VITAMIN D By Vanessa Quesada What is vitamin

VITAMIN D By Vanessa Quesada

What is vitamin D and what does it do? � Vitamin D is Needed/Important �Maintain strength of bones �Help muscle movement �Carry messages between brain & body parts �Fight bacteria & Viruses

Roles In the body � Cell Growth � Neuromuscular � Immune Function � Reduce Inflammation

How Much Vitamin D is right?

Vitamin D is found in Foods

� Get it from the sun �Skin must be exposed to sun � Can’t get it �From sunshine through windows �Cloudy days �Shade �Having dark skin makes it harder to take in Vitamin D � NO SUN? �Take vitamin D supplement � Warning! �Too Much Sun cause SKIN CANCER!! Be SAFE The SUN

Not getting enough � At Risk �Breast feed infants �Older adults �Dark skinned persons �Crohns disease persons �Celiac Disease persons �Obese persons

RISK OF NOT GETTING ENOUGH � DAMAGE �Rickets ○ Children ○ Very Rare ○ Soft bones �Osteomalacia ○ Adults ○ Bone pain ○ Muscle Weakness

Cancer “Some studies suggest that vitamin D may protect against colon cancer and perhaps even cancers of the prostate and breast. But higher levels of vitamin D in the blood have also been linked to higher rates of pancreatic cancer. At this time, it's too early to say whether low vitamin D status increases cancer risk and whether higher levels protect or even increase risk in some people. ” According to http: //ods. od. nih. gov/factsheets/Vitamin. DQuick. Facts/

Too Much of a Good Thing � Toxic � Nausea � Vomiting � Poor appetite � Constipation � Weakness � Weight loss � Blood Levels of Calcium Rise � Confusion � Disorientation � Organs � Heart ○ Arrhythmia � Kidneys

References Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LDWeb. MD Expert Column. "Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D? . " Web. MD, n. d. Web. 16 May 2014. <http: //www. webmd. com/food-recipes/guide/are-yougetting-enough-vitamin-d>. � "Sunshine Vitamin. " Sunshine Vitamin. N. p. , n. d. Web. 16 May 2014. <http: //www. sunshinevitamin. org/>. � "Vitamin D. " — Quick. Facts. N. p. , n. d. Web. 16 May 2014. <http: //ods. od. nih. gov/factsheets/Vitamin. DQuick. Facts/>. �