Description
Vitamin D is another nutrient that the body needs to work properly. There are not that many foods that contain this vitamin, so you need to pay attention to adding the right foods to your diet. It is also a vitamin that our body produces when exposed to sunlight.
Possible Benefits
- May strengthen the immune system
- May help to maintain bone health
- Supports nervous system
- May help prevent some cancer
Required Equipment
Foods rich in vitamin D
Vitamin D enriched supplements
How to Do It
There are three main ways to get the vitamin D you need:
- Expose yourself to sunlight. Get at least 20 minutes of sunlight every day, ideally in the morning.
- Eat foods such as salmon, tuna, egg yolks, and some vegetable-based milk regularly.
- Consume a supplement or product enriched with vitamin D.
Why it works
- Vitamin D helps make certain proteins that are needed by the immune system to fight microbes.
- This vitamin helps the body better absorb calcium, which is essential for building and maintaining bones.
- Vitamin D is essential for the brain to communicate with the rest of the body properly.
- Some studies have shown that vitamin D may be helpful in preventing colon, prostate, and breast cancer.
Time Commitment
< 5 minutes
Suggested Frequency
Daily
Time of Day
Any.
If you're going out in the sun, make sure you do it in the morning. Sunlight between 11 am and 3 pm can be more dangerous to your health.
Possible Side Effects
Some people may experience nausea, vomiting, and weakness.
Notes
- According to the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) of the National Institutes of Health, an average adult should consume 15mcg of vitamin D each day.
- People who do not consume enough vitamin D are more likely to suffer from colds and respiratory infections.
- Not getting enough vitamin D can also lead to osteoporosis or similar problems.
Supporting Studies and Articles
Expand Collapse- Vitamin D. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-d/art-20363792
- Vitamin D. Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/
- Vitamin D and the Immune System. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3166406/
- Vitamin D Helps the Immune System During Cold and Flu Season. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/news/vitamin-d-helps-the-immune-system-during-cold-and-flu-season
- The effect of vitamin D on bone and osteoporosis. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1521690X11000418?via%3Dihub
- Review: The role of vitamin D in nervous system health and disease. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/nan.12020
- Vitamin D (The Nutrition Source). https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-d/#vitamin-d-and-immune-function
