What are the dangers of vitamin D deficiency?
The early 2010s saw the commencement of large-scale vitamin D trials in several countries examining the effects of higher than recommended doses of vitamin D on the risk of developing diseases.
What are symptoms of a serious vitamin D deficiency?
- Mushrooms are plant sources of vitamin D that are capable of synthesizing vitamins in the presence of sunlight
- Eggs are a good source of vitamin D, and most of their vitamins are present in the yellow portion (egg yolk)
- Cow milk, soya milk, or orange juice is rich in vitamins and minerals and is a great alternative option for vegans
What are the consequences of ingesting too little vitamin D?
- Older age
- Darkly pigmented skin
- Reduced sun exposure due to seasonal variation or living far from the equator
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Kidney or liver disease
What can I do about a vitamin D deficiency?
What does your diet have to do with getting enough vitamin D?
- Vitamin D content of various foods
- Cod liver oil, 1 tablespoon
- Swordfish, cooked, 3 ounces
- Salmon (sockeye) cooked, 3 ounces
- Tuna, canned in water, drained, 3 ounces
- Orange juice fortified with vitamin D, 1 cup
- Milk, vitamin-fortified, 1 cup
- Yogurt, fortified with 20% of the daily value of vitamin D, 6 ounces
- Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 2 sardines
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What happens if your vitamin D is low?
Vitamin D deficiency occurs when the body doesn't get enough vitamin D from sunlight or diet. Vitamin D deficiency can cause loss of bone density, osteoporosis, and broken bones. Vitamin D is sometimes called the sunshine vitamin because your body makes it from cholesterol when your skin is exposed to sunlight ( 1 ).
What causes vitamin D deficiency in adults?
Vitamin D deficiency can occur for a number of reasons: You don't consume the recommended levels of the vitamin over time. This is likely if you follow a strict vegan diet, because most of the natural sources are animal-based, including fish and fish oils, egg yolks, fortified milk, and beef liver.
Does vitamin D affect sleep?
Research links vitamin D levels to sleep quality. In fact, several studies associate low levels of vitamin D in your blood to a higher risk of sleep disturbances, poorer sleep quality and reduced sleep duration ( 9 , 10 , 11 ).
Which is the best fruit for vitamin D?
Orange. There are limited Vitamin D fruits. Around 75% of the people worldwide are either allergic to dairy products or are lactose intolerant, and some of them are vegan. So, orange or orange juice is the best option with vitamin D and other nutrients such as calcium.
Why Do I Need Vitamin D and How Do I Get It?
Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. Calcium is one of the main building blocks of bone. Vitamin D also has a role in your nervous, muscle, an...
How Much Vitamin D Do I Need?
The amount of vitamin D you need each day depends on your age. The recommended amounts, in international units (IU), are 1. Birth to 12 months: 400...
What Causes Vitamin D Deficiency?
You can become deficient in vitamin D for different reasons: 1. You don't get enough vitamin D in your diet 2. You don't absorb enough vitamin D fr...
Who Is at Risk of Vitamin D Deficiency?
Some people are at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency: 1. Breastfed infants, because human milk is a poor source of vitamin D. If you are breastfe...
What Problems Does Vitamin D Deficiency Cause?
Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a loss of bone density, which can contribute to osteoporosis and fractures.Severe vitamin D deficiency can also le...
How Can I Get More Vitamin D?
There are a few foods that naturally have some vitamin D: 1. Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel 2. Beef liver 3. Cheese 4. Mushrooms 5....
Can Too Much Vitamin D Be Harmful?
Getting too much vitamin D (known as vitamin D toxicity) can be harmful. Signs of toxicity include nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, constipation, w...
What are the health risks of vitamin D deficiency?
3. Heart health – Vitamin D deficiency may be linked to a higher risk of high blood pressure (hypertension) as well as increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease. 4. Inflammation – It has been found that vitamin D deficiency is associated with inflammation, a negative response of the immune system. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked ...
