Can You Get Vitamin D Through a Window?
We don’t want to play favorites, but vitamin D is definitely one of the most important essential vitamins in our opinion. There are so many reasons why having enough of it is crucial (but more on that later!). Therefore, it’s good to know how you can obtain this nutrient that you need to properly nourish your body.
You likely have some questions about vitamin D and how you can acquire it. Don’t worry, we’ve been there too, and we are here to help you on your journey towards understanding.
Today, we’re going to answer an extremely common question that people have about obtaining vitamin D: Can you get it through a window?
The answer might surprise you, but before we start diving into that, we’ll give you some context. We begin by sharing what exactly vitamins are. From there, we dive into some background on vitamin D and why it’s critical you get enough of it.
After that, we’ll share the three main ways that you can acquire vitamin D, and yes, answer your question about obtaining vitamin D through a window. We have a lot to talk about, so buckle up for this adventure!
What Are Vitamins?
Did you know that there are currently 13 recognized vitamins? It’s true! Vitamins are, technically speaking, organic compounds. In other words, yes, they contain carbon.
Human beings need these organic compounds in small amounts, but they’re extremely essential. Most vitamins can come from foods, but it’s also a good idea to use a dietary supplement if you feel the diet you follow doesn’t provide you with all the vitamins that you need.
Usually, you will have to obtain these vitamins from external sources because of the fact the body is either unable to produce them or unable to produce enough of them. That means we have to rely on food or supplements to give us what we require.
Maybe you’re wondering why vitamins are so important. The reality is that vitamins play a multitude of different roles in the human body, and it’s essential that your body has enough of each to properly complete these functions.
We’ll also add that each different organism and person requires a unique amount of each vitamin to maintain their health and wellness. Dogs, for example, are able to create all of the vitamin C they require to live a healthy life. Humans? Not so much. That’s why we get vitamin C through food or even take supplements.
Are There Multiple Types of Vitamins?
There are two different types of vitamins. These include water-soluble and fat-soluble. We know those terms might be unfamiliar, so allow us to explain more. Vitamins are always dissolvable in either fat or water. Therefore, we have our fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins. Let’s start by covering fat-solubles.
Fat-soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E, and K. Your body is capable of storing these vitamins within the fatty tissue and the liver. In other words, you have reserves of these vitamins that can stick around for days or even months.
We also want to stress the importance of including dietary fats in your diet. These assist the body with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins through the intestinal tract. In other words, they’re crucial!
The opposite of fat-soluble is water-soluble vitamins. This includes vitamins C and B. One of the main differences in these vitamin types is how long they are able to stay in your body. Water-soluble vitamins, you will find, are unable to be stored. They actually exit your body through urine. As a result, people need a more regular supply of these vitamins.
Some Background on Vitamin D and Why it’s Important
But that’s enough about vitamins! Now, it’s time to talk about vitamin D, and why it’s so important to your overall health and wellbeing. Did you know that vitamin D is also sometimes referred to as calciferol? It’s true!
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin with a wide variety of responsibilities in the human body. There are several ways that you can get your daily helping of vitamin D, which we will share more about later.
As we mentioned, vitamin D has a range of functions that it is responsible for supporting. It’s one of the best multi-tasker vitamins, that’s for sure. Vitamin D helps promote calcium absorption inside of your gut. In addition, it maintains both adequate phosphate and serum concentrations.
These are crucial to ensure normal bone mineralization, not to mention that it helps prevent involuntary muscle contractions that could lead to spasms and cramps.
Vitamin D plays an important function in bone growth and remodeling, too. We think those are some huge responsibilities, but that is not all vitamin D is tasked with. You’ll find that vitamin D also helps reduce inflammation and with the modulation of processes including glucose metabolism, immune and neuromuscular function, and even cell growth.
Obviously, vitamin D is really important to make all of that happen. Its wide range of responsibilities is why it’s an absolute must-have.
What Could Happen If I Don’t Have Enough Vitamin D?
Let’s put it this way: You don’t want to be deficient in any vitamin. But you really, really don’t want to be deficient in vitamin D. It’s necessary for so many processes and functions; maintaining those levels is crucial to uphold your overall health.
You might be wondering what could happen if you routinely don’t get enough vitamin D. It’s important to be in the know about what you can expect if you don’t begin to improve your vitamin D numbers. We understand that these conditions that can occur as a result of lack of vitamin D are disturbing, but please know that you can help your body out substantially now by adding vitamin D to your daily routine.
Vitamin D deficiency means that your body does not have enough of this essential nutrient. If you fear that you might be vitamin D deficient, it will only take a quick visit to the doctor to find out for sure.
Explain your concerns and ask for a blood test to check your vitamin D levels. Yes, it really is that easy! Once you know what you are dealing with, you can begin to get those levels up.
If you don’t have enough vitamin D, you might experience cardiovascular difficulties, a greater risk for infections, and immune system disorders. These are just a few reasons why you should be sure that you’re including enough vitamin D into your daily diet.
How To Get Vitamin D
That brings us to our next question: how can I get the vitamin D I need? There are several ways. The first is by eating foods that have vitamin D in them. While there are actually very few foods that contain it naturally, some have been fortified to offer it.
Another way that you can get vitamin D is with a dietary supplement. This is our favorite way to go about it, as it’s quick and easy--not to mention you get to enjoy some delicious gummy vitamins every day!
Finally, you can also get vitamin D from the sun. The way that it works is that vitamin D is able to be produced endogenously when ultraviolet (also known as UV) rays from the sun strike your skin. This triggers a process referred to as vitamin D synthesis.
Can I Get Vitamin D Through a Window?
It’s time to answer your question: can you get your vitamin D through a window? The answer is no, you are unable to make vitamin D if you’re sitting inside — even if it’s an extremely sunny window.
This is because of the fact that ultraviolet B (also referred to as UVB rays), which are the ones that the body requires to manufacture vitamin D, cannot make their way through the glass.
We do want to make a note about the sun method for obtaining vitamin D: While it could seem enjoyable to spend time tanning in the sun, it’s really not the best way to go about obtaining a vitamin that you need. The longer period of time you stay in the sun, especially without sunblock, the higher your risk for skin complications related to sun damage.
If you’re going to be outside for an extended period of time, you should be sure to apply sunscreen. While this might mean that your attempt at getting vitamin D isn’t quite as effective, it also means that you won’t get a nasty burn — or likely experience complications due to sun exposure at a later date.
Conclusion
So there you have it: it’s not possible to get vitamin D through a window. Instead, you can opt for an easier, safer method of acquiring the vitamin D you need: gummy vitamins! We promise you’ll love the way they taste, and getting some vitamin D isn’t too shabby, either.
SOURCES:
Vitamin D - Health Professional Fact Sheet | NIH
Vitamins: What are they, and what do they do? | Medical News Today
Vitamin D Deficiency: Symptoms & Treatment | Cleveland Clinic