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LEARN EVEN MORE ABOUT VITAMIN D BY READING THIS ARTI

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LEARN EVEN MORE ABOUT VITAMIN D BY READING THIS ARTI

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Vitamin D has been called the new "wonder vitamin." Doctors are learning more and more about its role in good health and the prevention of diseases. Unfortunately, though, most teens don't get enough.

Why Do I Need It?

Vitamin D plays a part in the bone-building process by helping the body to absorb calcium. If someone doesn't get enough, it could affect the body's ability to build and maintain strong bones and teeth.

It's not just about bones, though. Vitamin D is needed for a healthy immune system - helping the body to fight off infections and prevent the development of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. Research done in adults suggests that getting enough vitamin D may help lower the chances of developing heart disease, certain cancers, and other serious diseases like diabetes.

Why Don't People Get Enough?

There are several reasons why people don't get enough vitamin D:

Less exposure to UV rays. Vitamin D is sometimes called the "sunshine" vitamin. When the sun's ultraviolet rays penetrate bare skin, it sets off a process in the body that produces vitamin D. As many of us spend more and more time on computers and game consoles, we're not outdoors as much as we once were. And, when we do spend time in the sun, more of us are making the wise decision to use sunscreen to block the UV rays that cause sun damage and cancer. Where we live makes a difference, too: If you live in northern U.S. and Canada, it's possible you're not getting the UV exposure required for your body to make enough vitamin D.

Dark skin. The melanin (the pigment that gives skin its color) in darker skin protects against sun damage, but it can also block the sun needed to produce vitamin D.

Certain health conditions. Some health conditions, like cystic fibrosis or inflammatory bowel disease, affect how well the body absorbs nutrients, including vitamin D. And because vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that gets stored in the body's fat cells, obesity increases a person's risk for vitamin D deficiency.

Lower consumption of D-rich foods. Experts recommend eating vitamin D-rich foods as the best way to get enough vitamin D. But many of the best foods - like fatty fish and oil - are not the most popular. These days, most milk is "fortified" with added vitamin D. But many teens aren't drinking enough milk to get the recommended daily amount.

How Much Vitamin D Do I Need?

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends that teens get 600 IU (international units) of vitamin D per day. Ask your doctor if you should take a daily multivitamin or vitamin D-only preparation that contains the 600 IU of vitamin D you need.

You may need even more than 600 IU if you have darker skin, live in areas with limited sunshine, have a condition that affects how well your body absorbs nutrients, or if tests show you have low vitamin D levels. Check with your doctor before taking higher doses, though. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it gets stored in the body. In rare cases extremely large doses could build up to dangerous levels.

The IOM recommends an upper limit - the highest daily intake that is likely to pose no risk - of 4,000 IU of vitamin D per day for teens. Most people who eat foods rich in vitamin D, who get normal sun exposure, and who take a 600 IU supplement will not get toxic buildup of vitamin D in their bodies. Problems with vitamin D toxicity happen when people take supplements with megadoses of the vitamin or lots of different supplements containing the vitamin.

As always, your doctor is the best advisor of what works for you!

Getting More Vitamin D Into Your Diet

As with all vitamins, it's best to get our D through the foods we eat. The best sources of vitamin D are:

fatty fishes and fish oils, such as salmon, mackerel, and cod liver oil

egg yolks

vitamin D-fortified milk and other dairy products

Lots of other foods are fortified with vitamin D, including orange juice, soy milk, cereals, and bread. Read the nutrition facts label to see how much vitamin D is in each serving.

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Vitamin D has been called the new "wonder vitamin." Doctors are learning more and more about its role in good health and the prevention of diseases. Unfortunately, though, most teens don't get enough. Vitamin D plays a part in the bone-building process by helping the body to absorb calcium.

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TAKE A LOOK AT THIS ARTICLE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT VIATMINS

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TAKE A LOOK AT THIS ARTICLE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT VIATMINS

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Make sure to look on page 4

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If you're like most kids, you've probably heard at least one parent say, "Don't forget to take your vitamin!" or "Eat your salad - it's packed with vitamins!" But what exactly are vitamins?

Vitamins and minerals are substances that are found in foods we eat. Your body needs them to work properly, so you grow and develop just like you should. When it comes to vitamins, each one has a special role to play. For example:

Vitamin D in milk helps your bones.

Vitamin A in carrots helps you see at night.

Vitamin C in oranges helps your body heal if you get a cut.

B vitamins in whole grains help your body make energy from food.

Vitamins Hang Out in Water and Fat

There are two types of vitamins: fat soluble and water soluble.

