How Much Vitamin D Is In Orange Juice

How Much Vitamin D Is In Orange Juice

Vitamin D Facts: Everything You Need to Know

Medically Reviewed by Dr Samantha Miller, MBChB

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Vitamin D is important for maintaining a healthy body, primarily because it helps you fully maximize your body's absorption and utilization of calcium, an important mineral that we all need. When paired with calcium, vitamin D helps regulate bone remodeling and growth, ensuring healthy, strong bones. Vitamin D can also help protect older adults from osteoporosis, which occurs due to excess bone loss from aging.

Furthermore, this nutrient boosts your immune system and reduces inflammation within your body, potentially warding off future medical conditions in the process. It also plays a vital role in cell growth, neuromuscular functions and protein encoding. Studies have shown that a regular, healthy vitamin D intake can also serve as an antidepressant and make people feel generally happier. But that's not all you'll want to know about vitamin D.

Sources of Vitamin D

Vitamin D is naturally found in certain foods and now appears in many more foods that have been fortified with added nutrients. The best sources of naturally occurring vitamin D are oily fish such as salmon, tuna, cod, sardines and mackerel. Fish liver oils are another good source of vitamin D. Small amounts of the nutrient are present in beef liver, cheese, egg yolks and mushrooms.

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Commonly, vitamin D-fortified foods include whole milk, orange juice, margarine and breakfast cereals. It's important to look at the label and nutrition facts to verify that vitamin D is in a particular food you're considering. Because dairy products are often fortified with vitamin D, lactose intolerant or vegan individuals should keep an eye on their diets to ensure they get enough of the vitamin.

Sun exposure is another method of naturally obtaining vitamin D, as our bodies can create their own vitamin D upon exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. However, it's difficult to gauge exactly how much sun exposure can generate sufficient vitamin D, as overexposure can be harmful, too. UV rays are also known to trigger free radicals, which can lead to skin cancer if left unchecked.

It's been suggested that getting approximately 15 minutes of sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at least twice a week to your face, arms, legs or back will help your body synthesize enough vitamin D. It's important to note that you can't cover the exposed area of your body with sunscreen if you choose to get vitamin D naturally. The SPF blocks UV rays and can hinder your body's ability to create vitamin D. If you're in the shade or behind a window, the rays will not get through. If the climate where you live is primarily cloudy, it's important to get your recommended amount of vitamin D via other means.

Dietary supplements are also an excellent way of obtaining vitamin D. Supplements come in two forms: vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), which is identical to the form your body makes when exposed to sunlight, and vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol), which differs slightly from D3 in its chemical side-chain structure. There's some evidence that vitamin D3 increases and maintains overall levels slightly better than vitamin D2.

Side Effects of a Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency occurs when you don't adequately absorb the nutrient or when your kidneys can't convert the nutrient to its active form. This deficiency can result in medical conditions, two of which are called rickets and osteomalacia.

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Rickets, a disease characterized by a failure of bone tissues to get enough minerals, can result in abnormal, soft bones and skeletal deformities. It's most common in children. Fortunately, it isn't permanent, and kids can consume as few as 1 to 3 teaspoons of cod liver oil a day to reverse the condition.

With the help of fortified foods today, rickets is almost obsolete in the United States. Osteomalacia, characterized by soft and weak bones, is usually present in adults. It's commonly treated with an intense regimen of vitamin D replacement under the care of a physician.

Vitamin D and Other Health Conditions

Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to cardiovascular disease, and people with lower levels of vitamin D appear to be at an increased risk of having a heart attack or stroke. However, the exact relationship isn't clear, and there appears to be no benefit to cardiovascular risk in taking a vitamin D supplement.

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Research is also ongoing to find if there's a link between vitamin D and multiple sclerosis (MS). It appears that vitamin D deficiency is linked to the development of MS, and people with MS and higher levels of vitamin D appear to have reduced disease activity.

Low vitamin D has been linked to an increased risk of contracting respiratory illnesses such as influenza A. It appears that people with low vitamin D levels are at greater risk of severe novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection. It's not clear yet if routine vitamin D supplementation would reduce this risk.

Because vitamin D is a fat-soluble substance, it can stay in your body for several days. Thus, vitamin D poisoning is possible if you supplement too much vitamin D over a period of a few months. Symptoms of vitamin D overdose include dehydration, vomiting, decreased appetite, irritability, constipation and fatigue. If left unaddressed, vitamin D poisoning can lead to anorexia, over-calcification of the bones and internal organs, kidney stones and hypertension (high blood pressure). It's important to note that vitamin D poisoning usually only occurs with excessive intake of dietary supplements. It's highly unlikely to occur as a result of normal dietary intake and sun exposure.

