November focuses on Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis Canada has published a guideline to the amount of Vitamin D needed to help prevent osteoporosis.
There are very few food sources of vitamin D. In fact, it is impossible for adults to get sufficient vitamin D from diet alone, no matter how good their nutrition. Therefore, Osteoporosis Canada recommends routine vitamin D supplementation for all Canadian adults year round. Healthy adults between19-50 years of age, including pregnant or breast feeding women, require 400 – 1,000 IU daily. Those over 50 or those younger adults at high risk (with osteoporosis, multiple fractures, or conditions affecting vitamin D absorption) should receive 800 – 2,000 IU daily. These amounts are safe. Taking more than 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily should be done only under medical supervision.
The best way to ensure that you are getting sufficient vitamin D is by taking a supplement. The type of vitamin D you should purchase is vitamin D3 (also called cholecalciferol). This is the most common type of vitamin D found in supplements in Canada.
There is something special about Vitamin D that does not apply to most other vitamins or supplements. Vitamin D is fat soluble. This means vitamin D can be “made up.” If you miss your vitamin D today, for example, you can take double the amount tomorrow. If you miss your vitamin D for a whole week, you can take all the vitamin D that you missed altogether at the end of the week. However, you shouldn’t do this on a regular basis without consulting with your physician and this can only be done with vitamin D. It cannot be done with other medications or supplements. Visit www.osteoporosis.ca for more information on the issues surrounding osteoporosis – prevention, diagnosis, treatment.
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