Vitamin D and Health
By: Dr. Muzammil Hussain
Vitamin D insufficiency affects almost 50% of the population worldwide. An estimated 1 billion people worldwide, across all ethnicity and age groups, have a vitamin D deficiency. This pandemic of hypovitaminosis D can mainly be attributed to lifestyle and environmental factors that reduce exposure to sunlight, which is required for ultraviolet-B (UVB)-induced vitamin D production in the skin. Black people absorb more UVB in the melanin of their skin than do white people and, therefore, require more sun exposure to produce the same amount of vitamin D.
The high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency is particularly important public health issue because hypovitaminosis D is an independent risk factor for total mortality in the general population. Emerging blog supports the possible role of vitamin D against cancer, heart disease, fractures and falls, autoimmune diseases, influenza, type-2 diabetes, and depression. Children and young- and middle-aged adults are at equally high risk for vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency worldwide. Vitamin D deficiency is common in Australia, the Middle East, India, Africa, and South America. Pregnant and lactating women who take a prenatal vitamin and a calcium supplement with vitamin D remain at high risk for vitamin D deficiency. Many health care providers have increased their recommendations for vitamin D supplementation to at least 1000 IU.
The most common signs and symptoms of hypovitaminosis D resulted in weakened muscles, soft bones with increased chances of bone fractures, and tiredness; it weakened immune system, hence, the individual with hypovitaminosis D is more prone to infections. Vitamin D deficiency also resulted in hair loss, skin and nail damaging
Currently, there’s scientific debate about the sources from where vitamin D people need each day to overcome this deficiency. Several recommendations address the need for supplementation in order to get the better of hypovitaminosis D.
But as we know, Vitamin D is both a nutrient we eat and a hormone our bodies make and we get most of our vitamin D from sunlight on our skin, which is then able to produce vitamin D itself, however, we can also get smaller amounts of vitamin D from oily fish, eggs, and other food items. Check the labels; many spreads, breakfast cereals, and milks are fortified with nutrients such as vitamin D.
At the conclusion, this blog suggested that there are some really easy ways to prevent and treat vitamin D deficiency. Spending 15 to 30 minutes outside with our skin exposed to sunlight, just two or three times a week is enough to produce the essential amount of vitamin D to keep our body levels at an optimum. If we find it difficult to get regular sun exposure, we can get small amounts of vitamin D from oily fish such as trout, smoked salmon, swordfish, salmon, mackerel, and halibut. we can also get vitamin D from Portobello mushrooms, fortified cereals, tofu, caviar, dairy products, eggs, soy yogurt and soy-milk. We can also take vitamin D supplements or cod liver oil.
Many people are deficient, the easiest and most reliable way of getting the appropriate amount is from sun we expose, food we eat and a daily supplementation.