Vitamin D is also called the vitamin of the sun, because its absence is not due mainly to an unhealthy or poor diet, but mainly to a lack of exposure to sunlight. The vitamin is produced by the human body only through exposure to the sun. Classified as one of the four fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K, i.e. soluble in oils and fats), the other known vitamins being water-soluble (soluble in water), vitamin D is considered by many specialists to be more of a hormone than a a vitamin.
Essential for having strong bones and assimilating calcium, another important element for health, vitamin D is also involved in the health of the kidney and parathyroid glands, modulating the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus. In childhood, during the period of tooth formation, the most important is vitamin D. The dentition is formed in the jawbones long before the gum "breaks", and during this period the correct metabolism of calcium, controlled by vitamin D, is crucial.
Moreover, current medicine believes that vitamin D has a special role in our mental balance in both children, adults and the elderly. More precisely, this vitamin-hormone is directly related to the proper functioning of our brain, influencing the quality of sleep, mental state and emotional states. Recent studies indicate that vitamin D is responsible for regulating the production of epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine in the adrenal gland, preventing the depletion of dopamine and serotonin, the first being considered the hormone of happiness, the second considered to give us a state of calm, relaxation and peace. Because of these connections, vitamin D deficiency is associated with irritability, depression, and anxiety.
Rickets in children - bone abnormalities, intellectual disability, frequent fractures, bone pain
Osteomalacia in adults - demineralization of bone, leading to osteoporosis, repeated bone fractures, bone pain even at rest
Severe muscle weakness
General, frequent bone and muscle pain
Sleep problems
Anxiety and depression
Weakened immune system
Vitamin deficiency can also cause bronchial asthma or even cancer.
Testing to determine the level of vitamin D is done on the doctor's recommendation and involves measuring the concentration of an indicator of the vitamin D reserve produced through the skin (25-OH-vitamin D) and measuring the reserve obtained through food.
The normal range of vitamin D in a healthy person's body is between 20 nanograms/ml and 50 ng/ml. A level less than 20 nanograms/ml indicates a vitamin D deficiency.
The vegan diet favors vitamin D deficiency, because the sources of vitamin D are mainly of animal origin.
Natural food solutions for vitamin D assimilation
The most convenient solution is moderate exposure to the sun either in a seaside resort or at the beach in the summer. If it's not possible to get to the sea or the beach, to help your body produce vitamin D, spend 10 to 15 minutes a day in the sunlight, early in the morning.
Vitamin D can also be acquired naturally by eating fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel), fish liver oil, egg yolk and dairy products. You can also opt for a supplement, upon doctor's recommendation.
If you have already taken the test to determine your vitamin D level, then you can quickly get an answer in an online consultation without the need to go to a doctor's office.
