Vitamin D is nicknamed the sunshine vitamin because sunlight helps our bodies produce it. The combination of office environments, clothing and sunblock (which you should be using daily), however limits our exposure to the sun. Worse yet, getting enough sunlight to produce the necessary levels of vitamin D greatly increases the risk of skin cancer - not a good tradeoff.

Therefore, we suggest taking Vitamin D supplements. Yes, you can increase your consumption of Vitamin D through foods such fortified dairy products, but probably not enough. New research suggests you need at least 800 international units, though the Cooper Institute recommends taking 1,000 international units. To put these numbers in perspective, the U.S. government currently recommends a daily intake of 400 international units - a huge difference.

The benefits of Vitamin D may extend beyond just improving bone density. Some studies, such as this one referenced by the BBC, show that the sunshine vitamin can also lower your risk of cancer.

NPR ran a great story on Vitamin D this morning. You can listen to it by clicking here.