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Nowadays, we read a lot about Vitamin D deficiency being the new “cancer” in our society – what does this mean?? Every other person we come across says he or she has a Vitamin D deficiency… now what is this? Read on to find out…
Vitamin D or commonly referred to as the sunshine vitamin is actually a group of fat soluble vitamins including D1, D2, D3, D4 and D5. This vitamin is produced by the body when the skin is exposed to sunlight. It also can be found to occur in nature in a few foods such as some fish, fish liver oils, and egg yolks as well as in fortified grain and dairy products.
We have been taught all our lives, Vitamin D is essential for strong bones, because it helps the body in utilising calcium from the diet. Traditionally, a deficiency of the vitamin has been associated with rickets in children, a disease where the bone tissue is found not to properly mineralize, thus leading to soft bones and skeletal deformities. But with increasing research, the importance of vitamin D in protection against several health problems is being revealed.
It is a well-known fact that Vitamin D is obtained usually from sunlight and that is why it is always encouraged to go under the sun so that the skin absorbs enough UV light to produce sufficient amounts of Vitamin D. All said and done, it is good to have enough supply of the Vitamin D in the body, however, taking too much of foods that are rich in the vitamin viz egg yolk or shrimps could be quite risky as they are known to have high cholesterol as well.
Like for other vitamins, Vit D is needed by the body for multiple reasons. One of the most important factors is that it helps regulate calcium and phosphorus absorption in the body. This helps in maintaining the body’s immune system and thus is of great significance. Yet another reason why it is necessary is to ensure proper bone and teeth development.
How and when to spend time under the sun – does it really help?
Spending maximum time under the sun does NOT in fact prevent Vitamin D deficiency; in fact it is a tricky scenario because it differs from person to person. The idea that this thought is based upon is to let the skin absorb and create vitamin D in sufficient amounts for the body. One needs to know and be aware of how dark the skin is and/or how quickly one can get sunburnt apart from keeping an eye out for the intensity of sunlight.
In colder countries where the sun appears once in a while, one needs to make it a point to spend time out in the sun, however in areas in the equatorial belt like Malaysia/Singapore, sunlight is moderate and this means you can spend quite a bit of time under the sun with no fear. It is said that the ideal time period to step out in the sun to absorb sunlight here is around noon, between 11.00am and 2.00pm although, it is recommended not to exceed 15 minutes per session.
Diet and Vit D:
Few foods are naturally abound in vitamin D, so the main dietary sources are fortified foods such as fortified milk, grains and breakfast cereals. Natural sources of vitamin D include fatty fish such as salmon and tuna, mackerel, canned sardines with smaller amounts in egg yolks and certain types of mushrooms.
How can someone suddenly go low on Vit D?
A dark-skinned person is said to have more melanin in their body and this can decrease the skin’s ability to make vitamin D even when he is exposed directly under the sun. However, a person’s regular diet can also lead to a deficiency. People who follow a vegan diet are said to be at highest risk of deficiency since most of the foods that are loaded with Vitamin D are basically dairy foods, eggs etc. With changing lifestyles, work place, it is seen that the most common cause of vitamin D deficiency is due to personal choices that people make. Everyone today has become very comfortable inside their own rooms with the aircon switched on and there are homes that do not have or want to be exposed to the sun.
In today’s modern society and such fast-moving culture, we find that people are increasingly spending more hours working inside of offices. So it all adds up to the fact that, they end up not being exposed to the sun long enough whereas they spend the remaining hours at home inside (once more) to shun the stress, to relax and rest.
According to a US-based Vitamin D Council, a not for profit organisation, vitamin D deficiency is said to affect up to 50% of the adult population worldwide. Even if our skin can make vitamin D3 when we are exposed to the sunlight, factors such as ageing has found to make the skin rather, less productive. The problem is found to worsen when older people spend more time inside their homes.
Sunscreen and absorption: An interesting fact that has emerged from all this research is that wearing a mere SPF-8 sunscreen can cut vitamin D3 production by about 90%, while an SPF-30 cuts off a whopping 99%. So, sunscreen or not – you decide! Instead, it is advisable to wear a hat with a wide-brim, a pair of sunglasses to cover the face. And expose the body as much as possible to the sun for short time periods of at least 15-20 minutes between 10am and 2pm twice or thrice a week in order to ensure maximum vit D3 production. However, if one is unable to do this, it is advised that they take vitamin D3 supplements.
Immune system and Vitamin D: Vit D may help boost the immune system, according to new research (Mac, 2013) from Boston University School of Medicine. The study was published online in the Public Library of Science journal PLOS ONE, found that when they increased the levels of vitamin D in the blood, it markedly had an impact on the genes linked to the development of cancer, infectious diseases, infectious diseases, and autoimmune diseases. Although previous research has shown the deficiency is related to an increased risk for several other disease but this research just hits it hard by providing direct evidence that increasing the level of sunshine vitamin only plays a big and direct role in immunity improvement.
Vitamin D Deficiency Related Diseases
There are quite a few diseases and conditions that can result from a deficiency. Some are: osteoporosis, asthma, cardiovascular diseases and hypertension along with many types of allergies and the fact that a deficiency can affect the immune system.
Recommended dosage for Vitamin D
The Institute of Medicine was able to set a recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin D in 2010. The RDA for children and adults up through age 70 is 600 International Units (IU) per day. The RDA is 800 IU a day for adults older than 70. The safe upper limit for adults was set at 4,000 IU per day.
Tests for Vitamin D Deficiency
The most accurate way to measure how much vitamin D is in your body is the 25-hydroxy vitamin D blood test. A level of 20 nanograms/ml to 50 ng/ml is considered adequate for healthy people. A level less than 12 ng/mL indicates vitamin D deficiency.
Treatment for Vitamin D Deficiency
Treatment for vitamin D deficiency involves getting more vitamin D — through diet, supplements and a compulsory sunlight exposure atleast in the morning. 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 ng/ml is generally considered inadequate, requiring treatment.
Reference:
1.The Star
3. WebMD
by Hridya
A biochemist by education who could never put what she studied to good use, finally found GetDoc as a medium to do what she loved - bring information to people using a forum that is dedicated to all things medical. View all articles by Hridya.
