MYTHS about Vitamin D

MYTHS about Vitamin D #1
One very interesting myth about Vitamin D is contained in its moniker! You see, Vitamin D is not actually a vitamin. While it is quite essential to the body, and for this reason is referred to as one, Vitamin D is actually a hormone!

MYTHS about Vitamin D #2
As it is commonly known, Vitamin D is made in the body by sun exposure. This is a true fact, however it is a myth to believe that a sufficient amount of vitamin D can be gained in the body simply by normal day-to-day exposure to the sun. Unless someone spends large amounts of time outdoors, most people do not get enough sunshine in their everyday lives to produce the required amount of vitamin D. Purposely sunning to try and avoid Vitamin D deficiency is definitely not a good idea! In order for your skin to absorb the sun's rays, you would have to go out in the sun unprotected by sunscreen. Instead of preventing a deficiency, this could very likely cause skin cancer.

MYTHS about Vitamin D #3
The next myth is that the proper level of Vitamin D can be sufficiently gained through diet. This is incorrect, as the body naturally produces Vitamin D-3. Food sold in supermarkets generally contains Vitamin D-2 when the label states that the product has Vitamin D. In fact, in addition to this statement, recent studies show that the amount of Vitamin D listed on the labels of most foods is completely inaccurate more than half of the time!

MYTHS about Vitamin D #4
Another myth regarding Vitamin D is that it should be avoided by pregnant and breastfeeding women. Regardless of whether or not you are pregnant, it is encouraged that all individuals receive 400 IU of Vitamin D on a daily basis. Babies should receive 210 IU of Vitamin D each day. Since Vitamin D crosses over into the breast milk, it is better to make sure the mother receives 4,000 IU of vitamin D instead of supplementing the child's diet.