There is no doubt about it: Our bodies need vitamin D needs. It helps regulate the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in our bones, helps our cells communicate with each other, and helps to strengthen our immune system. But can vitamin D supplementation provide additional health benefits?
Previous research has shown that it is – especially if you suffer from various vitamin D deficiency symptoms. In this article, we, therefore, describe the importance of this vitamin for a healthy immune system .
How vitamin D works
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. There are five forms of this vitamin – D1, D2, D3, D4, and D5. However, vitamins D2 and D3 seem to be the most important in the human body.Sunlight is the main source of vitamin D for the body. There is no set amount of time a person should spend in the sunlight to get a good amount of this vitamin. You don’t necessarily have to tan your skin to get enough vitamin D.
The sun’s UV rays turn a chemical in the skin into vitamin D3, which is then transferred to the liver and kidneys. There it is subsequently converted into active vitamin D.
Some foods, such as oily fish and eggs, also contain the vitamin, although it is present in very small amounts in these resources.
In addition, there are nutritional supplements that contain this vitamin, such as certain types of healthy multivitamins. Once consumed, it is transported to the liver and processed in the same way.
An important function of this essential vitamin is to increase the absorption of calcium – a process crucial for good bone health. It also helps strengthen the immune system and, as previously described, helps cells communicate with each other in the body.
A healthier immune system thanks to vitamin D
In recent years, much research has been conducted into the relationship between vitamin D and our immune system. And that’s not surprising. After all, this has partly to do with scientific studies into vitamin D and the coronavirus.
Recent research has focused on how this vitamin affects the body’s immune system — specifically, its ability to produce T cells, which help fight infection.
By studying cells from both mice and humans, researchers discovered that this vitamin causes more T cells to be produced. This logically has a positive impact on strengthening the immune system.
These findings are important for understanding how a vitamin D deficiency affects the immune system and may make people more susceptible to autoimmune diseases. Making sure you get enough of this vitamin can boost your immune system.
How much of this vitamin should you take?
How much of this vitamin you need depends on many factors. These include, for example, age, race, season, sun exposure, clothing, and more. The Nutrition Center’s recommendations on Vitamin D suggest that an average daily intake of 10-20 micrograms is sufficient for most individuals.
However, some studies have shown that the daily intake should be higher than that dose – for example when you are not exposed to the sun. Always discuss this with a doctor first. As with all supplements, you should never exceed the recommended daily amount.