Vitamin D is an essential vitamin required by the body for the absorption of calcium, bone development, immune functioning, and alleviation of inflammation. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to rickets, a weakened immune system, increased cancer risk, poor hair growth, and osteomalacia. Excess vitamin D can cause the body to absorb too much calcium, leading to increased risk of heart disease and kidney stones. The current U.S. Daily Value for vitamin D is 600 IU (international units) and the toxicity threshold is thought to be 10,000 to 40,000 IU/day.2 Sometimes vitamin D values are given in micrograms (mcg,μg), when this is the case remember that 1μg=40IU for Vitamin D. Vitamin D is oil soluble, which means you need to eat fat to absorb it. Natural foods high in vitamin D include fish oils, fatty fish, mushrooms, beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks. Vitamin D is also naturally made by your body when you expose your skin to the sun and is called the sunshine vitamin. In addition, vitamin D is widely added to many foods such as milk and orange juice, and can also simply be consumed as a supplement.
Below is a list of high vitamin D foods, for more see the list of foods rich in vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol) and foods rich in vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol). Maitake (131%), Morel (23%), Chanterelle (19%), Oyster (4%) and White (1%). Smoked Salmon (97%), Swordfish (94%), Canned Trout (86%), Salmon (75%), Smoked White Fish (73%), Mackerel (65%), Canned Mackerel (43%), Tuna Canned in Oil (38%), Halibut (33%), Herring (30%), Sardine (27%), Rockfish (26%), Tilapia (21%), Sole & Flounder (20%), and Tuna Steak (12%).How to mute ads) Total Raisin Bran (17%), Kellogg's Raisin Bran (15%), Kellogg's All Bran (9%), Cheerios, Kellogg's All-Bran Complete Wheat Flakes & Special K (7%). Lite Silken Tofu (21%), Sprouted Tofu, Extra Firm Tofu & Firm Tofu (14%), and Soy Yogurt (3%). Buttermilk, Fortified Low Fat Fruit Yogurt, Fortified Whole Milk, Fortified Goat's Milk (21%), Fortified Semi-Skim Milk (20%), Fortified Skim Milk (19%). Spare Ribs (15%), Turkey & Pork Sausage (12%), Pork Shoulder (9%), and Pork Loin (8%).
Raw, Scrambled, Poached and Omelet (7%), Duck Egg (8%), and Goose Egg (16%). Soymilk (20%), Almond Milk, Chocolate Almond Milk, Nonsoy Imitation Milk, Rice Drink (17%). Health Benefits of Vitamin D Osteoporosis Protection - Vitamin D is necessary for the proper absorption of Calcium which strengthens bones and helps to prevent osteoporosis. Vitamin D mainly benefits older adults, people who have difficulty exercising, postmenopausal women, and individuals on long term steroid therapy.3,4 Decreased Cancer Risk - Vitamin D has been shown to reduce cancer risk, particularly for colon cancer.5-7 People at Risk of a Vitamin D Deficiency Breastfed Infants Who are Not in the Sun - The amount of vitamin D in breast milk depends on the amount of vitamin D in the mother. However, breast-milk typically does not contain adequate amounts of vitamin D. Be sure infants get at least some exposure to the sun (at least 10-20 minutes) to ensure adequate levels of vitamin D.8
Older Adults - As skin ages it is less and less able to make vitamin D from the sun, so vitamin D has to be attained from People With Little Sun Exposure on the Skin - Wearing sunscreen, or lots of clothing, hampers the creation of vitamin D from the sun.9,10 People with Darker Skin - Melanin, a pigment found in skin, reduces the body's ability to manufacture vitamin D from the sun.5 People who have Problems Absorbing Fat, or are on Extreme Low Fat Diets - Vitamin D is fat soluble, which means it is found in fats, and your body has to be able to digest fats in order for you to absorb the vitamin D.11 People Who are Obese, or People Who have Had Gastric Bypass Surgery - Excess fat in the body absorbs vitamin D, effectively reducing the amount available for body functions. Those who have undergone bypass surgery are missing part of their upper intestine which hampers Vitamin D People Taking Certain Medications Steroid Corticosteroid medications used to alleviate inflammation can reduce calcium absorption and impair vitamin D
Weight-loss drugs with orlistat (brand names Xenical® and alliTM) and cholesterol-lowering drugs cholestyramine (brand names Questran®, LoCholest®, and Prevalite®) can reduce the absorption of vitamin D and other fat-soluble vitamins.18,19 Medicines used to control and stabalize epileptic seizures, particularly phenobarbital and phenytoin (brand name Dilantin®) interferes with Vitamin D and reduces Calcium absorption.20 Consuming too much vitmain D from food or supplements can lead to anorexia, weight loss, polyuria, heart arrhythmias, kidney stones, and increased risk of heart attacks.5 Vitamin D cannot reach toxic levels if created naturally from sun exposure.21 Oysters, Whole Milk, Salami, Cheese, Caviar, and Eggs are high cholesterol foods which should be eaten in moderate amounts and avoided by people at risk of heart disease or stroke. ReferencesUSDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28. Office of Dietary Supplements - Vitamin D
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An evaluation of the relative contributions of exposure to sunlight and of diet to the circulating concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in an elderly nursing home population in Boston. Am J Clin Nutr 1990;51:1075-81. Lo CW, Paris PW, Clemens TL, Nolan J, Holick MF. Vitamin D absorption in healthy subjects and in patients with intestinal malabsorption syndromes. Am J Clin Nutr 1985;42:644-49. Malone M. Recommended nutritional supplements for bariatric surgery patients. Compher CW, Badellino KO, Boullata JI. Vitamin D and the bariatric surgical patient: a review. Buckley LM, Leib ES, Cartularo KS, Vacek PM, Cooper SM. Calcium and vitamin D3 supplementation prevents bone loss in the spine secondary to low-dose corticosteroids in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Ann Intern Med 1996;125:961-8. Lukert BP, Raisz LG. Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis: pathogenesis and management. Ann Intern Med 1990;112:352-64.
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