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Check your symptoms(Video) How Are Vitamin D and the Immune System Linked?
June 3, 2020
Are Vitamin D and the immune system linked?
This question excites a lot of thought and opinion, especially as we grapple with the Covid-19 pandemic.
First, what’s the immune system?
“The immune system defends the body from foreign, invading organisms, promoting protective immunity while maintaining tolerance to self”.
Everyone is born with an immune system that is ready to start working and adapting to their environment.
Newborns do have access to immune protection from their mothers for a short period of time.
This comes from shared blood circulation while in the womb.
Babies’ immunity also comes from breast milk for babies who are breastfed.
However, this ‘mother cover’ gradually wears off as babies grow older.
They will now have to rely on their own immune system to develop and sustain their own immune protection.
Watch Youtube video – click the button below
Vitamin D is a (group of) fat-soluble vitamins known mainly for activating Calcium in our bodies and promoting bone health.
But did you know Vitamin D is a key supplement in the function of the immune system too?
There are several sources of Vitamin D – most of them are natural.
We create Vitamin D right within our bodies from an interaction between sunlight and a form of cholesterol in our skin.
The vitamin D we make is activated for use in different ways by the kidneys.
Other sources are from the food we eat – and there are several rich options, as we show in the video, including fish like mackerel, beef liver and dairy products.
And lastly, there are vitamin supplements.
Here we share how much Vitamin D you should take to maintain your daily requirements.
(As you will see, it depends on age and other facts like pregnancy).
Remember, vitamin D is also crucial in bone development.
In addition, we have studies showing the link between vitamin D and the immune system.
Watch the video for more.
More Reading
Editing By AskAwayHealth
Disclaimer
All AskAwayHealth articles are written by practising Medical Practitioners on a wide range of healthcare conditions to provide evidence-based guidance and to help promote quality healthcare.
The advice in our material does not replace the management of your specific condition by a qualified healthcare practitioner.
To discuss your condition, please contact a health practitioner or reach us directly
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