Dr. Jim Surrell, Journal columnist

Getting enough vitamins and minerals is very important for our overall health and well being, and vitamin D is one very important vitamin that we need to be aware of.

Vitamin D helps our body absorb calcium, a mineral our body needs to build strong bones. Our heart, muscles, and nerves also need vitamin D. Further, our immune system uses vitamin D to fight off germs to prevent us from getting infections.

Let us now review the amount of vitamin D that is recommended by our medical experts. The following is from Dr. JoAnn Manson, a vitamin D expert at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard University. Current guidelines recommend adults get 600 to 800 international units of vitamin D each day. Those amounts are very important, because not getting enough can lead to serious health issues. Children’s bones can’t develop properly without enough vitamin D. In adults, a long-term deficiency can lead to fragile bones, or osteoporosis.

We all need to be aware that it is important to make sure we get enough vitamin D. We can get vitamin D from the sun and from our diet. Our body makes vitamin D when our skin is exposed to the sun, which gives off UVB light.

Vitamin D is found naturally in some foods, as noted below. It’s also added to many dairy products and other fortified foods, that we can learn about by reading the food label for the vitamin D content. Almost all of the U.S. milk supply is fortified with about 3 micrograms (120 IU) of Vitamin D per cup. Many plant-based alternatives such as soy milk, almond milk, and oat milk also contain Vitamin D. However, many foods made from milk, like cheese and ice cream, are usually not fortified with Vitamin D. Vitamin D is added to many breakfast cereals and to some brands of orange juice, yogurt, margarine, and other food products. Fatty fish (like trout, salmon, tuna, and mackerel) and fish liver oils are among the best natural sources of Vitamin D. Also, mushrooms that have been exposed to ultraviolet light will have increased Vitamin D content.

With so many potential sources, most people in the U.S. aren’t at risk for vitamin D deficiency. Some adults can be at risk of vitamin D deficiency, especially those who may choose not to spend very much time outdoors. Medical experts don’t generally recommend screening healthy people for vitamin D.

But if one has any concerns, you should discuss this with a health care professional. Vitamin D levels can be measured with a blood test. Vitamin D supplements may then be recommended for those who are found to have low levels of vitamin D.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. Jim Surrell is the author of the best-selling SOS (Stop Only Sugar) Diet book and his new Joke Book, entitled “Laughter Is Good Medicine.” Dr. Jim’s website is sosdietbook.com.