Vitamin D Plays an Important Role in Our Health

Low levels of vitamin D may lead to serious health problems, but very few people are aware of this fact. Moreover, people are often unaware that they lack vitamin D. Mild deficiency usually shows no symptoms, or the symptoms are non-specific and people fail to relate them to vitamin D deficiency. Severe deficiency can lead to muscle weakness, bone deformities, pain, depression, constant fatigue, osteoporosis, osteomalacia and rickets.

Extremely low vitamin D in blood is related to cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer. According to recent researches, people who have low vitamin D levels can be at greater risk of having heart problems, which can sometimes be lethal.

In fact, scientists say that people who are severely deficient in vitamin D are at increased risk of death (from any cause), compared to people whose vitamin D levels are normal. Researches have also shown that risk of death of cardiovascular disease gets higher in winter. This can be related to low levels of vitamin D – which is a common problem during winter.

Nearly 54 % of women and 40 % of men who live in the Untied States are deficient in vitamin D. Of course, these are not all cases of severe deficiencies, but they do have low levels of vitamin D.

Vitamin D is found in animal-derived foods, but the easiest and most natural way to get it is to expose your skin to sunrays. If your sun exposure is limited because you live in a cold country, you should consult your doctor about some alternatives. Sun showers are considered useful in such cases, but these devices should not be used by anyone. You have to discuss this with your dermatologist.

Using vitamin D supplements is the best method of getting enough vitamin D. Daily recommendations are different, depending on one’s age, overall health, other conditions (if there are any), and diet.