Symptoms And Health Risks Of Vitamin D Deficiency
Symptoms of bone pain and muscle weakness can mean you have a vitamin D deficiency. Low blood levels of the vitamin have been associated with the following: Increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease
Cognitive impairment in older adults
Severe asthma in children
Cancer Research suggests that vitamin D could play a role in the prevention and treatment of a number of different conditions, including type1 and type 2 diabetes, hypertension, glucose intolerance, and multiple sclerosi.
What Is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that the body produces when the skin gets exposed to sunlight.
When vitamin D enters the body, it is not in an active form. To use it, the body needs to convert it to an active form called 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] or calcidiol. 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. Learn more about the health benefits of vitamin D.
What Are Some Common Symptoms Of Vitamin D Deficiency?
These professionals can work with you to modify your diet or lifestyle and correct the problem.
“Because vitamin D isn’t found in a lot of foods, and sun exposure may be limited depending on where you live, I recommend everyone get their vitamin D levels checked at their annual checkup,” says Anzlovar. “Then you can evaluate with your healthcare provider whether a supplement or seeking out more vitamin-D-rich foods is necessary.” Know also that some groups, including individuals with dark skin, those with certain underlying health conditions or who are taking certain medications, and those who live in a city far from the equator, may be more prone to having low vitamin D, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Related: 5 Ways to Boost Vitamin D Intake When You Have RA.
Diseases & Conditions
It’s shocking for most people when they have never had a problem before and believe nothing has changed to make it a problem now. 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.
Vitamin D is one of the four fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K). 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.
Structurally, these two are not the same. 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).
We have also had a shift in spending less time outdoors because of increased work hours and more sedentary lives. 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. Correcting vitamin D deficiency is not as simple as taking a pill or getting more sun. 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.