Predicting Vitamin D Needs

A recent medical study confirmed that differences between individuals in both health and lifestyle can have an impact on how much vitamin D they need.  According to the study conducted by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), a preliminary model will now be able to predict an individual’s vitamin D requirements.

Scientists and researchers have for some time now known that our bodies require vitamin D to survive.  When our bodies are exposed to sunlight, they make vitamin D in abundance.  The exact amount varies not only by the length of time spent in the sun and the power of the ultraviolet rays, but also by the individuals skin pigmentation and clothing.

Vitamin D can also come from foods, including fish like salmon, as well as milk and fortified cereals.  Many breakfast cereals, milks and even rice milks are now fortified with this essential nutrient. 

Currently, the recommended daily intake of vitamin D for adults in about 200 international unites.  However, many scientists believe that our bodies actually need quite a bit more than this.  Especially during winter time, in geographic areas that do not receive a lot of sunshine, many health practitioners recommend up to 1000 international units.

The preliminary model now developed however utilized over seventy volunteers as a means to predict how much vitamin D each of them needed.  The data suggested that those who had relatively low levels of sun exposure needed extra vitamin D to reach their ideal blood level targets. 

While the researchers found that many participants were seen to require much more than the standard recommendations outlined by health officials suggested, they believe that more research is needed before they can say for certain.  Nevertheless, many studies to date have concluded that most people are not receiving enough vitamin D.  This is especially the case in more northern climates and in places where fears of skin cancer have led many people to cover up and use sunscreen more than did past generations.

If you are worried about getting adequate amounts of vitamin D in the diet, then consider adding vitamin D rich foods into your meals.  Alternatively, even twenty minutes exposure to the sunshine gives your body an ample dose of this vitamin. 

Vitamin D has been shown to help prevent certain cancers as well as to fight off common colds, viruses and flues.  As such, being sure to get this vitamin in one form or another is an important element of maintaining good health.