Vitamin D the Sunshine Vitamin by Zoe Stallings, M.D.

 I love the golden sun. Something about its rays makes me feel centered. I grew up on an island and I am a sun lover. Living in the tropics allowed me to take advantage of so many natural resources. However, I have started exploring and researching more about Vitamin D which was abundantly available on my island home. Here is what I learned.

• Vitamin D is called the sunshine vitamin because it is produced in your skin in response to sunlight.
• Vitamin D is fat soluble. 
• Vitamin D regulates our metabolism of calcium and phosphorus. 
• Vitamin D is helpful for a robust immune response. 
• Vitamin D is helps our bone health and decreases your chances of developing heart disease. 
• Vitamin D helps boost cognition and reduces depression.

Vitamin D deficiency risk factors in adults: 

• People who have darker skin. 
• People who get limited exposure to sunlight. People who work 12 hour shifts inside. 
• People who have difficulty absorbing dietary fat (because of conditions such as colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and cystic fibrosis). 
• People with dietary restrictions, such as veganism, milk-allergic, ovo-vegetarian, and lactose-intolerance. 
• People who are obese (with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30). 
• People with kidney disease, including kidney transplant recipients. 
• People who take medicines called glucocorticoids. 
• People who live in northern states. This is especially true during winter months. The farther south you live, the easier it is to get your vitamin D from sun exposure all year round. 

 https://familydoctor.org/vitamin-d/#:~:text=Vitamin%20D%20deficiency%20can%20delay,of%20bone%20fractures%20and%20falls. 

Author

Zoe Stallings, MD Dr. Stallings is the owner/operator of the MUST Clinic, PLLC. She is constantly studying and loves to write. She enjoys social media as a means of communication with her patients. She has also been featured on podcasts and local news segments. Her hobbies include reading, writing and cooking.