Maximizing child growth with Vitamin D
Every parent would want his son to have a tall and strong body. To maximize the growth of children, vitamin D needs to be fulfilled.
You as a parent must be a healthy, tall and strong child. To make sure, you must know how to maximize growth. One is to meet the daily needs of vitamin D.
Talk about the growth of children's bones, perhaps calcium is more "popular" because of so many products that its superior content is calcium, as the nutrients needed so that the child can grow soaring.
Not wrong, indeed, considering calcium is the mineral forming bone structure. However, in addition to calcium, there are still other nutrients that are often forgotten parents, namely vitamin D.
Calcium will not be absorbed properly without the adequacy of vitamin D
Vitamin D is one of the fat-soluble vitamins along with vitamins A, E, and K.
Vitamin D plays an important role in calcium metabolism. The trick is to increase the absorption of calcium in the intestines and play a role in bone growth.
Calcium derived from food or beverages, e.g. milk, will be absorbed by the body through the intestines. If the amount of vitamin D is insufficient, this absorption will be significantly reduced. As a result, the calcium received by the bones becomes not optimal.
With adequate vitamin D levels, calcium absorption can increase up to 40 percent. In the condition of vitamin D deficiency, absorption occurs only about 10-15 percent.
Some studies indicate the presence of a relationship between growth hormone (GH) and vitamin D. The findings are, that vitamin D can stimulate the production of GH, which then will jointly increase the rate of high growth of the child.
What happens when a child is vitamin D deficiency?
Although the role is very important, unfortunately, the deficiency or deficiency of vitamin D is a case of the most common deficiency in the world, the majority of which are children. Children who lack vitamin D to grow their body height is not optimal.
Not only that, but vitamin deficiency can also cause rickets disease, which is characterized by its curved leg bones as well as abnormal bone growth of the teeth.
In Indonesia, one of the main missions of the Ministry of Health is to reduce the stunting rate. Stunting is a condition of unfulfilled children's nutritional intake sustainably. As a result, the child's weight and height stalled (stunted). Not only children become short-lived, but in the end, stunting can also impede the development of the brain. Therefore, vitamin D deficiency cannot be crossed and should get more attention.
The best sources of vitamin D include fish, meat, dairy, and some types of vegetables and fruits. Daily vitamin D needs are about 400 – 800 IU daily.
Salmon, tuna, sardines, halibut, and snapper are known to have a high vitamin D content of about 200 – 300 IU per 75. One glass of milk (250 ml) contains approximately 100 IU. It can also pass through citrus consumption, which is half the bowl (125 ml) contains about 50 IU.
Aside from food, vitamin D in the body will become active when the child is exposed to sunlight. The sunlight recommended by experts is from the morning before noon, and you should avoid the sunlight from 10 am until 3 pm.
Therefore let the children play outside the house. Also, playing outdoors makes children physical activities such as jumping and running. These physical activities can also stimulate child bone growth.
To maximize the growth of children, make sure the child does not suffer from vitamin D deficiency. Give the child a high diet of vitamin D and make sure he is exposed to sunlight sufficiently.
For high growth of children can be optimal, vitamin D deficiency can be prevented by increasing exposure to direct sunlight and consuming foods rich in vitamin D. If unsure of the need for vitamin D in children is not met, Consult a physician. Maybe the doctor will give vitamin D supplements so that there is no permanent growth disorder.