Vitamin D. Properties

Vitamin D is one of the thirteen essential vitamins for the human body. This makes this nutrient one of the most needed to carry out the normal development of the biological functions of our organism and the maintenance of healthy patterns in our body. Vitamin D, probably one of the most powerful and necessary for our body, interacts in a wide range of physical and chemical processes that take place inside our organism. Perhaps one of the most striking peculiarities of this vitamin is the difficulty in its acquisition through food, which makes it a more complex substance to obtain than the rest of the vitamins.

During the development of the present guide we will be deepening in some of the characteristics that make this vitamin one of the most essential for our health. Likewise, we will be talking about the means we have to acquire it and the damages we could face if we abuse the consumption of it.

General benefits of vitamin D

Vitamin D has multiple benefits for our health. Among the most important ones we can highlight those related to the care, preservation and strengthening of our bones. Many of us know that calcium is a mineral that is highly necessary for the health of our bone structure, what we may not know is that calcium is not easily absorbed by our body, unless we have good levels of vitamin D in it.

This explains why, in the absence of vitamin D, our bones tend to become decalcified and consequently softer, leading to the development of diseases such as osteoporosis. The above is another example of the great relationship that many vitamins have with the minerals we consume.

Leaving aside the great impact that vitamin D has on the health of our bones, we must also highlight its powerful properties as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective agent; having a great impact on the strengthening of our immune system in the face of possible damage from pathological agents or free radicals.

How to acquire vitamin D?

We already mentioned in the introduction of this guide that vitamin D is quite scarce in the usual foods we consume. This should not discourage us, since there are alternatives such as milk or fortified cereals, which usually contain good levels of it. Some fish such as sardines or salmon can also be an optimal way to acquire this nutrient.

While it is true that the sources of vitamin D from the foods available to us may be somewhat scarce, the body can also generate its own vitamin D by exposing itself to sunlight for a few minutes. Keep in mind that sunlight can cause the development of cancer-causing diseases, so such exposure cannot continue for too long.

Effects of hypersupplementation

The recommended amounts of vitamin D for an adult person range between 600 and 800 international units (IU). Amounts higher than those indicated can have unpleasant side effects on your health. Among the most common effects produced by hypersupplementation are: constipation, loss of appetite, general discomfort, heart rhythm alterations, nausea, vomiting, among others. In case of suffering some of the above mentioned effects while you are under this type of supplementation, it is recommended that you consult your doctor to evaluate the doses you consume daily and can adjust it to adequate values for your personal requirements.