With the warming of the weather and the new normalization process, the time we spend outside has begun to increase. This being the case, it became necessary to replenish vitamin D stores in order to avoid deficiency during the year.
What is vitamin D? Why does vitamin D deficiency occur? What are the best sources of vitamin D? Let's take a look together.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble component that can be stored in the body. Although it can be stored in the body, vitamin D intake is insufficient in 99.1% of the population because it is activated by sunlight. Dietary sources of vitamin D; cod fish oil and fatty fish such as salmon and sardines, milk, eggs, liver, fortified foods, margarine, butter, egg yolk. However, it is very difficult to meet the need for vitamin D with food. The main source of vitamin D is the sun.
Factors such as the time spent under the sun, the season and the angle of incidence of sunlight affect the intake of vitamin D into the body.
In our country, the months between November and April are when the sun's rays are oblique. The effect of sunbathing is less than in other months. In the summer months when the sun is vertical, sunbathing between 10.00 and 16.00 increases the risk of skin cancer. That's why people use sunscreen. Vitamin D formation decreases in the skin where sunscreen is used.
In addition, since glass refracts the sun's rays, sunbathing behind glass at home prevents the formation of vitamin D. Vitamin D formation also decreases in people who work in closed areas and do not go out during the day. In dark-skinned people, compared to light-skinned people; Vitamin D formation by sunbathing is less in older people than in young people.
So how should vitamin D be taken into the body? In summer months in Turkey, sufficient vitamin D is formed in the body by sunbathing for 15-30 minutes with arms and legs open in sunny weather.
Do not forget to check your vitamin D level with a blood test at least once a year. In case of deficiency, be sure to supplement it with supplements.
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