Vitamin D 25mcg

Yamamoto® Nutrition’s Vitamin D is a dietary supplement that provides 25 mcg of vitamin D per capsule, and can be used in all cases of increased requirements or decreased intake of this vitamin. Vitamin D is essential for promoting healthy bones and teeth, supporting the immune system and preventing the onset of cardiovascular disease.

Our body usually produces vitamin D through exposure to sunlight. However, we are often unable to expose ourselves to the sun long enough to synthesise the necessary amount of this vitamin (at least 15 minutes of direct exposure every day are required). In addition, many food sources of vitamin D are not sufficient for meeting our daily requirements, as it is mainly contained in foods of animal origin, such as fish, meat, eggs and dairy products. Plant-based foods, on the other hand, contain only negligible traces of vitamin D, with the exception of mushrooms. However, the use of monounsaturated fatty acids in cooking, such as those found in extra virgin olive oil, can improve the absorption of vitamin D, since this vitamin is fat-soluble. Despite these measures, we generally cover only 20% of our vitamin D requirements. For this reason, people are increasingly turning to vitamin D supplements, not only in the case of problems such as osteoporosis and the menopause, and in the elderly, children and infants, but also to ensure an adequate intake of this essential nutrient.

Although Vitamin D is often associated with bone health, in actual fact this vitamin plays a crucial role in many other aspects of health. Vitamin D is a ‘para-hormone‘ that acts on organs and systems in exactly the same way as a hormone, and is essential for the proper functioning of the skeletal system, because it stimulates the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, which keeps the bones and teeth healthy. Vitamin D is also involved in almost 3,000 genes in the human body, where its receptors are ubiquitous, which demonstrates its crucial importance for many processes associated with general health.

Intake of Vitamin D is particularly important in growing children, for the maintenance of normal bones and teeth, but also during adulthood. However, certain categories of people may have difficulty meeting their Vitamin D requirements. The skin of elderly individuals, for example, is less efficient at converting sunlight into Vitamin D, while overweight people can have problems absorbing Vitamin D, because it is fat-soluble. In addition, those who have a sedentary lifestyle or make excessive use of sunscreens may not synthesise the required amounts of Vitamin D.

What are the symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency?

Vitamin D deficiency can cause a number of symptoms and health problems, including:

• Muscle weakness;
• Muscle and joint pain;
• Tiredness and fatigue;
• Reduced wound healing capacity;
• Depression;
• Loss of bone density and osteoporosis;
• Increased risk of bone fractures;
• Decrease in the immune system’s capacity to fight infections.

Vitamin D deficiency can also be associated with an increased risk of certain chronic diseases.

**For whom is Vitamin D 25 mcg recommended?

Use of Vitamin D 25 mcg can be recommended for several categories of people who may have deficiencies of this vitamin, such as:

• People who live in areas with low sun exposure or who are forced to spend most of the day indoors;
• Elderly people whose absorption of vitamin D is reduced as a result of ageing;
• People with diseases that affect vitamin D absorption, such as coeliac disease, Crohn’s disease or cystic fibrosis;
• People with dark skin, as melanin reduces vitamin D production in the skin.

However, it is always advisable to seek the advice of a doctor or dietician before taking vitamin D supplements, in order to assess whether it is really necessary and establish the right dose for meeting individual needs.

Scientific references

Dobson R, Cock HR, Brex P, Giovannoni G. Vitamin D supplementation. Pract Neurol. 2018 Feb;18(1):35-42. doi: 10.1136/practneurol-2017-001720. Epub 2017 Sep 25. PMID: 28947637.

Vieth R. Vitamin D supplementation: cholecalciferol, calcifediol, and calcitriol. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2020 Nov;74(11):1493-1497. doi: 10.1038/s41430-020-0697-1. Epub 2020 Jul 23. PMID: 32704098.

Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Willett WC, Wong JB, Giovannucci E, Dietrich T, Dawson-Hughes B. Fracture prevention with vitamin D supplementation: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. JAMA. 2005 May 11;293(18):2257-64. doi: 10.1001/jama.293.18.2257. PMID: 15886381.

Tan ML, Abrams SA, Osborn DA. Vitamin D supplementation for term breastfed infants to prevent vitamin D deficiency and improve bone health. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020 Dec 11;12(12):CD013046. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013046.pub2. PMID: 33305822; PMCID: PMC8812278.

Khazai N, Judd SE, Tangpricha V. Calcium and vitamin D: skeletal and extraskeletal health. Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2008 Apr;10(2):110-7. doi: 10.1007/s11926-008-0020-y. PMID: 18460265; PMCID: PMC2669834.

Botelho J, Machado V, Proença L, Delgado AS, Mendes JJ. Vitamin D Deficiency and Oral Health: A Comprehensive Review. Nutrients. 2020 May 19;12(5):1471. doi: 10.3390/nu12051471. PMID: 32438644; PMCID: PMC7285165.