But sometimes these rumors about vitamin D benefits are inaccurate.
When it comes to vitamins and your health, it can be hard to know whats for real.
What is vitamin D?
Juan Moyano/Adobe Stock
First, a quick explanation about what this stuff is, exactly.
Vitamin D is no average nutrient, and its name is actually something of a misnomer.
It’s a hormone, so it acts on many organs throughout the body.
Vitamin D gets into your system in two ways: You ingest it, or you make it.
Our bodies also make vitamin D from sunlight, which is why its sometimes called the sunshine vitamin.
This D3 is the kind of vitamin D your body can use, just like the version you eat.
From there, vitamin D is dispatched throughout the body so it can get to work.
Yes, your body has special vitamin D receptors.
They enable vitamin D to do a myriad of things throughout your body, likereducing inflammationand affecting cell growth.
Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, the main building block of bones.
Thats why not getting enough vitamin D can contribute to osteoporosis, the ODS says.
A vitamin D deficiency can also lead to osteomalacia, or weakening of the bones, per the ODS.
That said, experts have been talking about vitamin D as acold and flufighter for a while.
And some research on vitamin D supplements suggests, they could help ward off these kinds of illnesses.
The more deficient people were, the more beneficial the supplements were.
Whats more, Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to be prevalent inautoimmune disease, Spence says.
(That said, taking more vitamin D hasnt been shown topreventthese diseases.)
Vitamin D plays a key role in metabolizing glucose in the food you eat.
As SELF has reported, its important forpregnant people to get enough vitamin Din their diets.
There is some promising clinical data too.
The benefits of vitamin D come from consuming a sufficient amountnot too little, not too much.
Severe deficiency is 12 ng/ml or less.
Sunlight is one great source for keeping your vitamin D at healthy levels.
Mushrooms, fattyfish, and egg yolks are great nutritional sources, Spence says.
While many people are able to get enough vitamin D from the food and sun, some do not.
Many clients that I work with have trouble eating a variety of foods, says Spence.
If youre wondering whether youre getting enough vitamin D to reap the benefits, schedule an appointment.
Your provider might recommend a simple blood test to check your vitamin D levels.
