Known as the “sunshine vitamin,” our skin producesvitamin Dwhen exposed to sunlight.
We also get it from food.
It is an essential nutrient for strong bones, as most of us know.
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Your body needs D to properly absorb calcium and prevent osteopenia and osteoporosis.
Vitamin D is also important for many other reasons.
“In fact, despite its misleading moniker, vitamin D is a hormone.”
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It’s expensive, andthe U.S. Preventive Services Task Forcedoesn’t support routine screenings.
But those symptoms could be due to many other causes.
How to get enough D
Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) can be purchased over the counter.
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“We typically recommend 2,000 to 5,000 IU per day,” adds Comite.
Comite lowers the dose to 2,000 IU if there’s a history of stones.
And what about stepping outside in the sun for 60 minutes?
“In my experience, sun exposure doesn’t increase D levels much,” says Dr. Comite.
Food is another natural source of vitamin D, says Comite.
Here are some terrificRecipes to Get a Vitamin D Boost.
Magnesium impacts all the enzymes that activate vitamin D in the liver and kidneys, the researchers say.
you could takemagnesium supplements.
