The innumerable effects of vitamin D on the human body have been confirmed by many studies over the past decades. However, the importance and demand of this important vitamin for the human body is still commonly misunderstood.

MISUNDERSTANDING 1 : YOU CAN USE FOOD TO GET ENOUGH VITAMIN D

Unfortunately, this is a misconception. Only a small amount of food contains vitamin D, and the content is not high. It is impossible to obtain sufficient vitamin D from the food source alone. Sources of vitamin D in the diet include oil-rich fish (such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, squid, etc.), egg yolk, beef liver, and mushroom mites. However, these foods usually contain low levels of vitamin D, less than 150 IU per serving. The two main ways to get vitamin D are by exposing your bare skin to sunlight and by taking vitamin D supplements.

MISUNDERSTANDING 2 : IF YOU LIVE IN A SUNNY AREA, YOU SHOULD GET ENOUGH VITAMIN D

Getting enough sunlight is very important for maintaining optimal vitamin D levels. The sun’s ultraviolet B (UVB) rays hit cholesterol in the skin cells, providing the energy for vitamin D synthesis to occur. However, where you live, the season, and the time of day affect how much ultraviolet B ( UVB) also influence your production of vitamin D. Even if you live in a sunny area, you still can’t get enough vitamin D from the sun. During the winter season, there is very little UVB in the form of UVB in the north latitudes – these amounts are not sufficient to produce vitamin D. The norther the place of residence ( the farther away from the equator), the less the UVB. For example, in North Atlanta, USA, from November to February, UVB ultraviolet rays that produce vitamin D are clearly insufficient. Some northern areas, such as New York City, the time lacking of UVB is even longer.

FACT 1 : VITAMIN D IS ACTUALLY A HORMONE RATHER THAN A VITAMIN

What makes vitamin D unique compared to other vitamins, is that when your body gets its vitamin D, it turns vitamin D into a hormone. This hormone is sometimes called “activated vitamin D” or “calcitriol.” It plays an important role in many parts of the human body. In recent studies, we have found more and more functionality that we did not know about vitamin D before.

FACT 2 : FDA DOUBLES THE AMOUNT OF VITAMIN D DAILY INTAKE RECENTLY

Vitamin D adequacy is best determined by measurement of the 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration in the blood. In many recent vitamin D studies, there is a growing consensus among medical experts that the ideal concentration of vitamin D in the blood should be above 75–80 nmol/L. Even though people have gradually realized the importance of vitamin D to the human body, the testing result shows that most people still overlook the vitamin D deficiency. Many domestic and international inspection reports indicate that everyone must pay more attention to whether the body is adequate of vitamin D, and supplement it early. To help people increase their vitamin D intake, many health organizations have increased their daily recommended intake of vitamin D. In 2010, the US FDA doubled the daily recommended intake of vitamin D. In 2016, the FDA doubled again – for adults and children over the age of four, the recommended intake increased from 400 IU to 800 IU. Even though the FDA has significantly increased the daily recommendation of vitamin D, many experts and scholars still feel inadequate and worried. This is why the detection of vitamin D is very important, the adequacy of vitamin D content in your body can be confirmed after testing. The daily intake of high-quality vitamin D supplements could ensure that you get enough vitamin D content regardless of the weather or other environmental factors in your place of residence.