The effects of vitamin d deficiency
It all started with my mental health taking a sharper-than-usual turn for the worse. I was also drained, run down and unusually exhausted.
Turns out it was a vitamin deficiency!
The “sunshine vitamin ,” Vitamin D, or good old Vit D, is made from the cholesterol in your skin as a response to sunlight. It is a fat-soluble vitamin in a family of compounds; D-1, D-2 and D-3.
The most important source of Vit D is from sunlight, you can also get it from certain foods and supplements to make sure that there is enough of the vitamin in your blood.
Vitamin D is responsible for regulating the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, and ensuring normal immune system function. For normal growth and development of bones and teeth and resistance against certain diseases, Vit D is important. It helps reduce your risk of multiple sclerosis, heart disease and your likelihood of developing the flu. It can also influence your state of mind.
Scientists have found that people with depression who received Vit D supplements noticed an improvement in their symptoms. Vit D also helps regulate mood and anxiety. According to one study, “Effective detection and treatment of inadequate vitamin D levels in persons with depression and other mental disorders may be an easy and cost-effective therapy which could improve patients’ long-term health outcomes as well as their quality of life.”
If you are at a high risk of not getting enough Vit D (literally all of us in today’s day and age), a supplement is needed to keep up your levels. Infact, children aged 1 to 4 (unless they are having more than 500 ml of infant formula a day) should also be taking a supplement, too.
According to studies, 70-90 % of Indians face Vitamin D deficiency. Between 10 am and 3 pm is an ideal time to soak yourself in the sun to get maximum Vitamin D. The UVB rays are intense at this time and the body is more efficient in making Vitamin D. Most of us are indoors during the day-it’s time to change that.
In order for the cholesterol in the skin to make Vitamin D, lots of skin needs to be exposed to sunlight. Your arms, legs, back and abdomen allows your body to produce the maximum Vitamin D. Wearing a hat and sunglasses to protect your face though, and eyes is a must. Lets get those shorts out, shall we?
Wearing high SPF sunscreens (50+) can filter out most of the sun’s UVB radiation that causes damage and certain skin cancers. It is vital to have sunscreen on when exposing yourself to sunlight. (Incase you’re wondering, studies have shown that everyday sunscreen use does not lead to Vitamin D deficiency)
The amount of melanin in our skin determines the colour of our skin. Melanin saves your skin from excess sunlight. It defends the skin against sunburn and skin cancers. The darker your skin the more melanin you have. This means that you might have to spend longer hours to produce the same amount of Vit D as the people with lighter skin. This also makes people with dark skin colour more prone to be deficient in Vitamin D.
Another great source of Vit D is found in some foods, oily fish – such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel, red meat, liver and egg yolks. If you have a plant based diet try mushrooms, fortified foods, orange juice, cereals and oatmeal.
Researchers are studying Vitamin D for its possible connections to several medical conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, and autoimmune conditions such as multiple sclerosis.
Good old Vit D is infact connected to both your mental and physical health. Making sure you’re getting all the Vitamin D that your body requires may just give you the boost you need. (Please consult your doctor before taking any supplements)
In my own experiment, I genuinely felt a difference shortly after I started my supplements–my little dose of sunshine.