Daily Dosage Recommendations

The recommended dietary allowances for vitamin D vary depending on your age and other health and life circumstances, such as pregnancy. For infants under 12 months, the recommended intake is 400 international units (IU) or 10 micrograms (mcg). For individuals under 70 years old, the recommended intake is 600IU (15mcg). For individuals over 70 years old, the intake increases to 800IU (20mcg).

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How Much Vitamin D Is In Orange Juice

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Sunscreen And Vitamin D

Sunscreen And Vitamin D

Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones. In the UK we get most of our vitamin D from sunlight exposure from around late March/early April to the end of September. Find out how to get enough without risking sun damage.

We need vitamin D to help the body absorb calcium and phosphate from our diet. These minerals are important for healthy bones, teeth and muscles.

A lack of vitamin D, known as vitamin D deficiency, can cause bones to become soft and weak, which can lead to bone deformities.

In children, for example, a lack of vitamin D can lead to rickets. In adults, it can lead to osteomalacia, which causes bone pain and tenderness.

How do we get vitamin D?

Our body creates vitamin D from direct sunlight on our skin when we're outdoors. From about late March/early April to the end of September, most people should be able to get all the vitamin D we need from sunlight.

We also get some vitamin D from a small number of foods, including oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines, as well as red meat and eggs.

Vitamin D is also added to all infant formula milk, as well as some breakfast cereals, fat spreads and non-dairy milk alternatives.

The amounts added to these products can vary and may only be added in small amounts. Manufacturers must add vitamin D to infant formula milk by law.

Another source of vitamin D is dietary supplements.

How long should we spend in the sun?

Most people can make enough vitamin D from being out in the sun daily for short periods with their forearms, hands or lower legs uncovered and without sunscreen from late March or early April to the end of September, especially from 11am to 3pm.

It's not known exactly how much time is needed in the sun to make enough vitamin D to meet the body's requirements.

This is because there are a number of factors that can affect how vitamin D is made, such as your skin colour or how much skin you have exposed.

But you should be careful not to burn in the sun, so take care to cover up or protect your skin with sunscreen before your skin starts to turn red or burn.

People with dark skin, such as those of African, African-Caribbean or south Asian origin, will need to spend longer in the sun to produce the same amount of vitamin D as someone with lighter skin.

How long it takes for your skin to go red or burn varies from person to person. Cancer Research UK has tips to help you protect your skin in the sun.

Your body can't make vitamin D if you're sitting indoors by a sunny window because ultraviolet B (UVB) rays (the ones your body needs to make vitamin D) can't get through the glass.

The longer you stay in the sun, especially for prolonged periods without sun protection, the greater your risk of skin cancer.

If you plan to be out in the sun for long, cover up with suitable clothing, wrap-around sunglasses, seeking shade and applying at least SPF15 sunscreen.

Winter sunlight

In the UK, sunlight doesn't contain enough UVB radiation in winter (October to early March) for our skin to be able to make vitamin D.

During these months, we rely on getting our vitamin D from food sources (including fortified foods) and supplements.

Using sunbeds isn't a recommended way of making vitamin D.

Babies and children

Children aged under 6 months should be kept out of direct strong sunlight.

From March to October in the UK, children should:

• cover up with suitable clothing, including wearing a hat and wraparound sunglasses
• spend time in the shade (particularly from 11am to 3pm)
• wear at least SPF15 sunscreen

To ensure they get enough vitamin D, babies and children aged under 5 years should be given vitamin D supplements even if they do get out in the sun.

Find out about vitamin D supplements for children

Who should take vitamin D supplements?

Some groups of the population are at greater risk of not getting enough vitamin D.

The Department of Health recommends that these people should take daily vitamin D supplements to make sure they get enough.

These groups are:

• all babies from birth to 1 year old (including breastfed babies and formula-fed babies who have less than 500ml a day of infant formula)
• all children aged 1 to 4 years old
• people who aren't often exposed to the sun (for example, people who are frail or housebound, or are in an institution such as a care home, or if they usually wear clothes that cover up most of their skin when outdoors)

For the rest of the population, everyone over the age of 5 years (including pregnant and breastfeeding women) is advised to consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms (μg) of vitamin D.

