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    While it is true that some people can get enough vitamin D only from sunlight, others will need to make changes in their lifestyle or take supplements.



    What is vitamin D?

    Vitamin D is a very important nutrient for health. Certain foods contain a small amount, but the greatest amount of vitamin D is obtained from sunlight.

    Some of the benefits of vitamin D include: helping the body absorb calcium to have strong bones, for support nerves to carry messages to and from the brain; It also plays a key role in muscle movement and supports the immune system to fight infections and diseases.

    Vitamin D is different from most other vitamins. When the body processes it, vitamin D is converted into a hormone called calcitriol, which causes the bones in the body to absorb calcium.


    Can we get enough vitamin D from the sun?

    Some people may get enough vitamin D from the sun's rays, however there are factors that come into play, such as the place in the world where we live, the time of year, the time of day and the color of the skin. People who live near the equator get more exposure to the sun. In the northern hemisphere, we may not be able to get enough vitamin D from sunlight during the winter.

    The amount of melanin in the skin affects the amount of vitamin D that we can produce. Thus, less melanin results in a lighter skin, which also does not protect against harmful ultraviolet rays.

    People with more melanin on the skin (and therefore darker skin) have better protection against the sun, but they take longer to produce vitamin D, making them more likely to have vitamin D deficiency.


    These factors make it difficult to recommend how much sunlight we must take to produce the vitamin D that our body needs.

    Some people may not absorb the proper amount of vitamin D from sunlight due to specific lifestyle factors. For example, people who work at night, those who stay indoors during the day, those who always cover their skin or wear a high-factor sunscreen every day ...

    The body can only produce a certain amount of vitamin D at a time. After this, it is vital to protect the skin from UV rays. UV rays can cause burns, aging of the skin and increase the risk of skin cancer.

    There is currently no established level for vitamin D deficiency, but some experts classify the deficiency as having less than 12 ng / ml of vitamin D in the blood and claim that levels below 20 ng / ml are too low to have healthy bones and general well-being.


    Symptom

    Vitamin D deficiency in children can cause rickets. This is a condition that makes bones soft, which causes them to bend. It can also cause bone pain and weak muscles in adults.

    Not having enough vitamin D or calcium during a lifetime can contribute to osteoporosis. This causes fragile bones that can fracture more easily.


    Recommended daily intake

    The recommended dietary intake of vitamin D is difficult to judge, as it depends on sun exposure. For this reason, the guidelines base their recommended intake on the assumption that a person receives the minimum amount of sun (the recommended dietary intake is measured in UI, international units):

    From 0 to 12 months 400 IU
    1 to 70 years 600 IU
    70 years and more than 800 IU

    For adults with vitamin D levels below 30 ng / ml, the guidelines of the Endocrine Society recommend a daily intake of 1,500-2,000 IU to restore healthy levels of vitamin D.

    Natural sources of vitamin D include salmon, tuna, cheese, egg yolk or beef liver.