It’s important to take vitamin D as you may have been indoors more than usual this year.

You should take 10 micrograms (400 IU) of vitamin D a day between October and early March to keep your bones and muscles healthy.

There have been some reports about vitamin D reducing the risk of coronavirus (COVID-19). But there is currently not enough evidence to support taking vitamin D to prevent or treat coronavirus.

In Depression

Vitamin D was found to be low in depressed individuals. It is not clear whether D deficiency leads to depression or the other way around. There are many studies going on to see if there is any role for vitamin D in treating depression.But anyway, it is recommended to have normal levels of it in your blood.

In Flu

Research has shown that children taking vitamin D have lower rates of catching flu in the winter months. The mechanism for that is still not exactly understood, but it is clear that vitamin D is important for the immune system. The body can’t resist the germs without enough vitamin D.

In Multiple Sclerosis

MS is a disease where your immune system attacks your nerves. Vitamin D has been shown to help prevent it from happening. In case you already have it, the vitamin can ease your symptoms a little and slow the progress.

For Cancer Connection

Certain cancers like colon, breast and prostate are more in people with vitamin D deficiency. In one clinical trial, African Americans’ risk to get cancer was down by 23% when they took vitamin D supplements.

Bone Building

To slow bone loss with age vitamin D levels need to be normal. It is necessary to prevent osteoporosis and reduce the risk of fractures in old age. The vitamin is essential for bones.

Weight

Vitamin D, taken with calcium, can reduce the feeling of hunger. This means fewer calories and loss of some weight.

You Are What You Eat

A spoonful of cod liver oil has about 1,360 IU of vitamin D. If that is plausible for you, try other foods rich in vitamin D. Examples include : salmon, tuna, sardines, swordfish, orange juice , yogurt and milk. So are egg yolk, beef liver and fortified cereals

Get Some Sun

While it is recommended to protect your skin from sun rays but you also need some sun exposure to make vitamin D. You can get that by being in the sun 15-20 minutes a day thrice a week.

Strike a balance

There are a lot of factors that can prevent you from getting enough vitamin D. These include : age more than 50 , dark skin, geographic area, obesity, milk allergy, absorption disorders , some meds.

Using sun screens can interfere also but abandoning sunscreens can increase the risk of skin cancer. That makes prolonged exposure to the sun a bad option. So you have to look for other sources of vitamin D too.