How to Know If You Are Vitamin D Deficient and What to Do About It

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You’ve heard of vitamin D – it’s the supplement that all experts agree we can take, especially during the winter. However, this is because vitamin D Technically it’s not a vitamin, it’s a hormone. A hormone produced specifically by our bodies in response to sun exposure – so when the days are shorter and darker, we produce less of it.

We can also boost our levels by eating vitamin D-rich foods, but we only get about 10 percent of our intake through food. So what if sunlight is limited and only 10 percent of your total vitamin D – or perhaps even less – is coming from your food?

The NHS advises that: “Vitamin D deficiency can cause bone deformities such as rickets in children, and a condition called osteomalacia can cause bone pain in adults.” This is because Vitamin D helps regulate calcium and phosphate levels in the body and keeps bones, teeth and muscles healthy. It also helps regulate our mood and sleep.

Low levels have been linked to mood disorders such as anxiety and depression and a lack of this essential hormone may contribute to symptoms. seasonal affective disorder (SAD) which, according to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, affects three percent of the population. The NHS estimates the figure to be between one in 20 people and closer to five per cent.

The NHS also advises that although you may have a lot of vitamin D, you are probably more likely to be deficient in it – especially if you are not taking supplements during the winter months in the UK. However, unless you’re experiencing obvious symptoms of deficiency, it can be hard to know if your levels are sub-optimal, healthy, or actually too high.

I asked a team of experts to explain why vitamin D deficiency occurs, what important signs to look for, and what the dangers are of not getting enough vitamin D and taking too much.

I also asked him how to monitor levels and what are the best and safest ways to get more vitamin D based on your needs, your lifestyle, and your health status. Read on for the facts and the best ways to keep your levels healthy and happy this winter.

What causes Vitamin D deficiency?

There are many reasons for Vitamin D deficiency. These include everything from aging to diet and disease. Since sunlight is our main natural source of vitamin D, shorter winter days and cloudy weather are one of the primary causes of our vitamin D levels declining.

nutritionist maz packhamfounder of nutritious nutritionexplains that: “We synthesize vitamin D in the skin in response to UV light – particularly UVB – so, it is not surprising that many of us in the UK are deficient or have inadequate levels of vitamin D due to seasonal factors.”

However, it is not necessary to cook in the sun without any protection safest way To increase their levels as this can cause skin damage and potentially cause problems like sunburn and heatstroke in the short term and skin cancer in the long term. Dermatologists agree that although SPF blocks some UVB, it doesn’t block enough to drastically interfere with vitamin D levels, so you should wear it year-round to protect your skin from sun damage.

nutrition therapist eve kalinik explains that although in the UK during winter we experience fewer daylight hours and this has a direct impact on our vitamin D levels, “even those living in sunny areas can be deficient in vitamin D.” This is why individual testing is so important.

According to the National Institutes of Health, individuals with darker skin are more likely to have low vitamin D levels than those with lighter skin. It all relates to the level of melanin in the skin. Individuals with lighter skin have less melanin and this allows them to absorb UVB radiation more efficiently and produce vitamin D more effectively than those with more melanin. Your level of deficiency may depend on where you are in the world, your exposure to daylight, your skin color, and your lifestyle.

Some groups are also at higher risk of deficiency than others. “Vitamin D plays a role in reproduction and glucose balance,” explains Hannah AldersonA registered BANT nutritionist and hormone specialist. She explains that for this reason, people with diabetes and hormonal conditions like PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) are more likely to experience deficiency.

“Vitamin D deficiency is approximately 67-85 percent among women with PCOS,” she says. While among the elderly, the prevalence of the deficiency sits at about 37 percent among those age 60 and older, according to a 2019 study. After Covid the numbers may be even higher.

Although it is possible to get some vitamin D through diet, it will be a small amount. However, some diets may be completely lacking if certain foods are not included. Alderson advises, “We can get a little bit from food – like mushrooms, oily fish, dairy and eggs – but it’s not really going to cut it.”

Still, it’s important to include vitamin D-rich foods throughout the year to make sure we’re eating a diverse diet rich in essential nutrients.

Kalinick explains that, “some people suffer from malabsorption as a result of poor gut health and/or conditions such as Crohn’s and celiac disease,” and this makes it even more difficult to supplement vitamin D from food.

She adds that “some groups are just [more] Susceptible to vitamin D deficiency, such as people of a certain age, or those with darker skin.

Vitamin D supplements come in various dosages and forms ,Getty/iStock,

What are the symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency?

Deficiency can appear in many ways. First and foremost, an unexplained “susceptibility to infections and viruses” could be a sign, says Kalinic, noting that vitamin D is a key component of strong immune function.

Deficiency symptoms may also include, “bone pain or muscle weakness (since vitamin D helps balance calcium in the body) or even poor mood and fatigue, which can often be associated with SAD.”

Feeling tired is one of the first symptoms people notice. However, during winter, the clocks are changingOther health considerations such as disrupted sleep or possibly hormonal fluctuations may contribute to vitamin D deficiency.

Symptoms can overlap and lead to frequent illness, low mood, and weight gain due to fatigue. Bone loss can also lead to osteoporosis and osteomalacia, which increases the risk of fractures and breaks – this can be life-threatening in later life. Seizures may occur in severe cases of deficiency.

What should I do if I am deficient in Vitamin D?

To find out if you are vitamin D deficient, the first thing you can do is take a home blood test – they are readily available and give a good indication of your current condition. A blood test can also tell you how much you are deficient in.

For a more comprehensive view of your nutrient deficiencies and any hormonal issues, as well as any damage that may occur from a long-term deficiency, it is best to visit your GP or qualified healthcare provider for testing. Your doctor can recommend the best dosage of vitamin D for best results and recommend any other medications and lifestyle changes that may be needed.

Some vitamin D supplements are stronger than others, so if your levels are only slightly below the recommended level, you may only need a lower dose of vitamin D. For other people, a much higher dose may be needed.

Vitamin D supplements contain either vitamin D2, also known as ergocalciferol, or vitamin D3, also known as cholecalciferol. Vitamin D3 is often derived from animal sources such as lanolin – which comes from sheep’s wool and is considered by some not to be suitable for vegetarians – while vitamin D2 is derived from plant sources such as fungi or yeast.

Taking the wrong dose of vitamin D can have adverse effects as it is possible to take too much. “It’s very hard to get vitamin D toxicity, but it’s possible because it’s a fat-soluble vitamin,” says Alderson. This means that if you consume it in large amounts, it can accumulate in the body and become potentially toxic. She suggests that this be taken into consideration with a variety of supplements.

If in doubt about your dosage, contact your doctor to arrange testing or ask him or her to explain the results of a test done at home. You can take supplements containing vitamin D while pregnant and there are not many medications with which the supplement will react. However, it is important to be careful about other supplements you are taking.

Taking large doses of various minerals such as calcium, zinc, and magnesium along with vitamin D can cause what is known as “mineral competition,” where nutrients compete for absorption in the gut.

Along with taking supplements, you can try increasing vitamin D levels by increasing exposure to direct sunlight, Packham says. “Aim for 25 to 30 minutes of exposure to afternoon sunlight, as levels are more abundant when the sun is highest in the sky, making the vitamin D synthesis process more efficient.”

All experts recommend making sure that oily fish, red meat and egg yolks are part of your diet. However, all experts agree that even if you have taken all of the above steps, along with supplements Vitamin D supplements from a trusted brand In all likelihood this will be the route taken, especially during the winter months in the UK.

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