Vitamin D

References Sources of Vitamin D

1.) SUN: UVB rays from the sun react with a compound found in the skin to make vitamin D. This newly formed vitamin D is then stored in fat tissue and activated by the liver and kidneys as needed.
2.) FOODS: Although there are some natural food sources of vitamin D including fatty fish and egg yolks, foods do not contain adequate vitamin D to meet our needs. Some foods, such as milk, cheese, and orange juice, are fortified with vitamin D. 3.) SUPPLEMENTS: There are a variety of supplemental forms of vitamin D including liquid drops, gel capsules, and gummies. These supplements range in their dosage and allow individuals to get the amount that they need.
.) 1.) Higdon, Jane V. Micronutrient Information Center: Vitamin D. Linus Pauling Institute, 2004. http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitami ns/vitaminD/. 2.) 2.) Reichrath, Jrg, and Kerstin Querings. Vitamin D Deficiency During Pregnancy: a Risk Factor Not Only for Fetal Growth and Bone Metabolism but Also for Correct Development of the Fetal Immune System? The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 81, no. 5 (May 1, 2005): 11771177. 3.) 3.) De-Regil, Luz Maria, Cristina Palacios, Ali Ansary, Regina Kulier, and Juan Pablo PeaRosas. Vitamin D Supplementation for Women During Pregnancy. In Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, edited by The Cochrane Collaboration and Luz Maria De-Regil. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 2012. http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/14651858.C D008873.pub2.

What it is and why it is so important for your health

Created by Chelsea Black Images from Google Images

Functions of Vitamin D
1.) Bone health: Vitamin D functions to help the gut absorb calcium. It also works to prevent calcium from being filtered out of the body by the kidneys. By helping the body absorb and hold onto more calcium, vitamin D aids in bone formation.1 2.) Immune system: vitamin D receptors are found on immune cells. Multiple studies have also found a strong association between vitamin D deficiency and increased risk of infection and disease. 1 3.) Vitamin D has been found to help prevent cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure1

THE IMPORTANCE OF VITAMIN D FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN

Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy may predispose infants to a variety of diseases of the immune system as well as a variety of autoimmune disorders including type 1 diabetes2 Maternal Vitamin D status also impacts fetal bone development which can have an impact later in life*2 Maternal vitamin D deficiency in early pregnancy has been associated with elevated risk of gestational diabetes mellitus, preeclampsia, preterm birth, low birth weight and cesarean section3 Breast milk contains vey little vitamin D (only about 25IU per liter) Exclusively breastfed infants are at risk for vitamin D deficiency which can lead to rickets, suppressed immune system, and increased risk for type1 diabetes

It is recommended that infants who are exclusively breastfed receive 400IU of vitamin D a day1
All infant formula in the US is fortified with vitamin D

*It is not clear if maternal vitamin D deficiency leads to neonatal rickets