Strong bones allow you to run, jump, tussle with your kids, and lug heavy groceries inside. One way to ensure you maintain the health of your bones and teeth is to take enough vitamin D. This vitamin plays many roles in the body but is essential for bone health. It can also support a healthy immune system.

What is vitamin D for, and how much vitamin D per day do you need? In this article, we’ll answer important questions like “What is vitamin D for?” and “How much vitamin D do you need?” We’ll also discuss symptoms of vitamin D deficiency and list what foods contain vitamin D.

What Is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a vitamin that the body doesn’t make on its own. Instead, to get vitamin D, you can absorb it directly from sunlight, get it from certain foods, or take vitamin D supplements. 

One of the best ways to get enough vitamin D in your life is to simply spend time outdoors on a sunny day. Take a walk, garden, or simply sit outside for a few minutes. Just be careful and use sunscreen as needed. After all, we know too much sunlight can also cause sunburns.

What Is Vitamin D for?

If you want to live a long and healthy life, you’ll need to maintain strong bones and teeth. That’s where vitamin D comes in. This vitamin doesn’t directly improve bone health, but it does allow your body to absorb calcium and phosphorus. Calcium, as you may know, comes from dairy products and improves our bone strength. Phosphorus is also responsible for bone strength and keeping your teeth healthy. It can balance the pH levels in your blood and ensure your nerves and muscles function correctly.

What Are the Benefits of Vitamin D?

When your body has a sufficient amount of vitamin D, you can live a healthier life. We know vitamin D helps our bodies strengthen our bones and control blood pressure. What does that mean for us, though?

The Physical Benefits of Vitamin D

With enough vitamin D, your bones can grow strong and healthy, so you can play sports, run, and enjoy an active life. Vitamin D is also known for reducing the chances of getting cancer or heart disease.

The Psychological Benefits of Vitamin D

This vitamin is connected to psychological benefits as well. Vitamin D can improve your mood. How? Many people can get Vitamin D from the sun. When your body is in sunlight, it can absorb and transform that light into vitamin D. This kind of vitamin acquisition is proven to improve negative moods and positively impact depression.

What Is Vitamin D Deficiency?

Vitamin D deficiency may be more common than you think, with roughly 35% of adults in the United States suffering from a vitamin D deficiency. Many of these people may not even realize that their symptoms are the result of a deficiency.

What Causes a Vitamin D Deficiency?

Life can be busy, and not everyone has the ability to spend time outside or focus on eating a healthy and well-balanced diet. These factors and several others can lead to or worsen a vitamin D deficiency:

• Lack of time spent outside: One of the best ways to get vitamin D is from the sun. If you don’t go outside often or work the night shift, you may have difficulties getting enough sunlight.
• Too much sunscreen: Sunscreen is a good thing that can help protect your skin from burns, premature aging, and some forms of cancer. However, if you always wear sunscreen, you may not get healthy sun on your skin. It’s important to find a balance.
• Cloudy skies and pollution: Some of us simply live in areas that don’t get abundant sunlight. Others live in urban areas where buildings can block sunlight. Areas with a lot of pollution can also block sunlight.
• Diet restraints: Vitamin D is found most often in certain kinds of meat and dairy foods. If you are a vegetarian or vegan or eat a lot of processed foods, you may not get much vitamin D in your diet. It may be a good idea to take vitamin D supplements.

Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency 

One of the reasons so many Americans suffer from vitamin D deficiency is that the symptoms can come on gradually and may be mistaken for other things. Some of the most common symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are:

• General fatigue
• Aches and pain
• Muscle pain
• Bone pain
• Stress fractures

How to Test for Vitamin D Deficiency 

Do you think you may have vitamin D deficiency? Your doctor can look at your levels of vitamin D using a simple blood test. If your levels are low, your doctor may suggest you take a vitamin D supplement. Many daily vitamins also include vitamin D. Your doctor can help you determine the right amount of vitamin D depending on your age, activity level, and other factors.

Want to get a fast dose of vitamin D? Another option is to request a vitamin D IM injection. 

How Much Vitamin D Is Enough?

Most children and adults need 600 to 800 international units (IU) of vitamin D. Elderly folks may require over 800 IU depending on their health. There are a few different ways to get vitamin D into your body.

First, take advantage of the outside. On sunny days, your skin absorbs and transforms ultraviolet B rays into vitamin D. Sit outside for 25 minutes a couple of times each week. You will have a sufficient dose of vitamin D.

What Foods Contain Vitamin D?

Some foods carry vitamin D, and you can easily add them to your diet. These foods include:

• Salmon
• Mushrooms
• Cheese
• Egg yolks
• Red meat

Other options to consider are vitamin supplements and IV treatments, like Rocky Mountain IV Medics’ Immune Plus IV Drip which includes a vitamin D IM injection. Just make sure to check with your doctor first.

Rocky Mountain IV Medics Has IV Drips With Vitamin D

If you are concerned about how much vitamin D you get per day, contact Rocky Mountain IV Medics today. Our IV drips come with various essential vitamins and minerals you need to keep yourself healthy and happy. If you have an IV therapy that you already like, add a vitamin D IM injection to it for an extra charge.

To get started, schedule an appointment online today. You can also call or text us at (720) 987-2155.