What is a vitamin D supplement?
Vitamin D consists of several secosteroids that make it possible for the absorption of calcium and phosphates in the intestines and the maintenance of the correct bone structure.
It is available in tiny amounts in certain foods. Over 80 percent of it however is obtained from sunlight and produced photochemically in the skin. Vitamin D is also found in supplement form for those who cannot get it from sunshine or food. Vitamin D exists in 5 forms which are: Vitamin D1, D2, D3, D4 and D5.
Uses of vitamin D supplements
Supplementation has been proven to reduce mortality rates. This is because a deficiency in the vitamin results to abnormal body functioning and premature ageing. Doses of 800 IU taken on a daily basis have been found effective in the reduction in falls in the aged by up to 22 percent.
Vitamin D is useful in treating and prevention of rickets, weak bones also known as osteoporosis, painful bones also known as osteomalacia, bone loss in patients with hyperparathyroidism and a condition known as osteogenesis imperfecta which causes brittle bones. It has proven benefits in the reduction of rheumatoid arthritis in elderly women.
It is also useful in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and blood vessel disorders like high blood pressure and heightened levels of cholesterol.
It is effective in the reduction of multiple sclerosis by up to 40 percent especially when supplement levels are 400 IU daily.
Research indicates that high doses of this vitamin are helpful in the prevention of cancers of any type and the prevention of autoimmune diseases.
The combination of this vitamin with calcium has been proven to aid in the reduction and maintenance of weight.
During winter, supplementation helps reduce the incidences of seasonal flu, asthma attacks that are triggered by the low temperatures.
It has immense benefits in treating skin condition such as scleroderma, vitiligo, psoriasis, lupus vulgaris and actinic keratosis. Vitamin D is applied directly on the skin for the treatment of one type of psoriasis in forms referred to as calcitriol or calcipotriene.
Its unction of the regulation of calcium and phosphorous levels prevents conditions that result from their deficiencies. These are hyperparathyroidism and pseudohypoparathyrodism for calcium deficiency and familial hypophosphatemia and fanconi syndrome for phosphorus deficiency.
Recommendations on dosage
The dosage of Vitamin D supplements vary because they depend on the deficiency levels. However the following are the recommended dosage levels for different age groups.
Infants- these require between 400 to 1,000IU in a day with a maximum limit of 2,000 IU.
Children-600 to 1,000 IU daily is sufficient. Maximum limits vary between 2,500 to 4,000 IU.
Adults- require between 600 and 2,000 IU in a day. Some recommendations exceed this to 5,000 IU in a day with maximum limits of up to 10,000 IU.
It is essential not to exceed the maximum recommended dosage levels because vitamin D is fat soluble this making it difficult for it to be expelled from the body.
Some disorders like prostrate cancer and multiple sclerosis require the intake of more than the maximum recommended. This should be done under the strict instructions of the physician and necessitate the testing of vitamin D levels in the blood after every 3 months to ensure that they are safely within range.
ไม่มีความคิดเห็น:
แสดงความคิดเห็น