When vitamin D is low
Vitamin D or calciferol is a nutrient that has powerful effects on the body.
But despite its crucial role, most people seem to suffer from a deficience.
It is thought that 40% of adults, or about 1 billion of the world’s population, are deficient in vitamin D.
What’s the reason?
In fact, foods provide a tiny amount of vitamin D.
It is mainly produced by exposing its skin to the sun’s UV rays.
For this reason, it is often referred to as the “sunshine vitamin”.
The other reason for a deficiency in this vitamin is that it is difficult to diagnose.
It is difficult to determine whether the symptoms are related to a deficiency or the consequences of a pathology.
What foods is vitamin D found in?
The best sources of vitamin D in diet are:
– Salmon, sardines, herring
– Egg yolk
– Organ meats
– Sprouted seeds
– Sunflower seeds
What are the signs of a lack of vitamin D? Let’s try to detail them.
1- What vitamin deficiency causes muscle cramps?
Calciferol plays an important role in muscle function.
When metabolized, it supports your muscles and ensures muscle contraction. It is also essential to ensure muscle strength.
If you experience muscle pain, it is not necessarily due to effort but to a deficiency.
Indeed, scientific studies show that chronic muscle pain that does not respond to any treatment is often caused by vitamin D deficiency.
2- Vitamin D deficiency causes joint pain
By adulthood, the bones no longer develop but bone tissue is regularly renewed.
Vitamin D is essential for the replacement of this tissue and severe impairment can cause bone frailty.
However, it is difficult to differentiate between muscle and bone pain. This is why it can be noted that muscle pain is often located in a specific area and intensifies during movements when bone pain is felt as a deep and very diffuse pain.
3- Will vitamin D give you energy?
This symptom is often overlooked because fatigue is attributed to many pathologies.
Nevertheless, the body needs this particular vitamin to produce energy.
If you notice that you feel exhausted without knowing the reason, it may be worth trying to supplement.
4- Do you feel a lack of stamina?
If you are active but notice that your stamina is reduced for no apparent reason, a lack of vitamin D may also be the cause.
5- Will Vitamin D help with depression?
This vitamin is not only important for the brain, it also acts directly on moods.
Although research is still ongoing, many studies seem to show that vit D can improve certain neurotransmitters in the brain called monoamines.
And that includes “wellness substances” like serotonin and dopamine.
Lack of these substances puts morale in socks and can even lead to depression.
This is also the reason why people experience a “lack of joy” during the winter months in what is called seasonal depression and which is induced by a lack of vitamin D coming from sunlight.
6- Vitamin D sleeping
The role of vitD on sleep has been demonstrated.
Research tends to link sleep quality to adequate levels of this vitamin and lack causes poor quality sleep.
7- Do you suffer from hot flashes?
When the body temperature exceeds 37 degrees Celsius, perspiration is triggered to regulate it.
If you have hot flashes, you may also be vitamin D deficient.
8- Which vitamin deficiency causes hair loss?
When all is well, hair follicles maintain hair volume.
Of course, it is natural to lose some of your hair as you get older. But some people notice abnormal loss at any age likely due to vitamin D deficiency.
Some studies note a link between insufficient levels and alopecia, an autoimmune disease that results in abnormal hair loss on the body.
9- Do you heal badly?
Vitamin D plays a very important role in skin renewal and if you notice a consequent delay in healing, a deficiency is certainly underlying.
This problem can be very troublesome in case of surgery.
10- What vitamin for dizziness?
Vitamin D also has a significant impact on the functioning of the ear.
Research shows that there are receptors of this vitamin in the calcium channels of the inner ear to maintain calcium balance.
Indeed, any calcium imbalance can lead to sudden dizziness and even nausea.
11- Is vitamin D good for the heart?
Deficiency in this sun hormone is a widely underestimated aggravating factor in cardiovascular risk.
However, there is ample evidence that an insufficient rate increases the progression of heart disease.
12- Is obesity linked to a lack of vitamin D?
Vitamin D is known to optimize the absorption of important nutrients – such as calcium – which is as essential for bones as it is for effective metabolism.
It helps the body burn calories.
Studies tend to show that in case of overweight, the body needs more calciferol intakes.
They also note that people with a large waist circumference fail to convert this vitamin into its most effective form and require up to three times the recommended dose.
13- Recurrent infections due to lack of vitamin D?
Vitamin D has a direct impact on the immune system.
When the body produces enough, the immune system is strengthened and manages to fight infections normally.
On the other hand, a deficiency can have serious consequences by not protecting against chronic infections and diseases.
14- The best support for cognitive function?
In its biologically active form, vitamin D is known to have neuroprotective effects.
It helps preserve nerve function – which is crucial for the brain.
Studies warn of the very negative impact of vitamin D deficiency on cognitive function.
In fact, there are clear indications that insufficient levels of this vitamin are linked to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
While vitamin D deficiency seems to be a major problem in the world, there are some predispositions exposing us to many risks.
As you already know, the body produces this vitamin when exposed to the sun.
This means that you may suffer from a low rate if you spend too much time indoors (whether at home or at work), living in extreme conditions or wearing clothing that hides too much.
Those with darker skin naturally produce less vitamin D because their higher melanin levels are intended to protect them from excessive UV exposure.
If you think you are running out of vitamin D, it is important to have your blood levels checked.
The good news is that a deficiency is easy to treat.
You can expose yourself more often to the sun, include calciferol-rich foods in your diet such as oily fish or super foods such as cereals, or simply take a vitamin D supplement.
This can do wonders for your health and perhaps even more in this unfortunate period of Covid-19…
How much vitamin D should I take a day ?
Although traditional medicine offers overdosed monthly doses in ampoules, I do not recommend this method of administration but rather daily or weekly supplementation of a natural vitamin D.
The indicated daily dose is 2000 to 4000 units per day.
It goes without saying that if you take full advantage of the summer period and receive enough solar radiation, you can put aside your supplement until next fall and winter.
This blog is copyright ©2021 by gomedica.org. All rights reserved