No doubt, you’re probably familiar with the role of vitamin D in promoting healthy bones, largely by promoting the absorption of calcium. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which also comes in two forms, Vitamin D2 and D3, which are either naturally available in various food items, or through dietary supplements or endogenously produced when our skin absorbs UV rays from the sun.
The most common and ideal of the three sources is direct sunlight. However, there are countries that get little to no direct sunlight for months and are predominantly cold. In which case, consuming supplements are the next best option to get maximum vitamin D benefits.
Researchers had also suggested that having ideal vitamin D levels played a central role in metabolic and immune function and reduced the risk of certain community-acquired respiratory illnesses. Vitamin D is traditionally known for its role in bone health, but it has a crucial role in the immune system. It is commonly known that low vitamin D levels often leave people susceptible to various infectious diseases, including upper respiratory tract infections.
LESSER-KNOWN FACTS ABOUT VITAMIN D
1. The connection of vitamin D deficiency to depression: Though the cause of depression cannot be isolated to vitamin deficiency alone, supplementation to increase the levels of vitamin D in such patients is likely to reduce the symptoms of depression. Though there are still ongoing studies for this, it’s collectively said that there is a correlation between the two but no causation.
2. Infectious disease: Although vitamin D benefit is associated mostly with bone-related conditions, studies suggest that vitamin D plays a significant role in preventing infectious diseases targeting Respiratory Tract Infections (RTI), influenza, and the like.
3. Autoimmune diseases: Vitamin D is a modulator of the immune system, and it is involved in regulating cell proliferation and differentiation. Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that damages the nerve cells in the brain and research suggests that since it’s geographically more prevalent in people who reside away from the equator, it has led to the understanding that lower vitamin D levels could be a reason.
4. Cancer: According to some studies, vitamin D might inhibit carcinogenesis and slow tumor progression and thereby lowering mortality risks for breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer. Further research is needed to determine whether the inadequacy of vitamin D increases the risk of cancer and if more significant exposure to it can prevent cancer.
5. Cardiovascular disease: Vitamin D helps to steady blood pressure, vascular cell growth, and inflammation. For these reasons, heart health and cardiovascular diseases are linked to vitamin D.
6. Type 2 diabetes mellitus: Certain studies suggest a correlation between vitamin D in stimulating insulin secretion, hence playing a role in glucose metabolism. Observational studies have linked lower levels of serum 25(OH)D, which is the primary circulating form of vitamin D, to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
7. Obesity: Individuals with obesity have higher chances of vitamin D deficiency and illnesses along with it. The probable reason for it could be its dilution to greater volumes of muscles.
8. Vitamin D acts more like a hormone: Vitamin D behaves much less like a vitamin and much more like a hormone. That means vitamin D aids in the process rather than a participant in metabolism, potentially affecting everything from weight to how organs function.
9. Liver & Kidneys synthesize Vitamin D: As discussed earlier, the primary vitamin D source is direct sunlight. When the UVB radiation from sunlight strikes our skin, a chemical reaction turns it to vitamin D3, carried to our liver to form 25(OH)D which then travels to the kidney where it further transforms to the biologically active form of vitamin D-calcitriol.
10. Dark Skinned people need more Vitamin D: The pigment called melanin in our skin’s epidermal layer results in darker skin. This pigment reduces the skin’s ability to synthesize vitamin D from sunlight, making it imperative for dark-skinned people to have more sunlight exposure.
11. It helps regulate calcium & phosphorus: Vitamin D stimulates calcium and phosphorus absorption resulting in normal bone growth and mineralization.
COMMON CAUSES OF VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY
The causes of deficiency can be from lifestyle choice to dietary choice. Other than from sunlight, it also depends on consuming what foods are high in vitamin D. It’s quite common for a vegetarian or vegan with a sedentary lifestyle to get an inadequate amount of vitamin D from the diet as most vitamin D rich foods are animal-based like fish oils, egg yolk, and liver.
· With the pandemic especially, and work from home being a norm, daytime usually goes in work, without stepping out to even commute to work, for most middle-class population thereby preventing adequate exposure to sunlight.
· Being dark-skinned and using excessive sunscreen restrains UVB ray absorption even more.
· Phytic acid and oxalic acid present in sweet potatoes, spinach, beans and rhubarbs can deplete Vitamin D and increase calcium requirements.
· Covering the skin entirely with burqa or purdah as part of cultural practice obstruct imbibing the full vitamin D benefit.
· Exclusively breastfed infants have chances of vitamin D deficiency, as vitamin D content in breastmilk is related to mother’s vitamin D status, and if the mother is not having enough supplements or sunlight exposure, it could affect the infant.
· The skin’s ability to synthesise vitamin D reduces with age, and that coupled with high indoor time compared to younger adults, it increases the chance for vitamin D deficiency.
· Medical problems like celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, and Crohn’s disease, can affect the ability of your intestines to absorb vitamin D from food.
VITAMIN D TOXICITY IS DANGEROUS
Too much of any element is as dangerous as deficiency of it. Getting the right quantity of vitamin D per day is crucial to yield ideal vitamin D benefits. Excessive amounts of vitamin D increase calcium absorption in the gastrointestinal tract resulting in hypercalcemia, hypercalciuria, and highserum 25(OH)D levels. Hypercalcemia can cause nausea, loss of appetite, neuropsychiatric disturbances, muscle weakness, and kidney stones.
HOW MUCH VITAMIN D PER DAY YOU NEED? The Recommended Dietary Allowance(RDA) for children, teenagers, and adults up to 70 is 600 IU or 15 mcg. Adults aged 71 years and above need 800 IU or 20mcg.
HOW TO GET VITAMIN D FROM THE SUN?
Adequate exposure to sunshine: You can get sufficient vitamin D benefits from being out in the sun for just short intervals while uncovering your hands, forearms, or legs. However, UVB radiation is what aids in vitamin D absorption; it’s essential to avoid overexposure to protect from possibilities of damage to skin and skin cancer. People with darker skin tone might need more prolonged exposure (a couple of hours) to sunlight than light-skinned people (up to 15 minutes being sufficient).
Exercise daily: Regular outdoor exercise primarily assists with the production of vitamin D. Exercising is a good way to get vitamin D from the sun. The time of the day also matters. Research suggests that the skin produces more vitamin D during the middle of the day. Schedule your daily chores which involve going out like buying provisions, during midday. This way, you get vitamin D benefits while not sacrificing time off your busy schedule.
Regular exercise is important for everyone. However, it provides extra benefits for people with fatty liver disease. Maintaining a healthy body weight with exercise may help a person manage and reduce symptoms.
We recommend moderate exercise five times a week.
Tips for becoming more active include:
· using a standing workstation
· stretching every morning
· walking on a treadmill while watching television
· taking the stairs instead of an elevator
· gardening
These are all simple ways to increase activity levels throughout the day without having to make time for a full workout.