Explore the World of Vitamin D
April 17th, 2010 | 
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin stored in the body’s fatty tissue that helps the body absorbs calcium in addition to that it also helps the body keep the correct amount of calcium and phosphorus in the blood. Vitamin D is made by the body as a natural by-product of the skin’s exposure to sunlight and very few foods in nature contain vitamin D. It can be found in fish liver oil, eggs, and fatty fish such as salmon, fortified cereals or milk, or taken as a supplement.
Ten to fifteen minutes of sunshine 3 times weekly is enough to produce the body’s requirement of vitamin D. However, many people living in sunny climates still do not make enough vitamin D and need more from their diet or supplementation.
Recommended Dose
Infants
* 0 – 6 months: 5 micrograms per day (mcg/day)
* 7 – 12 months: 5 mcg/day
Children
* 1 – 13 years: 5 mcg/day
Adults
* Males and Females age 14 to 50: 5 mcg/day
* Males and Females age 51 to 70: 10 mcg/day
* Males and Females age over 70: 15 mcg/day
Side effects
Deficiency of Vitamin D can lead to rickets in children; toxicity of this vitamin can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, constipation, weakness, and weight loss.
On the other hand too much of vitamin D can make the intestines absorbs too much calcium and can reduce function ability of heart and lungs due to calcium deposits in soft tissues. Kidney stone and muscle weakness may also occur if you have too much of vitamin D.
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