Vitamin D3 has an important role in the process of height growth. No matter how much calcium is added, but vitamin D3 deficiency, height can hardly grow to its maximum.
The following article will provide details on the influence of vitamin D3 on height and introduce effective ways to supplement vitamin D3. Do not miss this useful information through the following article of growtallerstrategy.com
What is Vitamin D? What is Vitamin D3?
Vitamin D is one of a group of fat-soluble steroids . Vitamin D exists in many different forms: Vitamin D1, D2, D3, D4, D5. Among them, vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 play an important role in human health and are often mentioned the most.
Vitamin D3 in the human body is synthesized from the action of ultraviolet radiation on its precursor 7-dehydrocholesterol. The skin will synthesize vitamin D3 on its own and provides up to 90% of the body’s vitamin D needs.
In addition, Vitamin D3 is also found in foods of animal origin: fish oil, liver, egg yolk… Meanwhile, humans cannot synthesize vitamin D2, foods of plant origin, typically Mushrooms are a source of vitamin D2 for humans.
Vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 are both absorbed into the bloodstream efficiently. However, the liver metabolizes these two groups of vitamin D in different ways:
Vitamin D2 is converted by the liver to 24-hydroxyvitamin D2. Vitamin D3 is converted to hydroxyvitamin D3. These two compounds are both known as calcifediol. However, vitamin D3 is highly valued, yielding higher concentrations of calcifediol than vitamin D2. Therefore, to supplement vitamin D for the body, vitamin D3 is recommended to use more.
The amount of vitamin D3 needed to supplement the body at each stage is different:
| Age | Recommended Vitamin D Levels |
| Newborn to 12 months | 10 mcg (400 IU) |
| Children 1–13 years old | 15 mcg (600 IU) |
| Teenagers 14–18 years old | 15 mcg (600 IU) |
| Adults 19–70 years old | 15 mcg (600 IU) |
| Adults 71 years and older | 20 mcg (800 IU) |
| Pregnant and lactating women | 15 mcg (600 IU) |
The amount of vitamin D that needs to be supplemented by age
(Recommended by NIH – US Department of Health and Human Services )
Functions of vitamin D3 in the body
Vitamin D3 participates in meeting up to 90% of the body’s vitamin D needs, so it can merge vitamin D and vitamin D3 functions in the human body.
In an article by Professor Pauline Camacho – Director of the Center for Osteoporosis and Metabolic Osteoporosis of Loyola University, the most important role of vitamin D3 in the human body is to help bones absorb calcium. This vitamin acts as a “guide”, bringing calcium to the right destination, which is bone, stored in bone and prepared for new bone formation as well as repairing damage in old bone.
This role is similar for Phosphorus – a mineral that is very important for bones.
Lack of vitamin D3 causes calcium deficiency in bones, although this mineral is fully supplemented through nutrition, long-term makes bones soft, thin and easy to break. Children with rickets, growth retardation, adults with osteoporosis, joint pain.
Vitamin D3 is also needed for muscle function and nerve impulse transmission. The immune system also needs vitamin D3 to fight the invasion of bacteria and viruses that cause disease. This vitamin activates the body’s cells to produce antibodies, promoting an overall increase in the strength of the immune system.
The importance of vitamin D3 with increasing height
For favorable height growth, it is necessary to supplement with the necessary amount of vitamin D3.
Vitamin D directly affects the body’s height growth through the mechanism of supporting bones to absorb calcium and phosphorus.
Calcium and phosphorus are both minerals present in the chemical structure of bones. These two minerals are added to the body through natural foods, functional foods and absorbed in the intestinal tract, then into the bloodstream.
It is vitamin D that will participate in metabolism and bring calcium and phosphorus to bone cells, helping bones grow stronger and grow faster.
Without vitamin D, no matter how much calcium and phosphorus we add, the bones are still deficient in these two minerals, the height is “stagnant” and the risk of many bone diseases serious joints. Therefore, the role of vitamin D in the skeletal system is extremely important and cannot be replaced.
