course, that the main source of light energy is, ultraviolet rays (UV-rays), produced by the sun. People, who receive adequate exposure to sunlight, do not need to get Vitamin D from dietary supplements.
Many places have seasonal changes, latitude placement issues (being too far north or south of the equator), and certain times of day, that cause sunlight to occur less frequently. Other causes of sunlight blockage include: smog (a smoke and fog mixture caused from pollution), the use of too much sunscreen, and atmospheric overcast (cloudy weather). This can cause a deficiency of the right quantities of needed sunlight to retain good Vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D deficiencies can result in a number of problems. The two most common problems are Rickets and Osteomalacia, Rickets is a bone deformation causing bones to be long and bowed. Osteomalacia is a problem of your bones being too soft. Both diseases are caused by the loss of calcium and other minerals from the bones. Other problems include: multiple sclerosis, autoimmune arthritis, and diabetes. Humans have Vitamin D receptors in the pancreas, which help regulate the flow of insulin.
If you are not exposed to enough sunlight, there are many supplements designed to help boost Vitamin D levels. You can also receive Vitamin D from egg yolks and fish oils. Remember that over exposure to sunlight and supplements, will not result in the overproduction of Vitamin D. Too much exposure can cause problems such as skin cancer from ultraviolet rays.
Vitamin D (sometimes called Cholecalciferol), is strangely enough, produced by the skin, when the body is subjected to light energy. We all know, of course, that the main source of light energy is, ultraviolet rays (UV-rays), produced by the sun. People, who receive adequate exposure to sunlight, do not need to get Vitamin D from dietary supplements.
Many places have seasonal changes, latitude placement issues (being too far north or south of the equator), and certain times of day, that cause sunlight to occur less frequently. Other causes of sunlight blockage include: smog (a smoke and fog mixture caused from pollution), the use of too much sunscreen, and atmospheric overcast (cloudy weather). This can cause a deficiency of the right quantities of needed sunlight to retain good Vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D deficiencies can result in a number of problems. The two most common problems are Rickets and Osteomalacia, Rickets is a bone deformation causing bones to be long and bowed. Osteomalacia is a problem of your bones being too soft. Both diseases are caused by the loss of calcium and other minerals from the bones. Other problems include: multiple sclerosis, autoimmune arthritis, and diabetes. Humans have Vitamin D receptors in the pancreas, which help regulate the flow of insulin.
If you are not exposed to enough sunlight, there are many supplements designed to help boost Vitamin D levels. You can also receive Vitamin D from egg yolks and fish oils. Remember that over exposure to sunlight and supplements, will not result in the overproduction of Vitamin D. Too much exposure can cause problems such as skin cancer from ultraviolet rays.
