Vitamin D is a vital nutrient your body needs alongside calcium to help you build your bones, support immune and gut health, and keep your muscles and brain working in top form. But did you know around 1 billion people worldwide are affected by some form of Vitamin D deficiency?
That's a lot.
People associate a lack of Vitamin D with sunlight exposure, which is why many individuals suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in the UK.
However, Vitamin D comes from other sources, not just the sun. With summer coming up, you can't always depend on the British summer sun. Today, learn about vitamin D in detail, its sources and benefits.
Dive in with us and explore them all today.
Overview of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient made in the body and obtained from food. It consists of three compounds: D1, D2, and D3.
Most of the time, your body makes vitamin D from direct sunlight on your skin outdoors. Vitamin D can also be found in a range of foods from:
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Red meat
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Egg yolks
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Oily fish i.e. salmon, sardines, trout, herring or mackerel
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Fortified foods
- Liver
On average, adults need around 10 micrograms of Vitamin D per day.
The main purpose of Vitamin D is to help regulate the amount of phosphate and calcium in your body. However, there are a ton of other advantages (we'll cover these below).
What are the benefits of vitamin D?
Vitamin D helps with many important functions, such as the following:
It may help regulate mood
Nowadays, mental health is an important topic on the rise, with many people affected by it. There's research which shows Vitamin D may play an important role in regulating mood and lowering the risk of depression. Moreover, another review of 7534 people who experienced negative emotions and took vitamin D supplements saw an improvement in their systems; however, more research is needed. Generally, though, low levels of vitamin D are linked to symptoms of depression.
Could help fight disease
In addition to its main benefits, research shows that Vitamin D may help reduce the risk of certain diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), heart disease, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and more.
Could support weight loss
While more research is needed, there may be a link between vitamin D levels and obesity. Often, people with a higher BMI or weight in general have a greater risk of having lower vitamin D levels, and some research suggests there could be a link between vitamin D and obesity. In one older study, people who took calcium and Vitamin D supplements lost more weight than those on a placebo, which is thought vitamin D could potentially have an appetite-suppressing effect.
Can support bone and teeth health
As mentioned earlier, vitamin D plays an essential role in regulating calcium and phosphate in your body. These two are vital for helping build and maintain healthy bones and teeth. Ample vitamin D levels can help reduce your risk of osteoporosis and fractures, which is really important in calcium absorption.
Good for prenatal health
Vitamin D is really important for prenatal health. It supports pregnancy outcomes and may help aid brain function and reduce overall inflammation. Some research also shows that vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy could lower the risk of ADHD and autism in children, but again, more research is needed.
What factors may make you prone to needing more Vitamin D?
There are a few factors which may influence your ability to get sufficient Vitamin D levels; you may need to increase your intake with the following:
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Use sunscreen
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Live in an area with high pollution
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Spend a lot of time indoors s
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Live in a big city where buildings block light
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Have darker skin (may have lower levels of melanin)
These factors can increase your risk of Vitamin D deficiency, and if any of these apply to you, it's important to get your Vitamin D from other sources.
What are the signs of a Vitamin D deficiency?
If you feel you might not be getting enough Vitamin D, there are a few signs to look out for, such as the following:
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Aches and pains
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Tiredness
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Muscle pain or bone pain
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General fatigue
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Stress factors
If you feel your levels are low, see a healthcare professional; they will talk about your symptoms and book you in for a blood test to check.
Wrapping up Vitamin-D
To summarise, Vitamin D is a nutrient that we need more of in the winter and in the UK all year round due to the unpredictable nature of British summers. While you can get Vitamin D from the sun, you can also get it from foods such as fish, red meat, egg yolks, fortified cereals, and more.
If you live an on-the-go lifestyle, sometimes it may be hard to get vitamin D from food or the sun all the time. If that's the case, you might want to try a supplement.
At Herb-ology, we have a vegetarian Vitamin D3, boron, and calcium supplement that can contribute to great overall health and wellness. If you feel you're lacking in these nutrients, try our supplement today.
