Nutrition Frenzy

Wouldn’t it be great to have balance-beam-worthy body control? This nutrient could help: vitamin D.

Vitamin D may not turn you into Shawn Johnson, but as you age, it may give you a leg up when it comes to keeping your balance, your grip strength, and your foot speed.

Dangers of D-ficiency
A lack of vitamin D is actually fairly common in the United States; up to 40 percent of people may not be getting enough. And shortfalls increase with age. Not good, because a study recently revealed that people 65 and older who are low on D do poorly on tests of handgrip strength, walking speed, balance, and the ability to stand up from a seated position. More research is needed, but scientists feel there is already enough evidence of vitamin D’s positive effect on muscle strength to warrant being on D alert.

Where to Get Yours
You can get your D from the sun and from food (including fortified foods), but most people need a supplement to get enough, especially as winter sun rays get weaker. Check with your doctor if you’re wondering whether a D supplement is a good move for you.

Vitamin D
Benefits
Vitamin D is increasingly being viewed as important. It’s well known for working with calcium to strengthen your bones, but it may also help prevent osteoarthritis, reduce your risk of certain cancers, fight inflammation, and help regulate blood pressure.

RealAge Recommendation
There’s mounting evidence to support a bump in the daily dose of D. While the government recommendations are 400 international units (IU) per day if you’re under 70 years of age and 600 IU if you’re over 70, several members of the RealAge Scientific Advisory Board now recommend taking 1,000 IU if you’re under 60 years of age and 1,200 IU if you’re over 60. The daily upper intake level for D is 2,000 IU a day — so anything up to that is generally considered safe.

Good Sources
There are three ways to get vitamin D: food, sunlight, and supplements. If you’re not getting enough from your diet, or you don’t spend much time outdoors (just 10–20 minutes in the sun can significantly boost your body’s production of vitamin D), take a daily supplement.

Salmon, canned (3 ounces) 530 IU
Salmon, cooked (3.5 ounces) 240–360 IU
Tuna, canned (3 ounces) 200 IU
Soymilk, fortified (8 ounces) 100 IU
Orange juice, fortified (8 ounces) 100 IU
Milk, low-fat, fortified (8 ounces) 98 IU
Cereal, fortified (1 cup) 40–50 IU
Eggs (1 large) 20–26 IU
Swiss cheese (1 ounce) 12 IU