The National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) has also made recommendations for the minimum amount of Vitamin D and Calcium needed by age, sex, and hormonal status to maintain a healthy bone and joint system. The optimal time to increase height at the growing age is as follows:
| Children & Teenagers | Calcium (daily) | Vitamin D (daily) |
| 1 to 3 years old | 500 mg | 400 IU** |
| 4 to 8 years old | 800 mg | 400 – 600 IU** |
| 9 to 18 years old | 1,300 mg | 400 – 600 IU** |
| Mature Men & Women | Calcium (daily) | Vitamin D (daily) |
| 19 to 49 years old | 1,000 mg | 400-800 IU |
| 50 years old and up | 1,200 mg | 800-1000 IU |
| Pregnant and lactating women | Calcium (daily) | Vitamin D (daily) |
| 19 years old and up | 1,000 mg | 400-800 IU |
** NOF has no specific vitamin D recommendations for these age groups. These are recommendations from the US Department of Health and Human Services.
The effects of vitamin D on general health also create the best health and fitness foundation for the body to absorb nutrients, comfortably move, and rest, which is the ideal condition for maximum height development. multi.
How to supplement vitamin D3 for the body?
Vitamin D3 is found in foods of animal origin. Sunbathing is also an effective way to supplement vitamin D3 for the body.
Foods rich in vitamin D3
Salmon
Salmon is one of the foods with high nutritional value, rich in protein, omega 3 and vitamin D.
According to the food composition data of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a 100-gram serving of Atlantic salmon contains about 526 IU of vitamin D.
In general, wild-caught salmon provides more vitamin D than farmed salmon with 988 IU of vitamin D per 100-gram serving. Some studies have found higher amounts of vitamin D in wild salmon, up to 1,300 IU per serving.
Meanwhile, farmed salmon only reached 25% of the above content, only about 250 IU of vitamin D for a 100-gram serving.
Nutritional benefits of salmon:
- Eating salmon regularly is very good for the digestive system, the protein and amino acids in salmon are not only easily absorbed but also support the digestive and cardiovascular systems to work well.
- Salmon is also highly valued in reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease thanks to its ability to improve blood cholesterol levels.
- This type of food also stimulates muscle development, is good for the brain, enhances eye health, prevents thyroid disease, cancer …
However, the price of salmon is quite high compared to the average income of Vietnamese people, so it rarely appears on the table.
Herring
Herring is often used as a fried dish, eaten with raw vegetables and delicious rice paper. This is also a food that contains high levels of vitamin D and many other nutrients that are very good for health. According to statistics , 100g of herring provides the body with about 214 IU of vitamin D.
Nutritional benefits of herring:
- Herring is rich in vitamin B12 and iron, which support the creation of hemoglobin, which helps the body produce enough red blood cells, preventing the risk of anemia.
- Omega 3 fatty acids in herring have the ability to reduce inflammation, reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, and prevent signs of aging.
- Calcium, manganese, phosphorus … are all good nutrients for bones, helping the bone system to be strong. Eating herring will take care of your skeletal system.
- Potassium and vitamin B6 in herring nourish nerve cells, helping to keep the brain sharp and alert.
- The price of herring is quite low, so anyone can buy and use it as food, making many delicious and nutritious dishes: braised herring, herring in tomato sauce, herring cooked with ribs…
Cod liver oil
Cod liver oil uses the main ingredient of cod liver, which is finely ground with water and gently kneaded so that the oil in the fish reaches its peak. Then separate the oil, refine it to the final product. The nutritional value measurement process shows that, 100g of cod liver oil contains about 10000 IU of vitamin D. The nutritional composition of cod liver oil includes omega 3 fatty acids, EPA, DHA, vitamin A…
Using cod liver oil offers many health benefits:
- Vitamin A and vitamin D in cod liver oil support vision maintenance, healthy eyes, and reduced risk of eye diseases.
- Cod liver oil contains omega 3 to help reduce symptoms of depression, improve mood effectively.
- Cod liver oil helps fight infections, reduces the frequency of colds and flu in children.
- Regularly supplementing with cod liver oil in the right amount reduces the risk of diabetes.
- Cod liver oil supports the prevention of rickets in children, helps children have strong bones and develop maximum height.
Tuna
100g of tuna provides the body with about 82 IU of vitamin D.
Tuna is a familiar food in the nutritional menu of many Vietnamese families. This food supplement offers many health benefits:
- Omega 3 in tuna is good for eyes, preventing and reducing the risk of dry eye disease and macular degeneration.
- Tuna has very little fat, low calories, helps maintain body shape and nutritional balance for the body.
