Teenagers with low vitamin D levels are twice as likely to have health problems

Added 01.04.2009

You may tend to associate vitamin D with bone and teeth health and while you are absolutely correct, vitamin D's beneficial properties extend way beyond that.

Autoimmune diseases, depression, vision loss, osteoporosis, respiratory diseases and cancer linked to vitamin D deficiency

In just the past few years numerous studies have linked vitamin D deficiency to autoimmune diseases, osteoporosis, depression, vision loss, respiratory conditions and some types of cancer. You may be thinking that shouldn't concern you because you are not vitamin D deficient; but consider this fact: if you live in the Northern hemisphere, there is a 70 percent likelihood you are deficient. During the winter months when the sun is so weak, you are probably not producing any vitamin D at all. Even if you live in the Southern hemisphere, if you are not getting about 20 minutes of daily sun exposure, you are also very possibly lacking vitamin D.

Researchers are discovering that vitamin D is much more important than simply keeping our bones strong and healthy. It is a key player in our overall health and is important for maintaining a strong immune system.

Most teenagers today are at risk of developing serious diseases due to vitamin D deficiency

Now imagine teenagers who have come to lead sedentary lives away from the sun and in front of the computer and television and who the majority of which tend to eat unhealthy, unbalanced diets. An American study from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, USA, confirms that a large portion of teenagers are deficient in vitamin D.

Teenagers risk high blood pressure, high blood sugar and metabolic syndrome

Scientists have recently found that these teenagers are twice as likely to suffer from health problems. Their findings, presented at the Amercian Heart Association's 49th annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention in Florida, show that teenagers with low levels of vitamin D were more than two times as likely to have high blood pressure, 2.5 times as likely to have high blood sugar and almost four times as likely to have metabolic syndrome - a spectrum of risk factors for heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

Low levels of vitamin D make you fat

One of the metabolic syndrome risk factors is abdominal fat and a study also presented at the 49th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention found that teenagers with low levels of vitamin D had more abdominal fat.

How to obtain sufficient amounts of vitamin D

Natural sources of vitamin D can be found in dairy products and fatty fish (salmon, tuna, sardines etc.); but the amount available of this crucial vitamin is simply just not enough. More than 80 percent of your vitamin D comes from the sun. Getting daily sun exposure could significantly help you to reach optimal levels of vitamin D; but let's be honest with ourselves, it is virtually impossible to get 20 to 30 minutes of adequate sunshine ALL year round, especially with the lifestyle teenagers live nowadays. So what's the alternative? Many scientists believe that supplementing with vitamin D is the best way to ensure optimal levels.

What's the optimal amount of vitamin D for teenagers?

The American Academy of Pediatricians have recommended to increase daily doses of vitamin D for children and teenagers from 200 IU to 400 IU; however, scientists believe that may not be enough and that at least 1,000 IU should be taken every day to prevent health conditions and remain healthy. Some researchers recommend that you take 2,000 IU if you want to stay healthy. And it's not any kind of vitamin D either that you should be taking. There are two forms of vitamin D: vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (choleocalciferol). Vitamin D2 is the plant form while vitamin D3 is the type produced by our bodies in response to sunlight exposure and can be obtained in small quantities from food. Vitamin D3 is more bioavailable than vitamin D2, so make sure if you take vitamin D supplements that you are taking this form.

References:

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