Vitamin D is an important component that helps to keep your bones strong and healthy. It helps to maintain calcium and all the essential nutrients that are responsible for healthy bones and muscles. The deficiency of Vitamin D is a matter of major concern of around 1 billion people all over the world. People often overlook the significance of Vitamin D on their bodies and don’t pay much attention to its symptoms. Asians, Hispanics, Africans are some of the races that are more at the risk of vitamin D deficiency because melanin absorbs much of the UVB rays blocking its way to reach the skin. Middle East countries also suffer the most because of their clothes that cover all the body parts preventing their skin from getting sun exposure. Deficiency of such an essential ingredient can lead to major health problems such as high blood pressure, weak immunity system, diabetes, cancer, skin problems, rickets, etc. Let us understand the causes, symptoms, and treatment of Vitamin D deficiency in detail:
Causes of deficiency of Vitamin-D
1. Lack of Vitamin D in your diet
When you don’t include vitamin D in your meals, it can cause a deficiency in your body. Those people who follow a strict vegan diet intake less amount of vitamin D in their body. Non-vegetarian food such as chicken, beef, fish, eggs, seafood contains huge amounts of vitamin D that a vegan person normally skips.
2. Obese body
When the body mass index becomes more than 30, then it tends to lower the levels of Vitamin D. The presence of large amounts of fat cells makes it difficult for the body to release adequate amounts of Vitamin D as it keeps on getting isolated. Obese people are at greater risk of deficiency of vitamin D and could require its supplements to ensure an adequate amount of Vitamin-D levels.
3. Poor Lifestyle
Some people follow a poor lifestyle, by avoiding outdoor activities. Staying indoors for long prevents your body from obtaining the necessary sun exposure. Lack of enough sunlight can lead to the deficiency of Vitamin D. Also people who live in those geographical locations, where sunlight is rare or those who cover almost all of their body parts while going out are also at the risk of less amount of Vitamin D.
4. Skin color
Dark-colored people have huge amounts of melanin that is capable enough to absorb the sunlight and hence need much more amount of sun exposure as it reduces the tendency to produce vitamin D as compared to those with fairer skin.
5. Pollution
Due to high pollution, there are some harmful particles present in the air which makes it impossible for the UVB rays to reach the skin. Therefore, the skin does not get appropriate sun exposure. Also, people tend to stay inside their homes due to the risks of hazardous health diseases caused by air pollution.
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Symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency
1.The feeling of constant fatigue-ness
It has been found that there is some correlation between Vitamin D and tiredness. People with less amount of vitamin D suffer from fatigue easily which can have adverse effects on health and degrade their quality of life. While fatigue ness can be caused due to several reasons but the cause of deficiency of vitamin D goes unnoticed by many people.
2. Stress
Low levels of blood levels caused by lack of vitamin d are often referred to as one of the factors responsible for contributing to stress. It is found in a lot of studies that people who suffer from anxiety, depression have less quantity of vitamin D. It will be beneficial for you to include vitamin supplements in your diet every day. It will help in lifting the mood and regulate blood levels properly in your body.
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3. Severe Hair fall
The problem of hair fall has long been associated with stress. However, if a person suffers extreme hair shedding deficiency of nutrients could be one of the reasons responsible for this. Alopecia which is becoming a common problem in adults happens because of vitamin D deficiency.
4. Bone Pain
As you know, Calcium keeps your bones strong and Vitamin D helps to regulate these components in your body. It is helpful in the proper assimilation of calcium into your body. A person with less vitamin D often experiences bone pain and back pain as well as due to which people are often restricted to do some limited physical work.
How to prevent deficiency of Vitamin D?
- Through the light walk, running, swimming, and cycling your skin can get an adequate amount of sun exposure.
- If a person have a family history of vitamin D deficiency, then he/she must consult a doctor and keep a check on vitamin d regularly.
- By consuming vitamin supplements to cover up the deficiency of vitamin D is a great way to stop its complications early.
How can you treat Deficiency of Vitamin-D?
You can treat Vitamin D by increasing the quantity of its consumption and maintaining a good amount of Vitamin D levels in your body. This can be done in three ways:
- You should go out in the sunlight for 20 minutes at least every day.
- You must include a rich dietary source of vitamin D in your meal. These meals include fish, chicken, egg, beef.
- You can take vitamin supplements, but always consult your doctor before starting with the medication.
Conclusion
Deficiency of Vitamin D can cause severe bone problems, postural deformities, skin cancer, to cardiovascular diseases. Some of the early signs of deficiency can be fatigue ness, stress, hair fall, and bone pain. One of the many things that you can do is to change your diet and include foods that contain a large amount of vitamin D. Since, food alone is not sufficient to provide you with enough vitamins, hence, it is essential to go out and stay for at least 20 minutes under the sun. It is important to be aware of the quantity of Vitamin D levels your body has and take medications when necessary before the condition becomes worse.