- Eating tuna helps reduce blood lipids, effectively preventing atherosclerosis. In particular, atherosclerosis is the leading cause of many dangerous diseases such as stroke, high blood pressure, and heart attack.
- In tuna meat contains a lot of iron, vitamin B12, effectively preventing anemia.
- EPA, DHA and taurine in tuna will reduce blood fat and promote the growth of liver cells, effectively protect the liver, and enhance liver function.
Yolk
The nutritional value table of egg yolk shows that, 100g of egg yolk has about 218 IU of vitamin D. If you want to supplement vitamin D for the body, egg yolk is a convenient and effective choice. Besides, egg yolk also brings many nutritional benefits:
- Egg yolks are rich in protein, which is good for health and controls inflammatory compounds in the body.
- In the membrane of the egg yolk contains sulfated glycopeptide that stimulates the production of macrophages. These are cells in the body’s immune system that help fight disease and infection.
- Peptides in egg yolks reduce blood pressure, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Lutein and zeaxanthin in egg yolks protect against cataracts and macular degeneration common after age 55.
- However, eating too many egg yolks can increase blood cholesterol, which is harmful to health. Therefore, you should control the amount of egg yolks in your daily diet.
Sunbathing to produce more Vitamin D3 for the body
Sunbathing for about 15-30 minutes a day is also a way to supplement vitamin D3 for the body.
The process of the body producing vitamin D when sunbathing takes place as follows:
When exposed to the sun, ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun penetrates the epidermis and converts 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC), a substance found in our skin, into provitamin D3 form cholecalciferol. Provitamin D3 will be converted to vitamin D3. However, at this time our body is still not able to use it. The liver must convert cholecalciferol into calcidiol (the chemical form of vitamin D) so that the body can use it for the necessary activities.
Sunbathing to supplement vitamin D is appreciated for its convenience and savings, but it is not done arbitrarily. Ultraviolet radiation in the sun can cause skin darkening, damage, and harm to health.
Excess sunlight or light with lots of UV can cause skin cancer, but moderate amounts of sunlight actually help prevent cancer.
According to the researchers , people who live in areas with few hours of daylight are more likely to develop certain cancers than people who live in areas where there is a lot of sun during the day.
At midday, when UV rays are at their strongest, it takes less time to make enough vitamin D3. However, strong UV rays are also harmful to the skin as well as health. Therefore, we can sunbathe in the morning, late afternoon, although it takes longer, but it is safe for the body.
Skin color also affects the body’s ability to produce vitamin D3. People with dark skin tend to have more pigmentation than people with light skin. This pigment protects the skin from sun damage but also interferes with the body’s synthesis of vitamin D3. Therefore, people with dark skin will have to sunbathe longer than people with light skin to provide enough vitamin D3 needed for the body.
According to a study from 2008 , sunbathing for a period of 30 minutes, a person will produce the following levels of vitamin D:
- 50,000 IU in most Caucasians
- 20,000 to 30,000 IU in tanned people
- 8,000 to 10,000 IU in dark-skinned people
In particular, sunscreen should not be used during sunbathing to supplement vitamin D. In sunscreens contain substances that can reflect and disperse sunlight, the surface of the skin will be exposed to UV rays. lower intensity, reducing the body’s ability to produce vitamin D.
Supplement vitamin D3 functional food
According to information from Harvard University , there are many factors that affect the absorption and natural formation of Vitamin D. Therefore, functional foods containing vitamin D3 are an effective solution to supplement vitamin D3 for the body for vegetarians or those who have little opportunity to be exposed to sunlight, people living in cold countries, winter…
Vitamin D3 in functional foods can be extracted from foods or industrial products, processed by modern technology, providing an abundant and safe source of vitamin D3 for users.
Depending on your age, gender, and needs, you should choose the right vitamin D3 supplement. Priority should be given to products of large, reputable brands, which are inspected and licensed by competent authorities for circulation.
Vitamin D3 plays an important role in height growth, bone health and joint health. However, supplementing this vitamin is not too difficult or expensive. Spending time in the sun every day is enough for the body to have the necessary amount of vitamin D3. Besides vitamin D3, we need to provide enough Calcium, Collagen type II, other essential minerals directly involved in bone structure to increase height quickly.
Proper nutrition, exercise, and rest also play an important role in height growth. Only when the synchronous combination of factors: nutrition, exercise, sleep early and enough sleep, we have the opportunity to own outstanding height.
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