This isn’t an easy topic to write about nor is it an easy topic to find information about since it’s quite complex. However, we will share with you as much information as possibly can about this subject so that you no longer have any questions left un-answered by the end of this article.
Abstract
Symptoms And Health Risks Of Vitamin D Deficiency
Yet, even without symptoms, too little vitamin D can pose health risks.
Diseases & Conditions
The truth is that a lot has changed, and vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are now a global public health problem affecting an estimated 1 billion people worldwide. Vitamins are considered essential nutrients because either your body cannot make them or they are made in inadequate amounts to prevent negative health consequences or diseases.
Vitamin D was discovered to be essential when it was found to be needed for the treatment of rickets. There are two forms of vitamin D: D2 and D3. Vitamin D2, also known as ergocalciferol, comes from fortified foods, plant foods, and over-the-counter supplements.
Vitamin D3, also known as cholecalciferol, comes from fortified foods, animal foods (fatty fish, cod liver oil, eggs, and liver), supplements, and can be made internally when your skin is exposed ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. Many believe that vitamin D should be classified as a hormone, with some calling it the forgotten neurosteroid. The health consequences of being deficient go far beyond rickets and what occurs with any other vitamin.
And unlike other vitamins, it can be made by your body when exposed to the sun and the active form in your body, called calcitriol, has similarities to other hormones (estrogen, cortisol, and testosterone). As a result, vitamin D levels began dropping without most health care professionals realizing it. Researchers have been focusing on the consequences of vitamin D deficiency and have found an alarming number of health issues outside of its role with rickets.
These include skeletal diseases like osteoporosis, certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune diseases, infections, inflammatory bowel diseases, psychological disorders, cognitive disorders, obesity, and or mortality. This article will teach you all that you need to know about the benefits of achieving and maintaining optimal vitamin D levels and how you can do i.
What Is Vitamin D?
To use it, the body needs to convert it to an active form called 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] or calcidiol.
How Much Is A Deficiency?
The results of a serum vitamin D blood test may show the following: Too high and possibly harmful : 125 nmol/l or more
: 125 nmol/l or more Sufficient : 50–125 nmol/l
: 50–125 nmol/l At risk of inadequacy : 30–49 nmol/l
: 30–49 nmol/l At risk of deficiency: 30 nmol/l or less Functions of vitamin D Vitamin D has many important functions, including : supporting bone health by enabling the absorption of calcium
promoting muscle health
modulating the immune system
aiding cell growth
reducing inflammation, which helps prevent diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis
regulating blood pressure and supporting cardiovascular health Low vitamin D and diabetes Some experts have suggested that vitamin D may help prevent type 2 diabetes. However, in a 2019 study , 2,423 people at risk of type 2 diabetes took either a vitamin D supplement of 4,000 international units (IU) a day or a placebo. Vitamin D levels increased in those who took the supplement.
Learn more about the health benefits of vitamin D.