Vitamin D

In his revelation known as the Word of Wisdom, the Lord said to eat fruits in their season. The word "fruit" is interpreted to mean both fruits and vegetables as we think of them today. That counsel from the Lord is good for most vitamins and minerals, but vitamin D is an exception. There are only a few foods that provide vitamin D. Our bodies are able to synthesize the vitamin if our bodies are exposed to the sun, but the liberal use of sun creams to protect our skin from UV exposure means that many people have almost no increase of vitamin D in their bodies. This means that many people (perhaps most people) are deficient in vitamin D.

In order to provide a minimum amount of vitamin D, most people rely on vitamin D being added to our food and drink (e.g. milk is fortified with vitamin D). In addition, some people take supplements containing vitamin D. The Minimum Daily Requirement for intake of vitamin D is 400 IU per day. That is the minimum amount to prevent one from having Rickets. The question remains, how much vitamin D should one have in his or her diet? The answer you get depends on the doctor being asked, and answers range from 400 IU to several thousand IU per day.