Don’t be D-ficient

One of my favorite TV commercials is “The Milk Carton Guy” which aired about 10 years ago. The scene: A guy in a milk carton costume and sunglasses is hanging around a neighborhood basketball court watching some dudes shoot hoops and giving them (good) grief. Mr. Milk Carton tells the guys in heckler-fashion that if they want strong bones, they need to ditch the sports drinks and move over to milk.

One of the Milk Carton Guy’s lines is, “You want D? You need me!”

Today we know that it’s really hard to get enough vitamin D through food and beverages, even when drinking three—or even four—cups of milk every day.

With sun exposure, our own skin can make vitamin D. But in places where the sun don’t shine (much) such as Michigan, and where sunscreen use is the order of the day, most people are D-ficient.

The current recommendation for vitamin D intake from the Institute of Medicine is 200-600 International Units (IUs) daily, depending on age. However, scientists realize we need more vitamin D than previously believed, and for more reasons than previously known. In addition to backing bone health, vitamin D may help prevent heart disease, cancers, depression and diabetes.

For optimal health, new studies suggest that adults need closer to 1,000 IUs of vitamin D daily—-maybe more.

To put that in perspective:
3 ½ ounces cooked salmon = 360 IUs vitamin D
3 ½ ounces cooked tuna = 200 IUs
1 cup vitamin D-fortified milk = 100 IUs
1 egg = 20 IUs

Talk to your doctor or dietitian about vitamin D. The dietitian’s mantra that people who eat a well-balanced diet don’t need supplements doesn’t necessarily apply to vitamin D.

Note: Experts suggest getting at least 15 minutes of direct sun a day before applying sunscreen, except for those with sun-sensitive skin or at risk for skin cancer.

		Supplement Your Knowledge of Vitamin D (from WebMD)
		Vitamin D Council Web site