IOWA CITY - If storm after storm is giving you the winter blues, we have some more bad news. It turns out a slip and fall on the ice could be especially dangerous if your vitamin D levels are low. And just about everyone living in Iowa is low right now.
In February our days are shorter and the skies are cloudy. Winter takes its toll on us mentally. But it is also a drain on our vitamin D. Experts say that can lead to all kinds of problems. Registered dietitian Sue Little said, “We’re at more risk for multiple sclerosis, higher risk for diabetes, higher risk for falls and muscle weakness. The list goes on.”
In the summer, Iowans only need to be outside for about 10 minutes to get enough vitamin D. But in February, it is a much different story. Little said, “You’d have to stay outside naked for like five hours to get enough vitamin d synthesis this time of year.”
There is simply not enough sun in Iowa in February to get all the vitamin D you need, so you need to go shopping. Little says a glass of milk a day will get you 10-percent of what you need. Fatty fish like salmon is also a good source of vitamin D. But your best bet might be a supplement. Little said, “I usually don’t recommend supplements, but for this situation we probably need one thousand IU’s per day.”
A vitamin D supplement will replenish what your body uses and loses in the winter. And little says nearly every Iowan needs more. Studies show three out of four of us are vitamin D deficient in February.
Little says a supplement should not replace vitamin D rich foods. The pills should be considered an addition to your diet.
Email Steve Nicoles at Steve.Nicoles@kcrg.com
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