Where does vitamin D come from?
Our body can make its own vitamin D from sunlight but many people have low levels during winter. You can also get vitamin D from supplements, and a very small amount comes from a few foods you eat, such as some fish, fish liver oils, egg yolks and in fortified dairy, cereals and grain products.
Why is vitamin D important for bone health?
A lack of vitamin D causes calcium-depleted bone, which further weakens the bones and increases the risk of fractures. You can also read my article about the 4 steps to prevent osteoporosis.
How long does it take to get enough vitamin D?
It is believed that short daily period of sun exposure without sunscreen (about 10-15 minutes for lighter-skinned people) during the summer months is enough for most people to make enough vitamin D. Evidence suggests that the most effective time of day for vitamin D production is between 11am and 3pm.
How many people have dementia?
There are over 35.6 million people living with dementia worldwide, and a new case emerges every 7 seconds. Now, scientists linked vitamin D deficiency with a substantially increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in older people.
Which organs are responsible for converting vitamin D to its active form?
Kidney and liver function – These organs play an important role in converting vitamin D to its active form, so kidney or liver diseases can reduce the ability of these organs to create biologically active form of vitamin D in the body.
Does vitamin D affect tooth loss?
Also elderly patients with low vitamin D levels have a higher rate of tooth loss than those with high vitamin D levels. 11. Rheumatoid arthritis – Low vitamin D may play a role in developing rheumatoid arthritis. Studies have found that women who get more vitamin D seem less likely to get rheumatoid arthritis.
How to treat vitamin D deficiency?
Treatment for Vitamin D Deficiency. Treatment for vitamin D deficiency involves getting more vitamin D -- through diet and supplements. Although there is no consensus on vitamin D levels required for optimal health -- and it likely differs depending on age and health conditions -- a concentration of less than 20 nanograms per milliliter is ...
What are the health effects of low vitamin D levels?
Low blood levels of the vitamin have been associated with the following: Research suggests that vitamin D could play a role in the prevention and treatment of a number of different conditions, including type1 and type 2 diabetes, hypertension, glucose intolerance, and multiple sclerosis.
Why do vegans have a low vitamin D level?
This is likely if you follow a strict vegan diet, because most of the natural sources are animal-based, including fish and fish oils, egg yolks, fortified milk, and beef liver.
What happens if you don't take vitamin D?
Symptoms of bone pain and muscle weakness can mean you have a vitamin D deficiency. However, for many people, the symptoms are subtle. Yet, even without symptoms, too little vitamin D can pose health risks. Low blood levels of the vitamin have been associated with the following: 1 Increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease 2 Cognitive impairment in older adults 3 Severe asthma in children 4 Cancer
Why is vitamin D important for bones?
Vitamin D is essential for strong bones, because it helps the body use calcium from the diet. Traditionally, vitamin D deficiency has been associated with rickets, a disease in which the bone tissue doesn't properly mineralize, leading to soft bones and skeletal deformities. But increasingly, research is revealing the importance ...
What is vitamin D?
Known as the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D is produced by the body in response to skin being exposed to sunlight. It is also occurs naturally in a few foods -- including some fish, fish liver oils, and egg yolks -- and in fortified dairy and grain products. Vitamin D is essential for strong bones, because it helps the body use calcium from the diet. ...
How many IU of vitamin D should I take?
Guidelines from the Institute of Medicine increased the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin D to 600 international units (IU) for everyone ages 1-70, and raised it to 800 IU for adults older than age 70 to optimize bone health. The safe upper limit was also raised to 4,000 IU.
What are the diseases that affect vitamin D metabolism?
People with chronic kidney or liver disease. People with some lymphomas, a type of cancer. People who take medicines that affect vitamin D metabolism, such as cholestyramine (a cholesterol drug), anti-seizure drugs, glucocorticoids, antifungal drugs, and HIV/AIDS medicines.
Why is vitamin D not produced in older adults?
