Vitamin D is one of the most important vitamins for our body, along with other vitamins as well as minerals. However, unfortunately, due to current life and its rush with processed foods and lack of healthy eating, it has led us to have increasingly low levels of vit-D in our body.
Vitamin D plays a crucial role in the human body, directly affecting bone health, the immune system, and even the proper functioning of the heart and muscles. Your disability is a health problem that can affect people of all ages and backgrounds. In this text, we will explore the causes, symptoms and consequences of vit-D deficiency.
Causes of Vitamin D Deficiency
The main source of vit-D for the human body is exposure to sunlight. When the skin is exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) light from the sun, it synthesizes vitamin D. However, several circumstances can lead to deficiency:
- Lack of sun exposure: Living in areas with harsh winters, spending most of your time indoors, or wearing clothing that covers most of the body can reduce sun exposure. In this sense, the recommendation is that you expose yourself to the sun for at least 10 to 15 minutes a day. However, with protection, of course.
- Skin pigmentation: People with darker skin have a greater amount of melanin, which can limit the production of vitamin D in the skin. In this sense, the ideal for each organism is around 60-70 nmol/L of vit-D in summer and 50 in winter.
- Advanced age: The body's ability to produce vitamin D decreases with age.
- Intestinal absorption problems: Gastrointestinal disorders, such as celiac disease or Crohn's disease, can impair adequate absorption of vitamin D.
- Kidney Diseases: Patients with kidney disease may have decreased levels due to the vit-D enzymes being inactive and needing to be converted by kidney enzymes. Therefore, if the kidney is not functioning normally due to some disease, it has difficulty transforming the enzyme.
- Hormonal Imbalances and Resistant Vitamin D Receptors
Symptoms of Vita Deficiency–D:
- Muscle weakness: Vitamin D plays a fundamental role in muscle function, so a lack of it can cause weakness.
- Bone pain: Vitamin D deficiency is associated with bone problems such as osteoporosis and rickets in children.
- Fatigue: People with low levels of vitamin D may feel more tired and have reduced energy, causing excessive sweating, especially in the face area.
- Depression: Studies suggest that vitamin D is linked to mental well-being, and a lack of it can contribute to depressive symptoms.
- Weakened immune system: Low levels of vitamin D can make it difficult for the immune system to defend itself, leading to infections and inflammation more easily. Furthermore, studies show that people with a vitamin D deficiency in their bodies have a greater chance of developing rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes mellitus and multiple sclerosis.
- Bad mood: serotonin (happiness hormone) is only produced in the body when it has sufficient amounts of vit-D, therefore, low levels are not capable of producing the hormone, causing episodes of stress and bad mood.
- Vision problems: Low levels can affect the retina and cause night blindness and visual disturbances.
- Slow Healing: Along with vitamin K and A, vitamin D plays a unique role in ensuring rapid and efficient healing.
- Weak Nails: Vit-D can affect calcium levels in your body, leading to peeling, brittle and even flexible nails.
- Difficulties getting pregnant: The lack of vit-D affects the production of cholesterol, which is important for the production of sex hormones.
Other Symptoms
Other common symptoms are: body pain for no reason, sweating in the head area, various infections in a short period of time, weight gain, hair loss, infectious diseases such as thrush and thrush, as well as pain in the mouth area due to calcium loss
Consequences of Vitamin D Deficiency:
In the long term, vitamin D deficiency can have serious health consequences. In addition to the aforementioned bone problems, it has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and autoimmune disorders.
Therefore, it is essential to maintain adequate levels of vitamin D through sun exposure, diet and, when necessary, supplementation. If you suspect a vitamin D deficiency, it is advisable to consult a healthcare professional for evaluation and appropriate treatment.
Sources of Vitamin D
The sun is one of your greatest allies when thinking about increasing levels in your body, however it is important to remember to use sun protection to avoid burns and harmful effects on your skin in the long term such as premature aging, blemishes, as well as the possibility of of skin cancer.
Furthermore, there is a large list of foods that can help you increase your levels. Are they:
- Egg yolk
- Tuna
- Salmon
- Chicken liver
- Tilapia
- Beef liver
- Sardine
- Mushrooms and more
How do I know if my Vit-D is low?
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms and complaints mentioned above, the ideal is to see a doctor to analyze your case and decide the best course of action regarding vitamin D replacement if this is your problem. Additionally, you can have a vit-D blood test, also known as hydroxyvitamin D or 25(OH)D. The reference values are:
| Greater than 20 ng/mL | Value of a healthy person with the right levels of Vitamin D |
| Between 30 and 60 ng/mL | Value indicated for elderly people, pregnant women and patients who have diseases related to vit-D deficiency such as rickets, as well as kidney disease |
| Between 10 and 20 ng/mL | Low value with risk of bone loss and possibility of developing diseases and presenting symptoms |
| Less than 10 ng/mL | Extremely low value and most of the time it is necessary to replace medication |
