Vitamin D promotes the absorption of calcium by the small intestine, and its metabolites promote the reabsorption of phosphorus and calcium by the renal tubules, increasing the concentration of calcium and phosphorus in the human plasma, or maintaining and regulating the normal concentration of plasma calcium and phosphorus.
Vitamins are indispensable elements for our human body. If infants and young children lack vitamin D, they will get rickets, so supplementing vitamin D is very important. The method of supplementing this element is very simple, and some foods are rich in it. Do you friends want to know the effects of vitamin D and what foods contain vitamin D? Below, I will introduce foods containing vitamin D to you.
Foods containing vitamin D
1. Fatty fish
Fatty fish are the best source of vitamin D. These include: salmon, trout, mackerel, tuna, eel, etc. In addition, you can also get heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids from them.
2. Canned tuna
It's not only fresh fish that can provide vitamin D; canned products can too. Canned tuna and canned sardines are rich in vitamin D, and they are much cheaper than fresh fish.
3. Mushrooms
Just like humans, mushrooms can also produce vitamin D. However, mushrooms mostly grow in dark places, so they do not contain vitamin D themselves. But when exposed to ultraviolet light, it will promote the production of vitamin D.
4. Egg yolks
Egg yolks are the simplest and most convenient way to get vitamin D, and you can get them at breakfast, lunch, dinner, or in snacks. Since vitamin D is hidden in the yolk, the whole egg is the most nutritious. But if you just want to rely on eating eggs to supplement vitamin D, you are very wrong. An egg contains about 200 milligrams of cholesterol, and research has found that a person's daily cholesterol intake should not exceed 300 milligrams, otherwise it will endanger heart health.
5. Fortified cereals
Eating fortified cereals is also a good way to get vitamin D. Choosing some cereals with multiple grains or other low-calorie fortified cereals can get you vitamin D well. Fortified milk and fortified orange juice are also good choices.
6. Beef liver
Although it is not the best way to get vitamin D, it can still meet the intake of vitamin D. In addition, it also contains a variety of nutrients, such as: vitamin A, iron, protein, etc. However, the cholesterol content in beef liver is very high, so special attention is needed when eating it.
The effects of vitamin D
Vitamin D promotes the absorption of calcium by the small intestine, and its metabolites promote the reabsorption of phosphorus and calcium by the renal tubules, increasing the concentration of calcium and phosphorus in the human plasma, or maintaining and regulating the normal concentration of plasma calcium and phosphorus.
When vitamin D is deficient, the body's ability to absorb calcium and phosphorus is reduced, calcium and phosphorus cannot be deposited in bone tissue, and bone formation is hindered. In infants and children, the above situation can prevent the newly formed bone tissue and cartilage matrix from mineralizing, thus causing bone growth disorders, so-called rickets. One consequence of poor calcification is that the bones of rickets patients are abnormally loose, and due to supporting weight-bearing loads and tension, characteristic deformities of the disease are produced. In adults, vitamin D deficiency causes osteomalacia or adult rickets, most commonly when the need for calcium increases, such as during pregnancy or lactation. The characteristic of this disease is a general decrease in bone density. It is different from osteoporosis; the abnormality of the bones in this disease lies in the inclusion of excessive uncalcified matrix. And significant bone deformities are seen only in the late stages of the disease.
I. The main physiological functions of vitamin D
Vitamin D mainly has the following physiological functions:
1. Improve the body's absorption of calcium and phosphorus, so that the levels of plasma calcium and plasma phosphorus reach saturation.
2. Promote growth and bone calcification, and promote healthy teeth.
3. Increase the absorption of phosphorus through the intestinal wall and increase the reabsorption of phosphorus through the renal tubules.
4. Maintain normal levels of citrate in the blood.
5. Prevent the loss of amino acids through the kidneys.
II. The impact of vitamin D deficiency and excess on health
Lack of vitamin D in the human body can cause rickets, tetany, and osteomalacia.
Long-term excessive intake of vitamin D (5000 IU) will cause hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria.
Characterized by loss of appetite, excessive thirst, nausea, vomiting, irritability, weakness, alternating constipation and diarrhea. In severe cases, death will be caused by renal calcification, and calcification of the heart and aorta.
III. People who need to supplement vitamin D
1. People living in cities, especially in areas with heavy smog pollution, should consume more vitamin D.
2. Night workers, nuns, or people who cannot get enough sun due to clothing or lifestyle should pay special attention to increasing the intake of vitamin D in their diet.
3. If you are taking anticonvulsant drugs, you must increase your intake of vitamin D.
4. Children drinking milk without added vitamin D must increase their intake of vitamin D.
5. People with darker skin living in northern climates need more vitamin D.
The main physiological functions of vitamin D
Improve the body's absorption of calcium and phosphorus, so that the levels of plasma calcium and plasma phosphorus reach saturation.
Promote growth and bone calcification, and promote healthy teeth.
Increase the absorption of phosphorus through the intestinal wall and increase the reabsorption of phosphorus through the renal tubules.
Maintain normal levels of citrate in the blood.
Prevent the loss of amino acids through the kidneys.
How to get enough vitamin D
Vitamin D can come from both the diet and synthesis through the skin.
For adults, as long as they often bask in the sun, they can get very cheap vitamin D. For developing infants and young children, it is difficult to ensure getting enough vitamin D from sun exposure.
This leads to the incidence of rickets in infants and young children is still not low, which is worthy of vigilance.
Lack of vitamin D during pregnancy may also affect the baby, causing the baby to be born with rickets.
Foods containing vitamin D mainly include marine fish (sardines), liver, egg yolks, and other plant-based foods, but their content is very small or limited.
If you want to get rich vitamin D, you can only get it from fish liver oil extracted from fish livers.
To prevent infants and young children from lacking vitamin D, experts recommend that infants should start taking preventive doses of vitamin D from about 2 weeks after birth, or get enough vitamin D from formula milk and sun exposure.
The effect of vitamin D on the baby is clear. Often take the baby to bask in the sun, supplement vitamin D, and promote calcium absorption.
For breastfed babies, supplement vitamin D in a timely manner. For babies drinking formula milk, parents should pay attention to the ingredients of the milk powder and not over-supplement.