Older adults, because your skin doesn't make vitamin D when exposed to sunlight as efficiently as when you were young, and your kidneys are less able to convert vitamin D to its active form. People with dark skin, which has less ability to produce vitamin D from the sun.
What is the association study of serum 25 (OH)D concentration and myopia in Chinese?
Article: Association study of the serum 25 (OH)D concentration and myopia in Chinese... Article: Systematic review and meta-analysis of vitamin D deficiency in different pregnancy... Article: Association between vitamin D levels and lower-extremity deep vein thrombosis: a... Vitamin D Deficiency -- see more articles.
What are some medicines that affect vitamin D?
People who take medicines that affect vitamin D metabolism, such as cholestyramine (a cholesterol drug), anti-seizure drugs, glucocorticoids, antifungal drugs, and HIV/AIDS medicines. Talk with your health care provider if you are at risk for vitamin D deficiency. There is a blood test which can measure how much vitamin D is in your body.
How does vitamin D help your body?
Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. Calcium is one of the main building blocks of bone. Vitamin D also has a role in your nervous, muscle, and immune systems. You can get vitamin D in three ways: through your skin, from your diet, and from supplements. Your body forms vitamin D naturally after exposure to sunlight.
What foods have vitamin D?
There are a few foods that naturally have some vitamin D: Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel. Beef liver. Cheese. Mushrooms. Egg yolks. You can also get vitamin D from fortified foods. You can check the food labels to find out whether a food has vitamin D. Foods that often have added vitamin D include.
Why do people with Crohn's disease not handle fat properly?
People with disorders such as Crohn's disease or celiac disease who don't handle fat properly, because vitamin D needs fat to be absorbed. People who have obesity, because their body fat binds to some vitamin D and prevents it from getting into the blood. People who have had gastric bypass surgery.
What are the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency?
Vitamin D plays important roles in immune function. One of the most common symptoms of a deficiency is an increased risk of illness or infections. 2. Fatigue and tiredness. Feeling tired can have many causes, and vitamin D deficiency may be one of them.
Why is vitamin D important?
One of vitamin D’s most important roles is keeping your immune system strong so you’re able to fight off viruses and bacteria that cause illness. ). If you often become sick, especially with colds or the flu, low levels of vitamin D may be a contributing factor.
How does vitamin D help with energy?
Taking supplements may help improve energy levels. 3. Bone and back pain. Vitamin D helps maintain bone health in a number of ways. For one, it improves your body’s absorption of calcium. Bone pain and lower back pain may be signs of inadequate vitamin D levels in the blood.
Does vitamin D help with dental surgery?
One review of four studies found that vitamin D deficiency compromised certain aspects of healing in people who had dental surgery ( 25. Trusted Source. ). It’s also been suggested that vitamin D’s role in controlling inflammation and fighting infection is important for proper healing.
Can low vitamin D levels cause back pain?
Low blood levels of vitamin D may be a cause or contributing factor to bone pain and lower back pain. 4. Depression. A depressed mood may also be a sign of vitamin D deficiency. In review studies, researchers have linked vitamin D deficiency to depression, particularly in older adults ( 20.
Is vitamin D low in controlled trials?
Trusted Source. ). However, the researchers who analyzed the studies noted that the dosages of vitamin D in controlled studies were often very low.
Is vitamin D good for bone mass?
Regardless of these findings, adequate vitamin D intake and maintaining blood levels within the optimal range may be a good strategy for protecting bone mass and reducing fracture risk. Summary. A diagnosis of low bone-mineral density may be a sign of vitamin D deficiency.
What foods are good for vitamin D?
For example, choose fatty fish, such as salmon, trout, tuna and halibut, which offer higher amounts of vitamin D, or fortified foods, such as milk and yogurt. Don't overdo it, though.
Why do bones get thin?
Answer From Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. Vitamin D deficiency — when the level of vitamin D in your body is too low — can cause your bones to become thin, brittle or misshapen.
Is vitamin D deficiency a concern?
