Factors That Might Affect Your Vitamin D Levels
You already know vitamin D is important for bone health, but its benefits don't stop there.
Perhaps the most vital are regulating the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, and facilitating normal immune system function. Getting a sufficient amount of vitamin D is important for normal growth and development of bones and teeth, as well as improved resistance against certain diseases.
Your vitamin D levels reflect many factors. For example:
- Where you live
If you live in the northern states (latitudes north of 37°), you are at higher risk for a vitamin D deficiency because your skin may not be able to produce any vitamin D from sun exposure during the winter months.
- Your age
Your skin's ability to produce vitamin D drops with age. If you're over age 65, you generate only one-fourth as much vitamin D as you did in your 20s.
- Your skin color
People with darker skin typically have lower levels of vitamin D than lighter-skinned individuals. African Americans have, on average, about half as much vitamin D in their blood compared with white Americans.
Vitamin D is extremely important for good health.
Vitamin D is having its day in the sun. It plays several roles in keeping your body’s cells healthy and functioning the way they should.
Most people don’t get enough vitamin D, so supplements are common.
However, it’s also possible — although rare — for this vitamin to build up and reach toxic levels in your body.
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