Darrick Robles What exactly is vitamin D?
Known as the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D plays an important role in many bodily functions. It has been shown to strengthen our bones and teeth by aiding in the absorption of calcium and phosphate. These minerals are known to harden and strengthen bones and teeth. Vitamin D is also believed to help strengthen our muscles and immune system .
Sunlight is crucial
In summer, our body can usually produce enough of the “sun vitamin”. Depending on the month, time of day and skin type, we only need to soak up the sun for between 5 and 25 minutes. At least a quarter of our skin should remain free – for example face, arms and hands as well as parts of the legs.
Between November and February, the UV radiation is no longer sufficient to be able to form the body’s own vitamin D. Even in summer, radiation can drop by over 90% when the sky is heavily overcast. We cannot always store enough vitamin D reserves in our fat and muscle tissue to get us through the winter.
Is there a connection between vitamin D and corona?
Throughout the pandemic, there has been much debate as to whether vitamin D might be of benefit in a Covid-19 infection . “Research has shown that those who are most at risk from Covid-19 – for example the elderly and residents of care homes – are also those who are statistically more likely to be vitamin D deficient. So far, however, no connection between the two has been proven,” says Med-Healths physician Dr. Rhianna Dr. McClymont.
“A recent large-scale review of vitamin D in the context of Covid-19 concluded that there is insufficient evidence to support the use of vitamin D to prevent or treat Covid-19 .”
Here you will find all updates about the corona virus.
Vitamin D deficiency: possible symptoms
Studies by the Robert Koch Institute have shown that 45.6% of children and 56% of adults in Germany were not optimally supplied with vitamin D at all times. Whether this is a permanent condition, however, cannot be proven on the basis of these studies. Only a permanent vitamin deficiency can make you ill. A one-time low vitamin D value is therefore no cause for concern.
The following signs can indicate a deficiency.
1. You are often sick
Some studies indicate that vitamin D plays an important role in our immune system. The vitamin appears to interact with cells that control the fight against bacterial and viral infections. So if you get frequent colds or are dealing with flu infections, it could be related to low vitamin D levels. Studies suggest that insufficient intake of vitamin D could increase the risk of respiratory diseases.
2. You have bone or back pain
One of the functions of vitamin D is to support our body in absorbing vital calcium. We store around 1 to 2 kg of the mineral, most of it in our bones. Children and pregnant women need a lot of calcium, and the need decreases with age.
A vitamin D and calcium deficiency can lead to noticeable symptoms. A study in Germany and Turkey showed that patients with low vitamin D levels suffer from bone pain more often. International studies confirm that people with a vitamin D deficiency are prone to back pain .
Long-term vitamin D deficiency can lead to diseases such as osteoporosis (weak bones) or rickets (bone disease in children).
3. You are constantly tired
Do you often feel tired during the day even though you get enough sleep? Fatigue can have many causes . Vitamin D deficiency can be one of them. Case studies suggest that low levels of vitamin D can lead to prolonged sleepiness. Another study showed that young women are more likely to experience fatigue when their vitamin D levels are slightly below normal.
Too little vitamin D can be a risk factor for states of exhaustion: This is confirmed by a study with nurses in Iran who, for professional reasons, only see little sunlight. In some severe cases, chronic fatigue syndrome has occurred.
4. Muscle pain
If your pain goes beyond normal muscle soreness , it may be due to a vitamin D deficiency. Norwegian researchers studied patients suffering from muscle pain, headaches and/or fatigue. 58% of those examined had low vitamin D levels.
Another study examined patients with chronic pain . 71% had insufficient, 21% had low, and only 8% had adequate vitamin D levels. From this it can be concluded that vitamin D deficiency can increase the sensitivity to pain.
5. Depression
According to observational studies, depressive moods can be a sign of vitamin D deficiency, especially in older people. However, controlled clinical studies have failed to show a clear link between depression and vitamin D levels.
However, some researchers suspect that vitamin D deficiency could fuel winter depression. Controlled studies show that vitamin D supplements can help patients with winter depression. In many cases, the preparations were able to alleviate depressive symptoms.
This is how you can prevent vitamin D deficiency
Sun refueling
Sunlight is the be-all and end-all for the body’s own vitamin D production. Lighter skin types should spend 10 to 20 minutes in the sun daily from March to May and September to October, and darker skin types 15 to 25 minutes. In the summer months, 5 to 10 minutes a day are enough for light skin types and 10 to 15 minutes for darker skin types to bring the vitamin D reserves to a healthy level.
Foods with vitamin D
With the right diet, you can cover 10 to 20% of your vitamin D needs. Even if this is only a small part, you should regularly eat foods that contain vitamin D. These include
- Dairy products such as Gouda and processed cheese
- Fish like herring, salmon and sardines
- Owner
- Porcini mushrooms, chanterelles, button mushrooms
- butter or margarine
dietary supplements
A lack of sunlight cannot usually be compensated for by diet alone. If you are actually suffering from a vitamin deficiency, vitamin D tablets can help. Your doctor can recommend a suitable dosage for you. Be sure to seek medical advice before taking high-dose vitamin D supplements. Overdosing can be unhealthy and lead to unpleasant side effects.
