Have your Vitamin D needs to be been fulfilled? Check here
Vitamin D deficiency can increase the risk of osteoporosis and fracture of the pelvic bones. Does your vitamin D needs have been fulfilled?
Often we hear the importance of adequate daily nutritional needs. For example, vitamin C to ward off free radicals, while omega 3 for brain health and calcium for bones. Have you heard of the importance of vitamin D?
Perhaps not many have understood about the benefits of vitamin D for bone health which is no less important with calcium. Calcium and vitamin D are components that can not be separated in their role.
Calcium is a key constituent of bone, while vitamin D has the function to maximize the absorption of calcium in the intestines. If the daily calcium needs are fulfilled, but the level of vitamin D in the body is still low, then the absorption of calcium will not be maximal.
Importance of Vitamin D
There are two types of vitamin D, namely vitamin D2 derived from plants and vitamin D3 derived from animals. However, both can be classified as vitamin D. Vitamin D will become active in our body after being activated by sunlight in particular ultraviolet B (UVB).
Not stop there, vitamin D will be perfectly active after passing through the liver and kidneys, which is to form 1.25 (OH) 2D or calcitriol. Here, the role of sunlight becomes very important, given that in modern times, many people are seldom exposed to sunlight directly.
Without adequate vitamin D, absorption of calcium in the intestines only reaches about 10%-15% of daily calcium needs, while to obtain adequate levels of calcium, the absorption of about 30%-40% is required.
Vitamin D deficiency can cause bone disorders such as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Vitamin D deficiency in the elderly increases the risk of pelvic fractures by 2.2 fold. In women, the risk of fractures becomes larger.
The dosage required to maintain bone health
Each person's daily vitamin D needs vary depending on the age range and also vitamin D levels in the body. You, M vitamin D dose of 400 IU – 800 IU is enough to meet daily needs.
However, in those who have low vitamin D levels, a daily dose of 1000 IU – 3000 IU can be administered. Of course, it is worth noting that the daily needs of calcium are about 800 mg – 1000 mg every day.
Vitamin D can be obtained from daily foods such as salmon, tuna, cod as much as about 200 grams, eggs, milk, yogurt, tofu, Tempe, citrus fruits and also mushrooms.
If you consume 200 grams of fish plus 100-200 grams of vegetables and one glass of milk, you are more or less already getting around 400 IU vitamin D.
By observing the daily consumption of vitamin D and calcium, you can also reduce the risk of bone problems. Unwanted things like osteoporosis as well as fractures.
Not only for bone health, but vitamin D also plays a role in forming immune cells, maintaining the health of the heart and blood vessels, and can improve the cognitive function of the brain. Direct exposure to sunlight is certainly also not to be forgotten.