Vitamin D Essay

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Recommended: True hypercalcemia

Full Description of the Nutrient:
Vitamin D, also known as the “sunshine vitamin” because it can be made naturally by the human body when exposed to the sun, is a fat-soluble nutrient that absorbs calcium and works with it to improve overall health and to build strong, healthy bones. It is important in making sure that the lungs, muscles, heart, and brain work well and that the body is capable of fighting off infections. In addition to maintaining your health, vitamin D also allows for nerves to carry messages between the brain and every other part of the body. All in all, vitamin D is very important for the human body.

Requirements of this Nutrient throughout the Life Cycle:
*IU means international units, mcg means micrograms
Age Group Recommended Intake Per Day Tolerable Intake Per Day
Infants 0 – 6 months 400 IU (10 mcg) 1000 IU (25 mcg)
Infants 7 – 12 months 400 IU (10 mcg) 1500 IU (38 mcg)
Children 1 – 3 years 600 IU (15 mcg) 2500 IU (63 mcg)
Children 4 – 8 years 600 IU (15 mcg) 3000 IU (75 mcg)
Children and Adults
9 – 70 years 600 IU (15 mcg) 4000 IU (100 mcg)
Adults 70+ years 800 IU (20 mcg) 4000 IU (100 mcg)
Pregnancy and Lactation 600 IU (15 mcg) 4000 IU (100 mcg)

The Effects of an Imbalance of this Nutrient, Prevalence, Causes, and Treatment:
The prevalence of the following imbalances is varied as it is depended on one’s living conditions. For example, people who live in higher altitudes and high northern latitudes may experience more sun exposure. Thus, the commonness of the two imbalances below can be high and low depending on one’s living conditions.

-Too Much Vitamin D:
Having a higher intake than the tolerable intake per day can result in vitamin D toxicity, which is caused when the body is ha...

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Information on the latest vitamin D news and research.. (n.d.). Vitamin D Council. Retrieved from https://www.vitamindcouncil.org/

Mathur, R., & Stöppler, M. C. (n.d.). Hypercalcemia (Elevated Calcium Levels) symptoms, causes, treatment - How is hypercalcemia diagnosed? - MedicineNet. MedicineNet. Retrieved from http://www.medicinenet.com/hypercalcemia/page4.htm#how_is_hypercalcemia_treated

Nair, R., & Maseeh, A. (n.d.). Vitamin D: The “sunshine” vitamin. National Center for
Biotechnology Information. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3356951/

Vitamin D. (n.d.). — QuickFacts. Retrieved from http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-QuickFacts/ Vitamin D and calcium: Updated dietary reference intakes. (n.d.). Health Canada. Retrieved , from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/vitamin/vita-d-eng.php

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