Vitamin D Deficiency: What does Vitamin D do and what are the benefits of taking Vitamin D Supplements?
Vitamin D is produced in the body when you expose your body to the sunlight. Some food items and supplements also contain Vitamin D but sunlight is the only major source of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for maintaining the health of teeth and bones. It also safeguards your body from cancer, diabetes, sclerosis and other types of deadly diseases. Let us look at some vital functions that Vitamin D performs in our body:
- Vitamin D helps us to maintain the health of our nervous system and brain
- Vitamin D is vital for maintaining the immune system of our body
- It assists multiple bodily functions and improves cardiovascular health
- It reduces the risk of deadly diseases like cancer
- Vitamin D is essential for maintaining the strength of our teeth and bones
Vitamin D is not naturally produced in our body and therefore we must ensure that we consume it through food. Sun is the primary source of Vitamin D since our body synthesizes sunlight to create Vitamin D in surplus amounts. Therefore, health experts and doctors advise us to bask in the sunlight for at least 10-12 minutes early in the morning. The afternoon sun might contain harmful radiations and therefore the early morning time from 8 to 9 is considered to be the best for receiving sunlight.
If you are not able to enjoy the sunlight or if your diet is deficient in Vitamin D then you can take it from the Vitamin D supplements. Many safe and potent Vitamin D supplements are available in the market and these supplements have a positive effect on our health.
Now let us study the health benefits of Vitamin D supplements:
Prevents cold and flu
If you take proper sunlight during the winter then the chances of getting attacked by flu and cold virus get reduced by a great extent. You can also consume Vitamin D supplements for improving your immunity against cold and flu.
Protects you from diabetes
Vitamin D improves the glucose tolerance of your body and also assists in natural insulin production. Various studies have proved it that people who have sufficient amount Vitamin D in their body as less prone to be affected with the type 2 diabetes. Vitamin D also keeps children away from the risk of diabetes.
Pregnancy
If a woman is pregnant then she must ensure that she is taking Vitamin D rich food. This not only reduces the health complications in the mother but also makes the child more healthy and active. Fish like mackerel, tuna, salmon, etc. are rich in Vitamin D. Cheese, egg yolk, orange juice, soy milk, etc. are also rich in Vitamin D. If the body of the mother is not capable of absorbing the Vitamin D from food then she can even take supplements of Vitamin D to absorb it directly in the body.
Apart from this, Vitamin D supplements are ideal for bone health and reduce the risk of cancer and other dreadful diseases.
