Vitamin D
Health Risks of Vitamin D Deficiency
Before I explore the reasons some people have a
vitamin D deficiency, its symptoms and health risks, let’s look at the sources
of vitamin D.
In order for your body to produce sufficient
vitamin D, your skin needs to get enough sunlight in addition to food
sources. Here are the many food sources
of vitamin D:
·
fatty fish, for example, mackerel,
salmon, and tuna
·
egg yolks
·
beef liver
·
cheese
·
mushrooms
·
fortified cereals and juices
·
fortified milk
Causes of
vitamin D deficiency
You have
dark skin
With the presence of melanin in your skin or
sunscreen, your skin's ability to absorb the ultraviolet radiation B (UVB) rays
from the sun (sunlight) and produce vitamin D, is limited. No wonder some
studies reveal that older adults with darker skin have a risk of vitamin D
deficiency.
Your kidneys
have issues with converting vitamin D to its active form
As we age, our kidneys’ ability to convert
vitamin D to its active form decreases. This increases our risk of vitamin D
deficiency.
Your
digestive tract is less effective in absorbing vitamin D
Some medical issues like Crohn's disease, celiac
disease and cystic fibrosis can be the reason your intestine cannot absorb the
vitamin D in the food you consume.
You are
obese
When fat cells extract Vitamin D from the blood, the
process alters the release of vitamin D into circulation. That’s why a person
with a body mass index of 30 or greater mostly has low vitamin D blood levels.
Geographical
location
If you live in northern latitudes or in highly
polluted areas, spend most time indoors or work night shifts, your best source
of vitamin D can only be from food.
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding infants need a vitamin D
supplement. This applies mostly to infants with dark skin or those minimally
exposed to sunlight. According to American Academy of Pediatrics, all breastfed
infants should receive 400 international units (IU) of oral vitamin D per day.
Symptoms
of vitamin D deficiency
- regular
illness or infection
- fatique
- muscle
pain
- bone
and
back pain
- impaired
wound healing
- low
mood
·
hair loss
Tests for
Vitamin D Deficiency
The best accurate measurement of vitamin D in
your body is to take the 25-hydroxy vitamin D blood test. An adequate level in
healthy people is 20 nanograms/milliliter to 50 ng/mL. But if the level is
below 12 ng/mL, then you have vitamin D deficiency and therefore need treatment.
Treatment
for Vitamin D Deficiency
Taking more vitamin D via more exposure to
sunlight, diet and supplements is the best treatment for vitamin D deficiency.
According to guidelines from doctors, the recommended
dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin D was raised to 600 IU for anyone between 1
and 70 years of age. For adults above 70, it was increased to 800 IU to enhance
bone health. The safe upper limit also got increased to 4,000 IU. So, now
doctors may recommend more than 4,000 IU as a remedy to a vitamin D deficiency.
Do you spend less time in the sun or apply
sunscreen often, talk to your doctor about taking a vitamin D supplement, especially
if you have symptoms or risk factors for vitamin D deficiency.
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