Whenever you are in direct sunlight, your skin produces Vitamin D. It is a fat-soluble vitamin beneficial for your bones, skin, and overall health. Depending on your daily routine, sometimes we don’t get enough of this vitamin to supplement our health and wellness. Over time, a lack of this vitamin can lead to a deficiency that can further damage the body.
Therefore, it’s essential to understand the importance of vitamin D and establish different ways to keep vitamin D levels adequate in your bloodstream. In this article, we will share some of the important benefits of vitamin D and ways that can help you improve vitamin D levels effectively.
3 Benefits That Determine the Importance of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is helpful for the entire body because it regulates the absorption of phosphorus and calcium. They are important for the healthy functioning of bones and teeth. Aside from this function, the following are some major benefits of vitamin D:
It Can Prevent Bone Diseases
Vitamin D consumption helps absorb calcium, which protects the bones from any harm. If your body does not have enough vitamin D in the system, there will be a lack of a hormone called calcitriol, an active form of calcium. To have healthy and strong bones, you need that active form of calcium along with phosphate. Otherwise, your body will become weak and prone to bone illnesses. Therefore, having sufficient amounts of vitamin D in your system is crucial!
It Can Help with Depression
The importance of vitamin D is often associated with bone health; that’s why most people do not know its positive effects on managing clinical depression. Although there is limited research in the field, some studies suggest that an adequate vitamin D level in a body can prevent the risks of seasonal depression. Researchers have also found that people with seasonal affective disorder produce lower vitamin D levels than others.
It Can Prevent Respiratory Infections
If you have a deficiency of vitamin D in your body, you will have a higher chance of getting a respiratory infection like flu or cold. Taking vitamin D supplements can improve your health and wellness by reducing the risk of respiratory illnesses. A study was conducted in 2021 that suggests that vitamin D doses of around 400-1000 IU can reduce flu or cold infections by 25%.
Effective Ways to Include Vitamin D in Your Life
Many ways can help you increase your vitamin D levels and live a more fulfilling life. You can enjoy the benefits of vitamin D by using the following methods:
Increase Vitamin D with Sunlight
Going for a walk in the morning and absorbing sunlight through the skin is good for your health and wellness. We cannot undermine the importance of sunlight-induced vitamin D because it’s the most natural form of getting this nutrient into your body. Vitamin D is often called the ‘sunshine vitamin’ because the sun is the most effective source to improve your bone and skin health.
When your skin is exposed to UV-B radiation, it absorbs that compound from the sun and combines it with a type of cholesterol present in the skin. When these two elements are combined, they form vitamin D that can last longer than any other form of vitamin D you can find in foods and supplements. https://www.nutritionwithwellness.com/sunscreen/
Eat Seafood and Fatty Fish
After the sunlight, seafood and fatty fish are the richest in vitamin D. The exact amount of the nutrient varies with different kinds of seafood. However, one study suggests that a 3.5-ounce serving of canned salmon can provide at least 50% of the daily required vitamin D.
Given the importance of vitamin D, any form that can provide adequate nutrient levels is essential for health. Therefore, you can maintain your vitamin D levels with different fish products like tuna, oysters, mackerel, and sardines.
Take Vitamin D Supplements
If you have skin allergies that do not allow you to absorb sunlight for long or you are not a morning person, vitamin D supplements would be a good alternative. You can enjoy all the benefits of vitamin D without having to wake up early in the morning and stay in the sun.
Vitamin D can be found in two main forms – D2 and D3. D2 is called ergocalciferol that comes from plants, and D3 is cholecalciferol that comes from animals. Researchers have found that D3 is more effective in improving vitamin D levels in a person than D2, so if you want to improve your vitamin D levels effectively, you can take vitamin D3 supplements.
Use a UV Lamp
When it comes to the health and wellness of your body, any method that improves your nutrient levels is a good option—even using a UV lamp to boost vitamin D levels! UV lamps emit UV-B radiations that help improve your overall vitamin D levels. Similar to the effect of sunlight, when your skin is exposed to the UV-B lamp, it will produce its own vitamin D.
If you live in an environment with limited sun exposure, you can use these lamps to get adequate amounts of vitamin D. However, you cannot use these lamps for more than 15 minutes per session. https://www.nutritionwithwellness.com/sunscreen/
Eat Mushrooms
Some people are either allergic or do not want to consume fish to increase their nutrient levels. However, due to the importance of vitamin D for skin and bones, they can eat mushrooms to get adequate vitamin D into their systems. Mushrooms are the only vegetarian option available, but they are pretty beneficial.
They can produce their own vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Humans produce D3, and mushrooms produce vitamin D2, which can also boost vitamin D levels in humans when they consume mushrooms.
Final Thoughts
The importance of vitamin D is often overlooked due to busy schedules and hectic lifestyles, but that does not decrease its value. High vitamin D levels can improve your bone health and immune system. You can get sun exposure, supplements, and foods to increase vitamin D levels. However, if you feel that your body does not have enough of this nutrient, you can consult a professional to check your vitamin D levels right away.