Vitamin D supplements are used to treat adults with severe vitamin D deficiency, resulting in loss of bone mineral content, bone pain, muscle weakness and soft bones (osteomalacia). Research suggests that long-term vitamin D supplementation reduces the risk of multiple sclerosis.

Vitamin D supplements can be used to help treat inherited disorders resulting from an inability to absorb or process vitamin D, such as familial hypophosphatemia. However, more studies are needed to determine the benefits of vitamin D supplementation for cognitive health. Research shows that low levels of vitamin D in the blood are associated with cognitive decline. More studies are needed to determine whether vitamin D supplementation may reduce the risk of certain cancers. Findings on the benefits of vitamin D for cancer prevention are mixed. Research on vitamin D use for specific conditions shows: The recommended daily amount of vitamin D is 400 international units (IU) for children up to age 12 months, 600 IU for people ages 1 to 70 years, and 800 IU for people over 70 years. Taking a multivitamin with vitamin D may help improve bone health. If your doctor suspects you're not getting enough vitamin D, a simple blood test can check the levels of this vitamin in your blood.

Many older adults don't get regular exposure to sunlight and have trouble absorbing vitamin D. Sunscreen, while important to prevent skin cancer, also can decrease vitamin D production. Depending on where you live and your lifestyle, vitamin D production might decrease or be completely absent during the winter months. The amount of vitamin D your skin makes depends on many factors, including the time of day, season, latitude and your skin pigmentation. Your body also makes vitamin D when direct sunlight converts a chemical in your skin into an active form of the vitamin (calciferol). Vitamin D isn't naturally found in many foods, but you can get it from fortified milk, fortified cereal, and fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines.

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