Vitamin D, also known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’, is produced in your body as a result of exposure to the sun. It is also present in certain foods and supplements. However, the primary source of vitamin D is right outside your door, “the sun”.
The sun helps synthesize vitamin D in your skin, which promotes the growth of healthy bones and is also necessary for many other bodily functions.
Vitamin D is a boon to your health and a deficiency of the vitamin in your body can lead to health issues. Vitamin D deficiency is likely if you are following a strict vegan diet (eating only foods comprising plants) as most of the natural sources of vitamin D are animal-based, which includes fish, egg yolk, fish oil, and milk.
Additionally, if you have limited exposure to sunlight, have dark coloured skin or have other underlying health conditions, you are most likely to have vitamin D deficiency.
Common symptoms of deficiency of vitamin D include pain in your joints, muscle weakness, fatigue, and mood changes. If you experience any of these symptoms, check with your doctor.
Not having enough of this vitamin can make you prone to certain other health conditions and diseases.
Here’s a quick list of 5 health conditions that are linked to vitamin D deficiency and that you should know of:
1. Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis is a condition where your bones become weak and brittle. It occurs when the bone tissue does not regenerate as fast it is broken down.
Vitamin D helps improve the absorption of calcium, a mineral that is essential for healthy bones, from your diet. Thus, low levels of vitamin D can lead to low bone calcium levels, increasing the risk of fractures and osteoporosis.
2. Depression: Vitamin D deficiency is linked to a high risk of depression (an emotional disorder that can affect your everyday life). It plays an important role in boosting your mental health and uplifting your mood.
Vitamin D stimulates your brain to release feel-good hormones such as serotonin and dopamine (chemical messengers that help regulate your mood). This vitamin is essential for your healthy brain functioning and therefore, its deficiency can lead to depression and other mental health problems and illnesses.
3. Heart Diseases: Low vitamin D levels can be one of the factors that can increase the risk of heart diseases.
High blood pressure (hypertension) and cholesterol (waxy substances found in your blood) levels play a major role in the development of heart diseases.
Vitamin D helps your blood vessels relax and widen and thereby, helps regulate your blood pressure. The deficiency of vitamin D can cause stiffness of the blood vessels affecting the blood flow and increasing your risk of heart diseases.
4. Diabetes: Vitamin D helps in regulating your blood sugar levels. It also plays an important role in the synthesis and secretion of insulin, the hormone that helps maintain normal blood sugar levels in your body.
Vitamin D helps improve your body’s sensitivity to insulin and reduces the risk of insulin resistance (occurs when your body stops using insulin, resulting in high blood sugar levels). Its can affect the production of insulin, thus increasing your risk of diabetes.
5. Cancer: Low vitamin D levels in the body can make you prone to certain cancers (a condition where your body’s cells grow uncontrollably). This includes breast cancer, colorectal cancer (bowel cancer), and prostate cancer [cancer affecting the gland (in males) that produces seminal fluid].
Studies have shown that most individuals with these cancers have low levels of vitamin D. However, the exact reason for how low vitamin D levels can increase the risk of cancers is not known and research is in progress.
Vitamin D is an important nutrient that your body needs for its normal functioning. The three main sources of this vitamin are sunlight, foods such as fatty fishes, egg yolks, mushrooms, and fortified milk.
If you have vitamin D deficiency, you will be advised to take supplements. Check with your doctor about the dosage and for how long you have to take the prescribed supplements.
References:
1. Topics, H., 2021. Vitamin D Deficiency: MedlinePlus. [online] Medlineplus.gov. Available at: <https://medlineplus.gov/vitaminddeficiency.html> [Accessed 11 May 2021].
2. Cleveland Clinic. 2021. Vitamin D Deficiency: Symptoms & Treatment. [online] Available at: <https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15050-vitamin-d--vitamin-d-deficiency> [Accessed 11 May 2021].
3. Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. 2021. Home - PMC - NCBI. [online] Available at: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/> [Accessed 11 May 2021].
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