Vitamin
D
The deal with vitamin D
Before calcium can do its job, it has to be absorbed by your body - and that's where vitamin D comes in. Vitamin D regulates calcium absorption in the body, maintains calcium and phosphate levels, and promotes bone growth.
Your body produces vitamin D when your bare skin is exposed to sunshine — specifically ultraviolet B rays — making vitamin D known as “The Sunshine Vitamin”. You can also get vitamin D from your diet and supplements like Viactiv® Calcium plus D, which delivers 12.5 mcg (500 IUs) of vitamin D in every tasty chew.
And yet, you may be deficient in D
Without enough vitamin D, your body can’t properly absorb calcium. And while sunshine and a healthy diet are key to vitamin D, getting enough isn’t easy. A clinical review published in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association reveals that nearly 1 billion people worldwide are not getting sufficient levels of vitamin D. These reasons include:
Spending more time indoors, out of direct sunlight
Wearing sunscreen, which blocks UVB rays
Being 50 or older
Having dark skin
Living in higher altitude areas
Being overweight or obese
Here's how to get more D
The best way to know you’re getting enough vitamin D is to ask your health care professional for a blood test that checks your vitamin D levels. In the meantime, there are 3 things you can do to get more vitamin D, starting now:
1
Get more sun
Depending on your skin type, getting as little as 10 to 15 minutes a day of sun exposure on your bare skin, without sunscreen can stimulate vitamin D production. After that, put on your sunscreen.
2
Eat foods with vitamin D
To help make sure you’re getting enough vitamin D in your diet, here are some of the foods that rank high in this all-important vitamin:
- Cod liver oil
- Fatty fish, like salmon
- Tuna fish, canned
- Sardines
- Eggs
- Swiss cheese
- Orange juice
- Milk, Vitamin D-fortified
- Ready-to-eat cereal, Vitamin D-fortified
3
Take a supplement
In addition to sun and diet, a supplement with vitamin D can help you get what you need. While vitamin D is available in two forms — D2 and D3 — Viactiv® Calcium plus D contains 12.5 mcg (500 IUs) of vitamin D3. Both raise vitamin D levels in the blood, but some research indicates vitamin D3 may be more effective in raising and maintaining vitamin D levels in the long term.
Vitamin K: The Bone Protector
Vitamin
K
Vitamin K: The key to helping D
Over the last 10 years, vitamin K has proven to play an important role in bone health.
Vitamin K partners with vitamin D to boost calcium absorption, affect calcium balance and increase bone mineral density — helping your body absorb osteocalcin*, a protein that studies show may be essential for protecting bones from fractures.
Note: If you’re on blood-thinning medications, be sure to talk to your doctor before taking Viactiv® Calcium plus D.
How much, and how to get Vitamin K
It doesn't take much to get the vitamin K intake you need. For adults 19 and over, you need just 120 mcg a day to meet your recommended daily value — and just one Viactiv® Calcium plus D chew gives you 40 mcg of vitamin K. Leafy greens and vegetables like these are a great source of vitamin K:
Raw
All are 1 cup serving sizes
Swiss Chard
299 mcg
Mustard Greens
279 mcg
Green Onions
207 mcg
Collard Greens
184 mcg
Brussels Sprouts
156 mcg
Spinach
145 mcg
Cooked
All are 1 cup serving sizes
Kale
1054 mcg
Spinach
884 mcg
Turnip Greens
526 mcg
