Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that helps regulate calcium and phosphorus in the body. It also plays a role in maintaining proper bone structure.
Despite its name, vitamin D is not a vitamin but a hormone or prohormone.
Vitamin D is both a nutrient we eat and a hormone our bodies make. It is a fat-soluble vitamin that has long been known to help the body absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus; both are critical for building bone. Also, laboratory studies show that vitamin D can reduce cancer cell growth, help control infections and reduce inflammation. Many of the body’s organs and tissues have receptors for vitamin D, which suggest important roles beyond bone health, and scientists are actively investigating other possible functions.
Vitamin D is essential for maintaining healthy bones and teeth. It also plays many other important roles in the body, including regulating inflammation and immune function.
DIFFERENT FORMS OF VITAMIN D
There are different forms of vitamin D, including ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). Vitamin D is found in fish, eggs, and fortified milk. It's also made in the skin when exposed to sunlight. During periods of sunlight, vitamin D is stored in fat and then released when sunlight is not available.
Vitamin D supplements are commonly used to treat and prevent vitamin D deficiency. People who don't get enough sun and people who are 65 years or older are at risk for deficiency. People also use vitamin D for weak and brittle bones, heart disease, asthma, hay fever, and many other conditions, but there's no good scientific evidence to support many of these uses. There is also no strong evidence to support using vitamin D supplements for COVID-19. But it is important to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D. This can be done by taking 400-1000 IU of vitamin D daily or spending 15-30 minutes in the sun each day.
GOOD SOURCES OF VITAMIN D (this section is relevant more to people in the UK )
From about late March/early April to the end of September, most people should be able to make all the vitamin D they need from sunlight.
The body creates vitamin D from direct sunlight on the skin when outdoors.
But between October and early March we do not make enough vitamin D from sunlight. Read more about vitamin D and sunlight.
Vitamin D is also found in a small number of foods.
Sources include:
oily fish – such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel
red meat
liver
egg yolks
fortified foods – such as some fat spreads and breakfast cereals
Another source of vitamin D is dietary supplements.
In the UK, cows' milk is generally not a good source of vitamin D because it is not fortified, as it is in some other countries.
SYMPTOMS
The majority of people Trusted Source with a vitamin D deficiency do not present with symptoms. However, a chronic deficiency may cause hypocalcaemia, a calcium deficiency disease, and hyperparathyroidism, where the parathyroid glands create a hormone imbalance that raises the blood calcium levels.
These conditions can lead to secondary symptoms including:
bone fragility, especially in older adults
osteoporosis
bone pain
fatigue
muscle twitching
muscle weakness
myalgias, or muscle pain
arthralgias, or joint stiffness
If Vitamin D deficiency continues for long periods, it may result in complications, such as:
cardiovascular conditions
autoimmune problems
neurological diseases
infections
pregnancy complications
certain cancers, including breast, prostate, and colon
THESE ARE THE SIGNS OF VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY
Weak bones. Vitamin D helps your body to pull calcium and phosphate from the digested food in your intestines. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a loss of bone density, which can contribute to osteoporosis and fractures (broken bones).
Frequent illnesses. If get sick more often than usual, experiencing cold-like or flu-like symptoms, low vitamin D levels may the underlying cause.
Muscle pain. Because your muscles contain pain receptors called nociceptors that respond to different stimuli. A vitamin D deficiency leads to a chemical stimulus that causes the nociceptors to send pain signals.
Inflammation. A study done at the University of Missouri nutritional sciences has found that vitamin D deficiency is associated with inflammation, a negative response of the immune system, in healthy women.
Asthma – Vitamin D supplementation of 1,200 IU daily has been has been found to minimize asthma attacks and reduce their severity.
Depression – Vitamin D deficiencies have been linked to depression and anxiety.
Heart disease – Recent studies also show that vitamin D deficiency is linked to more serious health risks such as coronary artery disease, heart attacks, and strokes.
High blood pressure – Vitamin D Deficiency has been associated with high blood pressure.
Rheumatoid Arthritis -Studies have found that vitamin D can ease the pain and stiffness associated with RA.
Multiple sclerosis – Current evidence supports that vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of developing MS.
Cancer – Various kinds of cancer have been linked to D deficiencies, including breast cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer.
Periodontal disease – Vitamin D helps in the formation of defensins and cathelicidins which, in turn, can minimize harmful bacteria in the mouth.
Diabetes -An observational study from the Nurses Health Study that included 83,779 women > 20 years of age found an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in those with low vitamin D status.
If you usually wear clothes that cover up most of their skin when outdoors or have a zero outdoor lifestyle, am afraid you will need to help yourself. Also, how often do you carry out your routine blood check? Try to check your Vitamin D level soon. Good luck!!
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Reference: HSPH HARDVARD, NHS, WebMD, MNT etc.
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