Vitamins are well-known for their importance to the human body, but many people overlook how to obtain them. Vitamin D is one of these cases. It’s no secret that vitamins are essential for your health, but many people miss out on how to get them. This is especially true in relation to vitamin D, commonly known as “the sunshine vitamin”.
We’ll go over how the name “vitamin D” came to be, as well as useful information on how to acquire vitamin D in this article.
What Is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is a critical vitamin that supports a variety of bodily processes. It is most commonly recognised for the following functions, as claimed and authorised by the EFSA:
- Maintaining bone health
- Contributing to calcium absorption
- Contributing to the body’s ability to fight infections
Vitamin D is the only vitamin and mineral that can be obtained from sunlight. It can also be found in fatty and greasy foods, which highlights the importance of eating a balanced diet.
Why Is It Called The Sunshine Vitamin?
Vitamin D, also known as “the sunshine vitamin,” is produced when the skin is exposed to sunlight. To fulfil your daily vitamin D requirement, your entire body must be exposed to the sun for 30 minutes.
What exactly happens when the sun’s UVB rays strike your cells? When the sun’s UVB radiation hits your skin cells, cholesterol molecules gather energy, allowing vitamin D synthesis to occur.
Is It Possible to Get Enough Vitamin D from Sunlight Alone?
Although sunlight alone may provide enough vitamin D throughout the year, this is dependent on when you live and when it is winter. According to the NHS, spending around 30 minutes outside in the summer should be sufficient to meet your vitamin D requirements. In contrast, in the winter, things are a little different.
During the fall and winter months, the sun in the United Kingdom isn’t strong enough to help our bodies produce vitamin D. This, combined with more time spent indoors, makes it almost impossible to get adequate vitamin D from sunlight alone.
You must take care to get your vitamin D from somewhere other than inside or during the winter in the United Kingdom if you spend a lot of time indoors or live there during the winter months.
Do I Need To Take Vitamin D Supplements?
Vitamin D is also present in fatty and oily edibles, as previously said. However, this isn’t always consistent, and it entirely depends on your eating habits and other lifestyle factors. With this in mind, many people take vitamin D tablets to guarantee their vitamin D intake during the darker months.
The UK Department of Health has urged everyone to consider taking daily vitamin D supplements, particularly during the fall and winter when there isn’t as much sun or time spent outdoors. Even on days when maintaining a balanced diet and getting sufficient sunlight aren’t feasible, this will help guarantee that your body receives the appropriate amount of vitamin D.
Time To Embrace Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is essential for a lot of bodily functions, which is why it’s critical to get enough of it each day. You’ll have everything you need to fulfill adequate levels if you eat a balanced diet and take vitamin D supplements, plus exposure to the sun.
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