If throughout the summer period it is very easy to store large quantities of vitamin D thanks to the hours spent at the seaside, for example, during the other three seasons it is more difficult to absorb this precious vitamin because the hours outdoors (and in the sun) are drastically reduced. Even if the “stocks” we make in the June-July-August quarter manage to be enough for the other nine months of the year, they inevitably reduce as time passes.
How to absorb it in winter
It is no coincidence that it is called the “sun vitamin”: although it is also present in some foods or in the form of supplements, its absorption thanks to the sun’s rays is unparalleled. Here, therefore, why “even from November to March it is good to expose at least your face, neck, arms and hands to the sun 30 minutes a day”, he explained to the Courier the teacher. Maria Luisa Brandi, specialist in Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases as well as Director of the “Donatello Bone Clinic”. In that half hour, no sunscreens that prevent “UVB rays from working” but if you expose yourself for longer it is necessary to spread it with the intensity of protection based on your skin type.
Where to find it in food
However, those who do not have the time to expose themselves according to the specialists’ guidelines will still be able to find vitamin D in a limited way even in many foods: these include fatty fish (mackerel, cod, sole), milk and its derivatives. , cod liver oil (among those that contains the most), eggs and mushrooms but also meat, especially pork and beef liver. To a lesser extent it is also found in vegetables such as spinach and beets.
“Its main role is to regulate the intestinal absorption of calcium and phosphorus, promoting normal bone formation and mineralisation. It also guarantees normal muscle contractility and interacts with the immune system, exerting an immunomodulatory effect”, explained the expert, remembering that D2 is absorbed with plant foods and D3 is synthesized with exposure to the sun.
How to find out how much we have
To be able to quantify the level of vitamin D present in our body, a simple blood sample with the blood indicator of “nanograms per liter” is sufficient: if this measurement is less than 30, there is a deficiency of this vitamin. It is clear that the analyzes will need to be seen by an expert who will indicate the best way forward, whether to prescribe a supplement or recommend a different diet. “By instead analyzing calcium and phosphate at plasma and urinary levels we understand how efficient we are in vitamin D”, underlined the professor. Maria Luisa Brandi.
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