But the majority of people aged 5 years and above will probably get enough vitamin D from sunlight in the summer (late March/early April to the end of September), so you might choose not to take a vitamin D supplement during these months.

Find out who should take vitamin D supplements and how much to take

You can get vitamin supplements containing vitamin D free of charge if you're pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a child under 4 years of age and qualify for the Healthy Start scheme.

You can also buy single vitamin supplements or vitamin drops containing vitamin D for babies and young children at most pharmacies and larger supermarkets.

Speak to your pharmacist, GP or health visitor if you're unsure whether you need to take a vitamin D supplement or don't know what supplements to take.

Can you have too much vitamin D?

If you choose to take vitamin D supplements, 10μg a day will be enough for most people.

People who take supplements are advised not to take more than 100μg of vitamin D a day, as it could be harmful (100 micrograms is equal to 0.1 milligrams).

This applies to adults, including pregnant and breastfeeding women and the elderly, and children aged 11 to 17.

Children aged 1 to 10 shouldn't have more than 50μg a day. Babies under 12 months shouldn't have more than 25μg a day.

Some people have medical conditions that mean they may not be able to take as much vitamin D safely.

If in doubt, you should talk to your doctor. If your doctor has recommended you take a different amount of vitamin D, you should follow their advice.

The amount of vitamin D contained in supplements is sometimes expressed in international units (IU), where 40 IU is equal to 1 microgram (1µg) of vitamin D.

There's no risk of your body making too much vitamin D from sun exposure, but always remember to cover up or protect your skin before the time it takes you to start turning red or burn.

Page last reviewed: 31 August 2018
Next review due: 31 August 2021

Sunscreen And Vitamin D

Source: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/how-to-get-vitamin-d-from-sunlight/

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What Does Low Vitamin D Mean

What Does Low Vitamin D Mean

Overview

Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency

What is vitamin D deficiency?

Vitamin D deficiency means that you do not have enough vitamin D in your body. Vitamin D is unique because your skin actually produces it by using sunlight. Fair-skinned individuals and those who are younger convert sunshine into vitamin D far better than those who are darker-skinned and over age 50.

Why is vitamin D so important?

Vitamin D is one of many vitamins our bodies need to stay healthy. This vitamin has many functions, including:

• Keeping bones strong: Having healthy bones protects you from various conditions, including rickets. Rickets is a disorder that causes children to have bones that are weak and soft. It is caused by a lack of vitamin D in the body. You need vitamin D so that calcium and phosphorus can be used to build bones. In adults, having soft bones is a condition called osteomalacia.
• Absorbing calcium: Vitamin D, along with calcium, helps build bones and keep bones strong and healthy. Weak bones can lead to osteoporosis, the loss of bone density, which can lead to fractures. Vitamin D, once either taken orally or from sunshine exposure is then converted to an active form of the vitamin. It is that active form that promotes optimal absorption of calcium from your diet.
• Working with parathyroid glands: The parathyroid glands work minute to minute to balance the calcium in the blood by communicating with the kidneys, gut and skeleton. When there is sufficient calcium in the diet and sufficient active Vitamin D, dietary calcium is absorbed and put to good use throughout the body. If calcium intake is insufficient, or vitamin D is low, the parathyroid glands will 'borrow' calcium from the skeleton in order to keep the blood calcium in the normal range.

What are the health effects of vitamin D deficiency?

Getting enough vitamin D may also play a role in helping to keep you healthy by protecting against the following conditions and possibly helping to treat them. These conditions can include:

• Heart disease and high blood pressure.
• Diabetes.
• Infections and immune system disorders.
• Falls in older people.
• Some types of cancer, such as colon, prostate and breast cancers.
• Multiple sclerosis.

What are the sources of vitamin D?

You can get vitamin D in a variety of ways. These can include:

• Being exposed to the sun. About 15-20 minutes three days per week is usually sufficient.
• Through the foods you eat.
• Through nutritional supplements.

What does sunlight have to do with getting enough vitamin D?

There are health benefits of sunlight. Vitamin D is produced when your skin is exposed to sunshine, or rather, the ultraviolet B (UV-B) radiation that the sun emits. The amount of vitamin D that your skin makes depends on such factors as:

• The season: This factor depends a bit on where you live. In areas such as Cleveland, OH, the UV-B light does not reach the earth for six months out of the year due to the ozone layer and the zenith of the sun.
• The time of day: The sun's rays are most powerful between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
• The amount of cloud cover and air pollution.
• Where you live: Cities near the equator have higher ultraviolet (UV) light levels. It is the UV-B light in sunlight that causes your skin to make vitamin D.
• The melanin content of your skin: Melanin is a brown-black pigment in the eyes, hair and skin. Melanin causes skin to tan. The darker your skin, the more sun exposure is needed in order to get sufficient vitamin D from the sun.

