Vitamins are essential for the body to function normally for growth and well-being. Having organic molecules, vitamins are required in small quantities for the body for proper metabolic function. There are multiple roles to play; vitamins, on the one hand, resist infections and, on the other, keep nerves healthy, giving the needed amount of energy. However, less intake of vitamins leads to deficiencies that can cause a lot of diseases. There are various forms of vitamins that we get from nature and also from a handful of foods that are consumed and through multiple forms of supplements.
The importance of Vitamin D
One of the notable forms of vitamin is Vitamin D, also referred to as calciferol. A water-soluble vitamin that is available in abundance in nature and is found in various forms of foods that we consume. The abundant form of Vitamin D is available from the sun’s ultraviolet rays that, when they strike the skin, help to trigger its synthesis. Vitamins are produced from cholesterol in the skin when exposed to the sun.
The deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency has come to alarming proportions in India, and according to a study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, the prevalence of deficiency ranges from 40% to 99%, with most of the research reporting a majority of 80%–90%.
Another recent research by the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research mentions that Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D level was deficient in people suffering from migraines with hypovitaminosis D significantly associated with migraine.
Sources of Vitamin D
Food consumed may not provide the proper amount of vitamins to an individual, and this is where vitamins in the form of supplements aid one’s nourishment. Vitamin D helps to retain calcium and phosphorus, strengthens the immune system, boosts mood, and decreases the chances of heart disease, among other things.
Dairy products, fish like salmon and mackerel, and egg yolk are good sources of Vitamin D apart from mushrooms. Sunbathing under the morning sun for some time will help to generate a good source of Vitamin D. Also referred to as sunshine vitamin, it is an essential component for bone health. Likewise, it helps to modulate the immune system and reduce inflammation in the gut.
Diseases due to Vitamin D deficiency
Long-term low vitamin D levels in the body can lead to severe health consequences, including osteoporosis, rickets, cancer, depression, and ultimately death. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome.
The outlook
With Vitamin D being an essential part of one’s proper body function, one has to remember that it is freely available in nature. Having said so, spending some time under the morning sun while taking a morning walk or doing yoga/exercise in an open space will help the body generate its required amount of Vitamin D. Deficiency of Vitamin D being persistent in many, supplements can be consumed after consulting a medical professional that will help in the long run. Too much Vitamin D is unsuitable for the body as it leads to more calcification and can have side effects.
