The Oklahoman

Give your body the vitamin D-fense it needs

- BY RYAN STEWART Ryan Stewart is media relations coordinato­r for Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation.

Winter drives most of us indoors to escape the cold. But while cozying up inside is great for staying warm, it may leave us short in another important area: vitamin D.

Known as the “sunshine vitamin,” vitamin D is essential for strengthen­ing bones, proper cell growth and bolstering the immune system.

“Sunlight is the key to producing this vitamin, which happens when our skin is exposed to ultraviole­t rays,” Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation President Dr. Stephen Prescott said. “That’s fine in the summer, when we’re spending a lot of time outdoors. But when temperatur­es drop and we head inside, it’s important to find new sources of vitamin D.”

Unfortunat­ely, not a lot of foods naturally contain vitamin D. As a result, it’s added to foods like milk, orange juice and breakfast cereals. Vitamin D supplement­s also are available.

“Other vitamins and minerals are usually consumed in appropriat­e levels by eating a sensible, balanced diet,” Prescott said. “But with most people, this isn’t the case with vitamin D.”

Prescott recommends that all adults consider a vitamin D supplement. “It’s especially important for women and all older people,” he said.

Vitamin D is critical to bone health, and a deficiency can predispose these groups to osteoporos­is and other related bone-health problems. Bone issues, though, are not the only concern. Vitamin D deficiency also is being studied for its links to diabetes, cancer, hypertensi­on and autoimmune disorders.

What makes vitamin D deficiency so dangerous, Prescott said, is that most people don’t recognize the problem until it’s too late.

“It’ll sneak up on you. There are no obvious symptoms. Things like broken bones wouldn’t occur until an advanced stage,” he said. “Obviously, that’s not something you want to happen.”

As is so often the case, Prescott said, an ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure.

“Vitamin D supplement­s are safe and inexpensiv­e. And they can protect you from a multitude of problems down the road.”

 ?? [AP FILE PHOTO] ?? Vitamin D pills are displayed Nov. 9, 2016, in New York.
[AP FILE PHOTO] Vitamin D pills are displayed Nov. 9, 2016, in New York.

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