Nutrition News Roundup: New Research on Vitamin D

Vitamin D is different from all the other nutrients since the body has the ability to synthesize it with the help of sunlight. It promotes the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from food, which enables mineralization of our bones. Inadequate Vitamin D could therefore lead to osteoporosis, since the absorption of calcium is limited. Vitamin D is essential for helping functions of the brain, pancreas, skin, the reproductive organs, and many cancer cells.

--- which leads us to what Danish researches have to say about Vitamin D and its immune functions---

Killer cells, known as T cells rely on Vitamin D to become active and fight infection; therefore, Vitamin D is essential to activate the immune systems when the body is stressed. This is important not only to help fight disease but also with anti-immune reactions of the body and the rejection of transplanted organs.  Currently, new research is being done on the development of new vaccines!

Almost half the world isn’t getting enough Vitamin D. Besides from exposure to sunlight, Vitamin D can be obtained by consuming fish liver oil, eggs and fatty fish such as salmon, herring and mackerel, fortified milk, or as a supplement.

If during the summer the sun is your main source, 10 minutes exposure (without sun-block) for a couple days a week is sufficient to maintain vitamin D nutrition.(Dark skinned people may require a little more exposure) Make sure to apply appropriate amounts of sun-block thereafter sufficient exposure!