Vitamin D deficiency is common among people with RA, and low levels of vitamin D can exacerbate RA symptoms and even cause bones to become brittle.
The good news is that getting the vitamin D you need may help lessen the severity of your RA and prevent bone loss. Start by talking to your doctor about having your vitamin D levels checked. The Arthritis Foundation recommends spending 10 to 15 minutes in the sun every other day, and possibly longer for those with darker skin.
Be careful, however, because time spent in the sun can increase your risk of skin cancer. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation , people who apply sunscreen daily can maintain healthy vitamin D levels — so sunscreen can help you safely get the sun exposure you need.
Additionally, eggs from chickens given vitamin-D-enriched feed may have up to 6, IU of vitamin D per yolk. Choosing eggs either from chickens raised outside or marketed as high in vitamin D can be a great way to meet your daily requirements.
Eggs from commercially raised hens contain only about 37 IU of vitamin D per yolk. However, eggs from hens raised outside or fed vitamin-D-enriched feed contain much higher levels. Excluding fortified foods, mushrooms are the only good plant source of vitamin D. Like humans, mushrooms can synthesize this vitamin when exposed to UV light Though vitamin D2 helps raise blood levels of vitamin D, it may not be as effective as vitamin D3 28 , Nonetheless, wild mushrooms are excellent sources of vitamin D2.
In fact, some varieties pack up to 2, IU per 3. On the other hand, commercially grown mushrooms are often grown in the dark and contain very little D2. However, certain brands are treated with ultraviolet UV light.
These mushrooms can provide — IU of vitamin D2 per 3. Mushrooms can synthesize vitamin D2 when exposed to UV light. Only wild mushrooms or mushrooms treated with UV light are good sources of vitamin D.
Because vitamin D is found almost exclusively in animal products, vegetarians and vegans are at a particularly high risk of not getting enough For this reason, some countries fortify orange juice with vitamin D and other nutrients, such as calcium Certain cereals and instant oatmeal are also fortified with vitamin D.
Though fortified cereals and oatmeal provide less vitamin D than many natural sources, they can still be a good way to boost your intake.
These contain IU per serving. Vitamin D is necessary for the absorption of calcium, which plays a key role in maintaining bone strength and skeletal integrity Getting enough of both vitamin D and calcium is crucial to maintaining bone health and protecting against disorders like osteoporosis, a condition that is characterized by weak, brittle bones Children and adults aged 1—70 need approximately IU of vitamin D per day, and it can come from a combination of food sources and sunlight.
Meanwhile, adults over 70 should aim for at least IU 20 mcg of vitamin D per day Calcium needs also vary by age. Children aged 1—8 require about 2, mg of calcium daily, and those ages 9—18 need approximately 3, mg daily. Adults ages 19—50 generally require about 2, mg daily, which decreases to 2, mg daily for those over age 50 Your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium. This makes getting enough of both vitamin D and calcium crucial to maintaining bone health and preventing osteoporosis.
Spending time in the sun is a good way to get your daily dose of vitamin D. However, sufficient sun exposure is difficult for many people to achieve. The foods listed in this article are some of the top sources of vitamin D available. Manufacturers must add vitamin D to infant formula milk by law. Most people can make enough vitamin D from being out in the sun daily for short periods with their forearms, hands or lower legs uncovered and without sunscreen from late March or early April to the end of September, especially from 11am to 3pm.
It's not known exactly how much time is needed in the sun to make enough vitamin D to meet the body's requirements. This is because there are a number of factors that can affect how vitamin D is made, such as your skin colour or how much skin you have exposed. But you should be careful not to burn in the sun, so take care to cover up or protect your skin with sunscreen before your skin starts to turn red or burn.
People with dark skin, such as those of African, African-Caribbean or south Asian origin, will need to spend longer in the sun to produce the same amount of vitamin D as someone with lighter skin.
How long it takes for your skin to go red or burn varies from person to person. Cancer Research UK has tips to help you protect your skin in the sun. Your body can't make vitamin D if you're sitting indoors by a sunny window because ultraviolet B UVB rays the ones your body needs to make vitamin D can't get through the glass. The longer you stay in the sun, especially for prolonged periods without sun protection, the greater your risk of skin cancer.
If you plan to be out in the sun for long, cover up with suitable clothing, wrap-around sunglasses, seeking shade and applying at least SPF15 sunscreen. During these months, we rely on getting our vitamin D from food sources including fortified foods and supplements. To ensure they get enough vitamin D, babies and children aged under 5 years should be given vitamin D supplements even if they do get out in the sun. Find out about vitamin D supplements for children.
The Department of Health recommends that these people should take daily vitamin D supplements to make sure they get enough. Find out who should take vitamin D supplements and how much to take. You can get vitamin supplements containing vitamin D free of charge if you're pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a child under 4 years of age and qualify for the Healthy Start scheme.
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