Vitamin D

Vitamin D: Valuable health ally for all ages

It is a fat-soluble vitamin that is synthesized in the body mainly through the effect of the sun's ultraviolet radiation on our skin, but it is also absorbed by the consumption of certain foods with a main role in the proper development of our bones and the promotion of the health of our skeleton

However, in recent years, a number of scientific studies have highlighted the important role of vitamin D in the overall health of the body.





The importance of


It all starts with calcium, an element important for the good condition of our skeleton, as well as the proper functioning of our muscles, heart and immune system. However, since our body cannot synthesize calcium by itself, it is necessary to obtain it from food so that the body creates "stores" for the skeleton. But how does calcium get absorbed from the gut and eventually end up in the bones to build up these important stores? With the help of vitamin D! Its main function consists in the absorption of calcium by the body. That is why its lack is linked to osteoporosis.
In addition, recently we have evidence that vitamin D also helps the cardiovascular and muscular system function well.


How do we cover what daily needs in vitamin D


Every day we need 400 units of vitamin D. It has been shown that about 90% of the vitamin D we need comes from the sun. How; Ultraviolet radiation breaks down the cholesterol found in the skin and this is how vitamin D is synthesized. It has even been calculated that 20 minutes of daily exposure to the sun (upper extremities and face) is enough to get the amount we need. The remaining 10% of vitamin D we need comes from food (dairy, eggs and fatty fish). Therefore, it is obvious that the most important source of vitamin D is the sun and diet works as a supplement.





The paradox


So, since vitamin D is synthesized with the help of the sun, then we Greeks who live in a sunny country should have as much vitamin D as we need, one would think. Nevertheless, things are not like that and, according to research, the Mediterranean peoples seem to have a paradoxical deficiency or at least not a sufficient amount of vitamin D in our bodies.