What does your diet have to do with getting enough vitamin D?

Vitamin D doesn't occur naturally in many foods. That's why certain foods have added vitamin D. In fact, newer food nutrition labels show the amount of vitamin D contained in a particular food item.

It may be difficult, especially for vegans or people who are lactose-intolerant, to get enough vitamin D from their diets, which is why some people may choose to take supplements. It is always important to eat a variety of healthy foods from all food groups. The vitamin content of various foods is shown in the following table.

Vitamin D content of various foods

Food	Vitamin D content in International Units (IUs) per serving
Cod liver oil, 1 tablespoon	1360
Swordfish, cooked, 3 ounces	566
Salmon (sockeye) cooked, 3 ounces	447
Tuna, canned in water, drained, 3 ounces	154
Orange juice fortified with vitamin D, 1 cup	137
Milk, vitamin-fortified, 1 cup	115-124
Yogurt, fortified with 20% of the daily value of vitamin D, 6 ounces	80
Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 2 sardines	46
Liver, beef, cooked, 3 ounces	42
Egg yolk, 1 large	41
Cereal, fortified with 10% of the daily value of vitamin D, 1 cup	40
Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce	6

Source: Vitamin D. Health Professionals. Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet. National Institutes of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements. August 7, 2019.

It is important to check product labels, as the amount of added vitamin D varies when it is artificially added to products such as orange juice, yogurt and margarine.

How much vitamin D do you need?

In healthy people, the amount of vitamin D needed per day varies by age. The chart below shows the often-cited recommendations of the Institute of Medicine, now the Health and Medicine Division of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. It is important to know that these are general recommendations. If your doctor is checking your blood levels, he or she might recommend higher or lower doses based on your individual needs.

If you have osteoporosis, your doctor might suggest a blood test of your vitamin D levels. The amount of vitamin D supplement can be customized for each person, based on the results. For many older patients, a vitamin D supplement containing anywhere between 800 to 2000 IUs daily, which can be obtained without a prescription, can be both safe and beneficial. It is important to speak with your doctor about your individual needs.

People by age	Recommended dietary allowance (IU/day)	Upper level intake (IU/day)
Infants 0-6 months*	400	1,000
Infants 6-12 months*	400	1,500
Children 1-3 years old	600	2,500
Children 4-8 years old	600	3,000
People 9-70 years old	600	4,000
People over 70 years old	800	4,000
Females 14-50 years old, pregnant/lactating	600	4,000

*refers to adequate intake vs recommended dietary allowance of the other age groups.

Symptoms and Causes

What causes vitamin D deficiency?

Vitamin D deficiency can be caused by specific medical conditions, such as:

• Cystic fibrosis , Crohn's disease, and celiac disease : These diseases do not allow the intestines to absorb enough vitamin D through supplements.
• Weight loss surgeries. Weight loss surgeries that reduce the size of the stomach and/or bypasses part of the small intestines make it very difficult to consume sufficient quantities of certain nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. These individuals need to be carefully monitored by their doctors and need to continue to take vitamin D and other supplements throughout their lives.
• Obesity : A body mass index greater than 30 is associated with lower vitamin D levels. Fat cells keep vitamin D isolated so that it is not released. Vitamin D deficiency is more likely in obese people. Obesity often makes it necessary to take larger doses of vitamin D supplements in order to reach and maintain normal D levels.
• Kidney and liver diseases: These diseases reduce the amount of an enzyme needed to change vitamin D to a form that is used in the body. Lack of this enzyme leads to an inadequate level of active vitamin D in the body.

What other factors can lead to vitamin D deficiency?

• Age: The skin's ability to make vitamin D lessens with age.
• Mobility: People who are homebound or are rarely outside (for example, people in nursing homes and other facilities) are not able to use sun exposure as a source of vitamin D.
• Skin color: Dark-colored skin is less able to make vitamin D than fair-colored skin.
• Human breast milk: A woman's breast milk only contains a small amount of vitamin D. Often infant formulas also only include a small amount of D also. Therefore infants are at risk of not receiving enough vitamin D. This is especially true for infants who are only fed breast milk.

Can medications cause a vitamin D deficiency?

