Vitamin D

Vitamin D is an important factor in the integrity of the skin and some inflammatory diseases can be caused by vitamin D deficiency. Some of these diseases include psoriasis, Crohn’s Disease, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and systemic lupus erythematosus.

How do you get it?

Vitamin D is most commonly absorbed by exposure to the sun. It can also be absorbed from certain foods and through supplements. You may have a vitamin D deficiency if you do not spend much time out in the sun, such as in the winter, or if you have a skin condition or history of skin cancer that restricts the amount of sun exposure you can have. Dark skinned people are also prone to having low levels of vitamin D from sun exposure. Vitamin D deficiency may also be due to low intake of foods rich in vitamin D.

How do you get vitamin D without exposing yourself to the sun?

Eat a diet high in these foods which contain a high amount of vitamin D:

• tuna
• mackerel
• swordfish
• herring
• sardines
• oysters
• caviar
• mushrooms
• egg yolks
• cheese
• beef liver
• fortified milk
• fortified cereals
• fortified orange juice
• fortified yogurt

Vitamin D Supplements

Supplements are a great way to boost your levels of vitamin D. There are two forms of vitamin D available in supplements – vitamin D2 or vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 has been proven to increase levels of vitamin D better than vitamin D2 does. It is recommended that you take at least 600 to 800 IU of vitamin D3 per day. If you have extremely low levels of vitamin D or trouble absorbing it, then you may need to take a higher dose. You should contact your physician to assess how much per day you should take.