Vitamin D
When you take vitamin D, a fat-soluble vitamin, it is absorbed with other fats through the intestinal walls and then stored mainly in your liver. After being converted by the liver, it goes to work helping your body absorb and use calcium. Vitamin D plays a major role in the development of bones and protects against muscle weakness.
Your skin manufactures vitamin D when you are exposed to sunlight, and thus it is known as the "sunshine" vitamin. You can manufacture up to 400 IU of vitamin D, also known as calciferol, with only 20 minutes of sun exposure over a small portion of your body.
Key uses of vitamin D:
- Helps your body use calcium and therefore prevents tooth decay, heals fractures, and prevents osteoporosis when combined with adequate calcium and regular exercise.
- Helps the absorption and metabolism of calcium and phosphorus as a common ingredient in multivitamins and bone building formulas.
Where you can find it: Found in fish, egg yolks, and butter, but mostly fortified in foods like milk. Cod liver oil is a common source.
How much to take: You can take 200 to 400 IU a day in supplement form, especially during times of low sun exposure.
Too little or too much: Toxicity can occur when vitamin D is taken in doses higher than 1,000 to 1,500 IU daily for longer than one month.
