Have you been experiencing fatigue, feelings of sadness or lack of appetite lately?
If so, you might be experiencing a vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D deficiency is not an uncommon phenomenon. In fact, it affects every 1 in 6 adults and 20% of children!
Whether you have a deficiency or not, Vitamin D is something you should be staying on top of. The benefits of vitamin D are plentiful, and with sufficient levels, it can enhance your quality of life.
To know more about how it can improve your life, keep reading.
Where do you get Vitamin D from?
There’s a range of food sources you can get vitamin D from, such as:
- Oily fish, i.e. salmon, sardines and mackerel
- Red meat
- Liver
- Egg yolks
Sometimes you may find vitamin D added in breakfast cereals, spreads and plant based milk. However, always check the label first to see if it’s included. However, even if you consume foods high in Vitamin D, it’s highly unlikely that you will get the sufficient amount you need, and therefore, it’s best to take supplements.
How much Vitamin D is sufficient everyday?
On average, you should consume 10 micrograms of Vitamin D daily. Most Vitamin D is made using your skin in the sun, and with the U.K. experiencing cold winters, lack of sun and covering up from October to March, supplements are more efficient. Vitamin D supplements are suitable for both adults and young children.
7 benefits of vitamin D
Vitamin D can drastically improve your day to day life; here is what it can do to your body:
Helps maintain healthy bones and teeth
One of the major benefits of Vitamin D is that it helps aid calcium and phosphorus regulation, making you have healthier bones, teeth and muscles. In particular, it makes your bones denser, less likely to experience fractures and reduces the risk of rickets and osteoporosis. With your teeth, it helps with tooth mineralization, and it’s thought that vitamin D may have anti-micro bacterial properties to combat oral infections.
Boosts the immune system
Another crucial role Vitamin D does plays for your body is helping its immune function. It helps your T, B, and dendritic cells, enhancing your immune function and allowing you to fight off infection and disease efficiently.
It also has anti-inflammatory properties, inhibiting the release of substances that contribute to inflammation known as cytokines. Therefore promoting a better immune response.
Reduces the risk of multiple sclerosis
As Vitamin D has a positive effect on the immune system, there’s research that shows that it can lower the likelihood of multiple sclerosis occurring. Vitamin D reduces the chances of an autoimmune attack from occurring, lowering inflammation rates in the body. However, more scientific research is needed to show how Vitamin D can support M.S.
Lowers the risk of heart disease
It’s thought low levels of vitamin D are associated with hypertension and heart disease. Simply having sufficient Vitamin D may help regulate your blood pressure. Vitamin D also has a direct role in the cardiac function of the heart muscle, helping regulate your heart rate and contractions.
Helps fight depression
Just like we mentioned earlier, a lack of vitamin D may contribute to depressive-like symptoms or even depression. Vitamin D helps influence the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin, helping regulate your mood and reducing the risk of depression. Alongside this, Vitamin D may aid brain development and helps with neuroplasticity, helping your mood.
Could potentially help weight loss
While it’s not entirely proven just yet, there’s growing research which suggests those with low Vitamin D levels may have a higher BMI. Another study also showed obese individuals who took Vitamin D supplements in combination with a diet plan lost more fat mass than a placebo group.
It may protect against respiratory infections
Vitamin D helps play a natural in stimulating the number of peptides which are anti micro bacterial, protecting your body against fungi, viruses and bacteria. It also helps promote a balanced immune response by reducing inflammation and lowering your risk of respiratory infections.
What are the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency?
It’s important to check occasionally if you’re vitamin deficient. On average, you should get a vitamin D blood test once a year to see if your levels are sufficient. You might want to check for common symptoms of deficiency, such as:
- Pain in bone and muscles
- Fatigue and weakness
- Changes in mood or depression
- Increased risk of infections
- Hair loss
- Difficulties with cognitive functions
- Impaired wound healing
If you feel you’re suffering from any of these, you should go visit a doctor.
Bottom line
Overall, Vitamin D is an essential nutrient to help enhance your immune response, lower your risk of depression, chronic disease and more. You can get Vitamin D from certain foods; however, with low sun exposure, the U.K. has recommended you take Vitamin D supplements.
Alongside supplements, you should make sure you get sufficient exposure to sunlight. If you feel you’re not getting enough Vitamin D, it’s best to speak to your doctor and get a blood test to see if you have sufficient levels.