Summer is the season for sunshine. Sunlight is our body’s main source of vital vitamin D. Worried about getting too much or too little vitamin D? Experts say that by knowing your body and following regular sun protection measures, you can have a worry-free summer.
Vitamin D Basics
Maddie Draper, APRN, a healthcare provider with OSF OnCall, says vitamin D is a nutrient our bodies need to produce calcium, which helps build strong teeth and bones. So, logically, a lack of vitamin D leads to brittle bones (putting you at greater risk for injury after a fall) and muscle aches and pains. People with a vitamin D deficiency: do not have Symptoms will appear. In either case, your doctor will order blood tests to confirm the problem and may recommend that you take supplements, which are usually prescribed in pill form or can be purchased over the counter, either alone or as part of a multivitamin.
“Or, before starting a supplement, your doctor might first talk you through foods that are rich in vitamin D,” Draper says, “such as oily fish, egg yolks, some cheeses, and mushrooms.”
Draper added that pregnant women, infants (especially breastfed infants), older people and people with darker skin are often deficient in vitamin D.
On the other hand, while rare, it’s possible to get too much vitamin D, Draper says. Symptoms can include nausea, vomiting and palpitations (a feeling of a fast, pounding or irregular heartbeat). It can also damage the kidneys.