When you eat foods that contain fat-soluble vitamins, the vitamins are stored in the fat tissues in your body and in your liver. They wait around in your body fat until your body needs them.

Fat-soluble vitamins are happy to stay stored in your body for awhile - some stay for a few days, some for up to 6 months! Then, when it's time for them to be used, special carriers in your body take them to where they're needed. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are all fat-soluble vitamins.

Water-soluble vitamins are different. When you eat foods that have water-soluble vitamins, the vitamins don't get stored as much in your body. Instead, they travel through your bloodstream. Whatever your body doesn't use comes out when you urinate (pee).

So these kinds of vitamins need to be replaced often because they don't stick around! This crowd of vitamins includes vitamin C and the big group of B vitamins - B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), niacin, B6 (pyridoxine), folic acid, B12 (cobalamine), biotin, and pantothenic acid.

Vitamins Feed Your Needs

Your body is one powerful machine, capable of doing all sorts of things by itself. But when it comes to vitamins, it can use some help. That's where food comes in. Your body is able to get the vitamins it needs from the foods you eat because different foods contain different vitamins. The key is to eat different foods to get an assortment of vitamins. Though some kids take a daily vitamin, most kids don't need one if they're eating a variety of healthy foods.

Now, let's look more closely at vitamins - from A to K:

Vitamin A

This vitamin plays a really big part in eyesight. It's great for night vision, like when you're trick-or-treating on Halloween. Vitamin A helps you see in color, too, from the brightest yellow to the darkest purple. In addition, it helps your body fight infections by boosting your immune system.

Which foods are rich in vitamin A?

milk fortified with vitamin A

liver

orange fruits and vegetables (like cantaloupe, carrots, sweet potatoes)

dark green leafy vegetables (like kale, collards, spinach)

The B Vitamins

There's more than one B vitamin. Here's the list: B1, B2, B6, B12, niacin, folic acid, biotin, and pantothenic acid. Whew - that's quite a group!

The B vitamins are important in metabolic (say: meh-tuh-BAH-lik) activity - this means that they help make energy and set it free when your body needs it. So the next time you're running to third base, thank those B vitamins.

This group of vitamins is also involved in making red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout your body. Every part of your body needs oxygen to work properly, so these B vitamins have a really important job.

Which foods are rich in vitamin B?

whole grains, such as wheat and oats

fish and seafood

poultry and meats

eggs

dairy products, like milk and yogurt

leafy green vegetables

beans and peas

Vitamin C

This vitamin is important for keeping body tissues, such as gums, bones, and blood vessels in good shape. C is also key if you get a cut or wound because it helps you heal.

This vitamin also helps your body resist infection. This means that even though you can't always avoid getting sick, vitamin C makes it a little harder for your body to become infected with an illness.

Which foods are rich in vitamin C?

citrus fruits, like oranges

cantaloupe

strawberries

tomatoes

broccoli

cabbage

kiwi fruit

sweet red peppers

Vitamin D

No bones about it . . . vitamin D is the vitamin you need for strong bones! It's also great for forming strong teeth. Vitamin D even lends a hand to an important mineral - it helps your body absorb the amount of calcium it needs. Vitamin D is made in the skin when exposed to sunlight, or you can get it from the foods you eat.

Which foods are rich in vitamin D?

Vitamin E

Everybody needs E. This hard-working vitamin protects your cells and tissues from damage. It is also important for the health of red blood cells.

Which foods are rich in vitamin E?

whole grains, such as wheat and oats

wheat germ

leafy green vegetables

vegetable oils like sunflower, canola, and olive

egg yolks

nuts and seeds

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is the clotmaster! Remember the last time you got a cut? Your blood did something special called clotting. This is when certain cells in your blood act like glue and stick together at the surface of the cut to help stop the bleeding.

Which foods are rich in vitamin K?

leafy green vegetables

dairy products, like milk and yogurt

broccoli

soybean oil

When your body gets this vitamin and the other ones it needs, you'll be feeling A-OK!

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If you're like most kids, you've probably heard at least one parent say, "Don't forget to take your vitamin!" or "Eat your salad - it's packed with vitamins!" But what exactly are vitamins? Vitamins and minerals are substances that are found in foods we eat.

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CHECK OUT THIS WEBSITE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT VITAMIN D

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CHECK OUT THIS WEBSITE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT VITAMIN D

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Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, is a very important vitamin. It helps us absorb calcium and phosphorus, so we can have strong bones. Vitamin D was discovered due to some people having too little of it in their diets, causing a disease called rickets.