Dubai
1. What are the sources of natural Vitamin D? Please list them. (Sunlight and from food). The top 10 Vitamin D food sources.
S. No Food Items Quantity Vitamin D in IU
1. Sun exposure (15-20 mins between 10 am to 3 pm, 3 times a week) 5000 – 20000 (range depending on skin tone from dark to fair)
2. Sea Food
Salmon
75 gms
350-450
Mackerel, sardines, tuna
Shrimps 75 grams
75 grams 150-200
90
Cod liver oil 5 ml 420
3. Milk and alternatives
Fortified Cow’s Milk/Yoghurt
1 cup
100-120
Fortified soya/almond/rice milk
Cheddar cheese 1 cup
1 cup 80-100
30 - 40
4 Meat and alternatives
Egg yolk
Beef steak/ beef liver
1 yolk
75 gms
25
35 - 45
5 Breakfast cereal, fortified 1 cup 40 - 80
6 Fortified orange juice 1 cup 135
7 Mushrooms 1 cup 80 - 100
8 Lentils, Legumes, Fruits and Vegetables 1 cup Less than 10
What role does Vitamin D play in helping the body assimilate minerals like calcium, etc. What are its various SUPPORT functions? Please explain.
1) Helps in the intestinal absorption of calcium from blood.
2) Supports lung function by indirectly maintaining the PH of blood.
3) Fights fatigue and body ache: Normal calcium levels are required to maintain neuromuscular function. Several studies have shown that on correcting Vitamin D deficiency, there was significant improvement in energy levels with reduced fatigue.
4) Prevents osteoporosis and osteomalacia: Vitamin D helps in regulating the calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood which is essential for bone mineralization. Prevents calcium mobilization from the bone into the blood, thus maintaining bone health.
5) Prevents male infertility: Modulates testes function. Several fertility studies have shown the beneficial effect of Vitamin D in male infertility, playing a role in modulating testosterone production and semen quality.
6) Controls diabetes: Helps in improving pancreatic cell activity in the production of insulin. Deficiency of Vitamin D has shown to reduce insulin sensitivity in our body. Some studies have shown that Vitamin D supplementation helped improve HbA1C levels – marker of insulin function and blood glucose control.
7) Indirectly supports cardiac function: Regulates the efficacy of cardiomyocytes (heart cells) and prevents the thickening of the blood vessels in the heart.
8) Weight loss: Boosts metabolism by improving energy expenditure by supporting fat break down.
9) Improves sleep and reduces the symptoms of depression.
10) Immunity enhancer: suppresses inflammatory factors that cause respiratory diseases and autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis and Multiple sclerosis.
11) Suppresses breast and prostate cancer: Prevents the expression and migration of cancer cells in the body at the DNA level.
2. What are the benefits of Vitamin D supplements in tablet/pill/capsule form? Why and when should these be taken?
Vitamin D intake can be easily met by diet or by taking a daily multivitamin. But this intake level may still be inadequate to reach optimal levels in many people, especially old people and those with impaired intestinal absorption.
It may not be easy to correct very low vitamin D levels by dietary intake alone in the absence of supplementation. An annual blood test to check Vitamin D levels is advisable and supplements to be taken as per advised dosage by a physician. Taking 800 to 1000 IU / day of Vitamin D or 50000 IU monthly is safe for most people. This intake is within the currently recommended safe upper tolerable limit for vitamin D of 2000 IU/d for those aged 1 year and older. With surging high temperatures in UAE, we should try to meet our daily vitamin D needs primarily from foods through a balanced diet.
3. What is the dosage for adults, children, elderly and kids?
According to the American National Institute of Health, the tolerable upper intakes are as below:
Age Vitamin D (IU)
0-6 months 1000 IU (25 mcg)
7-12 months 1500 IU (38 mcg)
1-3 years 2500 IU (63 mcg)
4-8 years 3000 IU (75 mcg)
9-18 years 4000 IU (100 mcg)
19 + years 4000 IU (100 mcg)
4. What about fortified products such as juices, milk, bread, and the many foods that have added Vitamin D? Are these good? What efficacy do they have? How much should they be eaten? And can they have the same benefits as natural Vitamin D?
On an average, taking a serving of 3 different fortified foods in a day, we can get up to 200 - 300 IU of Vitamin D. We might not absorb all the lab prepared vitamin D in fortified foods as it misses the other naturally occurring co-factors which come along with vitamin d in foods. We should not completely rely only on fortified foods to meet our daily intake levels.
5. Can you list some fortified products that have added Vitamin D?
Milk, milk powder, yoghurt, laban, butter, mayonnaise, soya milk, almond milk, rice milk, breakfast cereal, cheese, fruit juices, energy bars, flours, fruit juices, vitamin drinks, infant formulas, protein drinks, biscuits, breads, short cakes, ice creams and refined cooking oil.
Source: Juliot Vinolia, Clinical dietician and consultant nutritionist
