Vitamin D – Why Is It Important For All Age Groups

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Vitamin D is a fat-soluble and it is called as sunshine Vitamin. Vitamin D is important for good health, growth and strong bones. A main action of vitamin D is to help calcium and phosphorus in our diet to be absorbed from the gut.

Vitamin D is mostly made in the skin by exposure to sunlight. A lack of vitamin D is very common. It is important at every stage of life.

Some people are more at a risk of developing vitamin D deficiency and these include all pregnant and breast-feeding women, all babies and young children aged 6 months to 5 years, people aged 65 and over, and people who are not exposed to much sun.

There is also some evidence that vitamin D may also help to prevent other diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Best Sources Of Vitamin D:

We get vitamin D in three ways: through the skin, from the diet and from supplements.

Sunlight:

A main source of vitamin D is made by our own bodies. It is made in the skin by the action of sunlight. In humans, the primary source of vitamin D is UVB-induced conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol to vitamin D in the skin.

Vitamin D Food Sources like Oily Fish & Egg Yolks:

Foods that contain vitamin D include: Oily fish (such as sardines, pilchards, herring, trout, tuna, salmon and mackerel) and even egg yolks.

Fortified Foods:

Fortified foods (this means they have vitamin D added to them) such as margarine, some cereals, infant formula milk and fat spreads.

Vitamin D Supplements:

Another source of vitamin D is dietary supplements ie liquid form, powder form, tablet form or injection form that are available over the counter.

Health Benefits Of Vitamin D:

Good For Bone Health:

Vitamin D is known to help the body absorb calcium, and it plays a role in bone health.
Good For Heart - Vitamin D influences the bones, intestines, immune and cardiovascular systems, pancreas, muscles, brain, and the control of cell cycles.

Good For Building Up Immunity Level:

Supplemental vitamin D is associated with a wide range of benefits, including increased cognition, immune health, bone health and well-being.

Anti-inflammatory Properties:

Vitamin D decreases cell proliferation and increases cell differentiation and has significant anti-inflammatory effects.

Lowers Breast Cancer Risk:

There is an evidence linking higher vitamin D intake to a lower risk for breast cancer.

Vitamin D Deficiency - Symptoms:

• Fatigue and weakness.
• Aching bones.
• Weak muscles.
• Difficulty in thinking.
• Bone fractures frequently and bone deformities.

Vitamin D Deficiency - Health Risks:

Impaired Immune System:

Impaired immune system functioning, which will be a higher risk for infection.
Rickets - Rickets, a condition that most commonly occurs in children that causes bone softening and osteomalacia in adults.

Insulin Resistance:

Insulin resistance, which affects ability to use insulin to process blood sugar.

Increased Risk For Osteoporosis:

Thin or brittle bones, which increases risk for osteoporosis.

Risk For Autoimmune Diseases:

Vitamin D deficiency can contribute to autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and autoimmune thyroid disease.

Vitamin D Deficiency - Causes:

Several factors are contributed to the rising incidence of vitamin D deficiency. These include:

• Applying sunscreen blocks the sun's ability to stimulate vitamin D production.
• Not spending enough time outside.
• Having darkly pigmented skin, which won't absorb the sun's rays as well.
• Exclusively breast-feeding babies for prolonged time periods.
• Being obese, which typically raises your vitamin D requirements.

Vitamin D Deficiency Treatments & Tests:

Vitamin D deficiency can diagnose by performing a simple blood test. Levels of vitamin D are expressed in nanomoles/liter (nmol/L) or nanograms/milliliter (ng/mL).

Deficiency: less than 30 nmol/L or 12 ng/mL.
Potential deficiency: between 30 nmol/L or 12 ng/mL - 50 nmol/L or 20 ng/mL.
Normal levels: between 50 nmol/L or 20 ng/mL - 125 nmol/L or 50 ng/mL.
High levels: higher than 125 nmol/L or 50 ng/mL.

If Vitamin D levels are low and having symptoms of bone pain, a doctor may recommend a special scan to check for bone density to evaluate a person's bone health.