Q: Do I need to be concerned about getting enough vitamin D?
A: Vitamin D deficiency remains common. More than half of elderly men and women may be deficient in vitamin D. In the wintertime, vitamin D stores decline as exposure to sunlight fades. Without vitamin D, only 10 to 15 percent of dietary calcium is absorbed. Few foods contain vitamin D; however, fortified milk, fatty fish, cod-liver oil and eggs contain significant amounts of the vitamin. Low levels contribute to the development of osteoporosis and may increase the risk of fractures and falls. A low level of vitamin D may decrease your immune function and may be associated with colon cancer, prostate cancer and breast cancer.
— Dr. Monica Gefter,
Academic Internal Medicine;
member, Chattanooga-Hamilton
County Medical Society
Readers: To submit an obesity-related question for a medical doctor, e-mail it to Clint Cooper at ccooper@timesfreepress.com. See this space each week for answers.