Yes. Vitamin D levels can be lowered by certain medications. These include:

• Laxatives.
• Steroids (such as prednisone).
• Cholesterol-lowering drugs (such as cholestyramine and colestipol).
• Seizure-control drugs (such as phenobarbital and phenytoin).
• A tuberculosis drug (rifampin).
• A weight-loss drug (orlistat).

Always tell your doctor about the drugs you take and any vitamin D supplements or other supplements or herbs/alternative health products that you take.

What are the signs and symptoms of vitamin D deficiency?

Severe lack of vitamin D causes rickets, which shows up in children as incorrect growth patterns, weakness in muscles, pain in bones and deformities in joints. This is very rare. However, children who are deficient in vitamin D can also have muscle weakness or sore and painful muscles.

Lack of vitamin D is not quite as obvious in adults. Signs and symptoms might include:

• Fatigue.
• Bone pain.
• Muscle weakness, muscle aches, or muscle cramps.
• Mood changes, like depression.

Diagnosis and Tests

How is a vitamin D deficiency diagnosed?

Your doctor can order a blood test to measure your levels of vitamin D. There are two types of tests that might be ordered, but the most common is the 25-hydroxyvitamin D, known as 25(OH)D for short. For the blood test, a technician will use a needle to take blood from a vein. You do not need to fast or otherwise prepare for this type of test.

What do vitamin D test results mean?

There are some differing opinions about what levels of vitamin D work the best for each person. Laboratories might use different numbers for reference. Please discuss your results with your doctor.

How often do you need to get your vitamin D levels checked?

Doctors do not usually order routine checks of vitamin D levels, but they might need to check your levels if you have certain medical conditions or risk factors for vitamin D deficiency. Sometimes vitamin D levels can be checked as a cause of symptoms such as long-lasting body aches, a history of falls or bone fractures without significant trauma.

Management and Treatment

How is vitamin D deficiency treated?

The goals of treatment and prevention are the same—to reach, and then maintain, an adequate level of vitamin D in the body. While you might consider eating more foods that contain vitamin D and getting a little bit of sunlight, you will likely be told to take vitamin D supplements.

Vitamin D comes in two forms: D2 and D3. D2, also called ergocalciferol, comes from plants. D3, also called cholecalciferol, comes from animals. You need a prescription to get D2. D3, however, is available over the counter. It is more easily absorbed than D2 and lasts longer in the body dose-for-dose. Work with your doctor to find out if you need to take a vitamin supplement and how much to take if it is needed.

Can you ever have too much vitamin D?

Yes. You can get too much vitamin D if you overdo the supplements. Interestingly, you cannot get too much vitamin D from the sun. Vitamin D toxicity is, thankfully, quite rare but can lead to hypercalcemia and together the symptoms can include:

• Nausea.
• Increased thirst and urination.
• Poor appetite.
• Constipation.
• Weakness.
• Confusion.
• Ataxia (a neurological condition that may cause slurring of words and stumbling).

Do not take higher-than-recommended doses of vitamin D without first discussing it with your doctor. However, your doctor might recommend higher doses of vitamin D if he or she is checking your blood levels and adjusting your dose accordingly. Also, be cautious about getting large doses of vitamin A along with the D in some fish oils. Vitamin A can also reach toxic levels and can cause serious problems.

Prevention

How can I help prevent vitamin D deficiency?

The goals of treating and preventing the lack of vitamin D of treatment and prevention are the same—to reach and keep an adequate level of vitamin D in the body. Your healthcare provider will let you know if you need to take or keep taking vitamin D supplements. If so, they will also let you know how much you should take. You might also want to consider:

Eating more foods that contain vitamin D: See the vitamin D food sources table included in this article. Keep in mind that foods alone usually don't meet the daily recommended levels of vitamin D.

Getting some exposure to sunshine—but not too much: Exactly how much sun exposure is needed isn't clear. 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure two to three times a week to the face, arms, legs or back may be all that is needed to absorb a suitable amount of vitamin D. You might need more sun exposure (especially in early spring and late fall) if:

• You are older.
• You have a darker skin color.
• You live in northern climates.

The use of sunscreen, and standing behind a window, prevents vitamin D from being produced in the skin. However, you should remember that too much sunshine increases the risk of skin cancer and ages the skin. That is why taking an appropriately dosed D supplement is far safer than intentionally getting routine sun exposure.

What Does Low Vitamin D Mean

Source: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15050-vitamin-d--vitamin-d-deficiency

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