For most adults, vitamin D deficiency is not a concern. However, some groups — particularly people who are obese, who have dark skin and who are older than age 65 — may have lower levels of vitamin D due to their diets, little sun exposure or other factors.
What is vitamin D deficiency?
Deficiency 20-40%, severe deficiency 6-13%. Vitamin D deficiency, or hypovitaminosis D is defined as a vitamin D level that is below normal. It most commonly occurs in people when they have inadequate sunlight exposure (in particular sunlight with adequate ultraviolet B rays (UVB)).
Why do elderly people have a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency?
Elderly people have a higher risk of having a vitamin D deficiency due to a combination of several risk factors, including: decreased sunlight exposure, decreased intake of vitamin D in the diet, and decreased skin thickness which leads to further decreased absorption of vitamin D from sunlight.
Why do dark skins have higher vitamin D levels?
Darker skin color. The reduced pigmentation of light-skinned individuals may result in higher vitamin D levels, because of the melanin which acts like a sun-block, dark-skinned individuals may have higher vitamin D deficiency levels.
What is the source of vitamin D?
Vitamin D can be synthesized in the skin under the exposure of UVB from sunlight. Oily fish such as salmon, herring, and mackerel are also sources of vitamin D, as are mushrooms. Milk is often fortified with vitamin D and sometimes bread, juices, and other dairy products are fortified with vitamin D as well.
Why is vitamin D important for schizophrenia?
Vitamin D is essential for the normal development of the nervous system.
What was the role of diet in the development of rickets?
In 1921, Elmer McCollum identified an antirachitic substance found in certain fats that could prevent rickets. Because the newly discovered substance was the fourth vitamin identified, it was called vitamin D. The 1928 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Adolf Windaus, who discovered the steroid 7-dehydrocholesterol, the precursor of vitamin D.
Does vitamin D cause liver disease?
Medications may speed up the metabolism of vitamin D , causing a deficiency. Liver diseases: The liver is required to transform vitamin D into 25-hydroxyvitamin D. This is an inactive metabolite of vitamin D but is a necessary precursor (building block) to create the active form of vitamin D.
What are the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency?
13. Symptoms to watch out for: Depression may present itself in behavioral and emotional changes or even manifest as physical symptoms. 14 Here’s what to watch out for: Feeling of emptiness. Anxiety and sadness.
Why is vitamin D important?
Apr 30, 2018. Vitamin D is important for: Maintaining normal immune and neuromuscular function. Modulating cell growth. Lowering inflammation in the body. Supporting nutrients like calcium in the development, growth, upkeep, and repair of your bones 1. Vitamin D is a nutrient that you can easily take for granted.
What causes a child's bones to become soft and weak?
1. Rickets. Rickets is a bone condition that impacts children who have a vitamin D deficiency. The illness causes the child’s bones to become very soft and weak. 4. Other causes: It may also occur due to very low calcium and phosphorus levels. 5. Advertisements.
What causes osteoporosis?
Other causes and those at risk: Vitamin D is one of the causes of osteoporosis. 12 But it may also be the result of other health problems such as: Autoimmune disorders like lupus or multiple sclerosis. Digestive/gastrointestinal disorders like celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease.
What causes calcium to clump on skin?
Calciphylaxis, a condition that causes calcium to clump on your skin, resulting in ulcers and, later, the death of the tissue around it. Other causes: Besides a vitamin D deficiency, having kidney disease may cause you to develop secondary hyperparathyroidism. 19. 6.
What is the condition of weak bones?
2. Osteopenia. Osteopenia, not to be confused with osteoporosis, is also a form of weak bones but in a less severe form. It affects nearly half the population of Americans over 50 years. This condition is marked by a bone density that is not in the normal range but it isn’t as bad as in osteoporosis. 8.
Can vitamin D deficiency cause dementia?
20 One group of researchers determined that having a vitamin D deficiency was linked to an increased risk of both Alzheimer’s disease as well as all-cause dementia. 21