This week: All about Vitamin D

This week: All about Vitamin D

A new review by Tori Trachtenberg and Danik Martirosyan in the journal Bioactive Compounds in Health and Disease garnered significant attention in functional food networks last week.?You can read the full research paper here: https://www.ffhdj.com/index.php/BioactiveCompounds/article/view/1364

The article “Addressing Vitamin D deficiency through nutritional strategies” did just what its title suggests.?

One key point from the article which provides background on Vitamin D synthesis and absorption is that “Vitamin D consists of vitamin D2, also known as ergocalciferol, and vitamin D3, also known as cholecalciferol. Vitamin D3 3 is generated in human skin from … ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure or through vitamin D3-containing foods.”

Why is Vitamin D so important?

Vitamin D plays a critical role in cardiovascular health, immune system function, and brain health. When a person fails to meet their needs for this compound, they face heightened health risks.?

These can include thyroid issues, mental health struggles, strokes, and more severe degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. So, what can we do to mitigate these risks?

What are the solutions?

This table is a modified version of the provided table from the NIH.

The article suggests a few ways to address Vitamin D deficiencies. Firstly, an individual should confirm that they have a deficiency of this compound before taking any measures. This can be found by assessing “Serum 25(OH)D concentration [which] serves as a crucial biomarker, with levels below 20 ng/mL being indicative of deficiency.”

Once one has determined their needs, “strategies to address deficiency encompass dietary modifications, food fortification, and supplementation.”?

However, selecting the supplementation approach requires tailoring regimens to one’s needs to avoid toxicity risks associated with Vitamin D3 supplementation.?

Therefore, incorporating fortified foods into a daily diet shows great promise in addressing Vitamin D deficiency and promoting holistic approaches.?

Food for Thought

  1. What foods from the list would you recommend for yourself or others?
  2. Are there co-benefits of changing a diet to optimize Vitamin D uptake?
  3. What challenges lie ahead for the research community on this front?


Have questions or comments? Email us at [email protected].

For updates and to subscribe to this newsletter, please visit https://lnkd.in/g-8YYvHB.


Sincerely,

Functional Food Center/Functional Food Institute



Sooki B.

BetterHelp Mental Health Scholar | Psychology @ USC

7 个月

It’s a very interesting article; Vitamin D is a deficiency all too common in the United States. Fish, cereals, and milk may not be able to be consumed by all patient populations due to personal dietary restrictions or medical conditions (veganism, cereals often contain a lot of added sugar, lactose intolerance), so it could be worthwhile for dieticians and other health experts, as well as the general public, to look into other fortified vitamin D alternative drinks and foods as well.

Dr. Meruzhan Zadayan

Head of Research Department

7 个月

Very informative

回复

要查看或添加评论,请登录

Functional Food Center/Functional Food Institute的更多文章

社区洞察

其他会员也浏览了