How to prevent vitamin D deficiency?
Many people know that vitamin D is essential for children and adults for healthy bone growth. In this blog, we will discuss how to prevent vitamin D deficiency and causes of vitamin D deficiency. Lack of this vitamin in children can cause rickets, and in adults – softening of the bones and an increased risk of fractures. Modern scientific research associates vitamin D deficiency with immune disorders, increased susceptibility to infections, the development of certain types of cancer, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases. Vitamin D also plays a very important role in the regulation of reproductive processes in both women and men.
There are two forms of vitamin D. In humans, up to 90% of vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, is produced in the skin under the influence of ultraviolet rays. Vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol, and partly cholecalciferol enter the human body with animal and plant foods, providing about 10-20% of the total amount of vitamin D. Then they undergo transformation first within the liver, then within the kidneys to show into active vitamin D – calcitriol – which does the most jobs. It is also worth noting that vitamin D, being fat-soluble, accumulates in the liver and adipose tissue. With its excess, symptoms of hypervitaminosis D may develop – convulsions in children, calcium deposition in organs and tissues, and the formation of kidney stones. The daily intake of this vitamin is 400-800 IU, depending on age.
What are the causes of vitamin D deficiency?
So, the main causes of vitamin D deficiency are:
- Lack of direct sunlight.
- Decreased synthesis of vitamin D in the skin (use of sunscreens, high pigmentation of the skin, winter, reduced daylight hours).
- Lack of dietary foods containing vitamin D.
- Chronic renal and hepatic failure.
- The use of certain drugs (anticonvulsant, anti-tuberculosis).
- Malabsorption in bowel diseases.
- Congenital diseases (for example, vitamin D-resistant rickets).
How is vitamin D deficiency manifested in children and adults?
Moderate vitamin D deficiency may not cause acute symptoms in children or adults. But in conditions of a deficiency of this vitamin, calcium consumed with food is poorly absorbed in the intestines. The body has to flush the mineral from the bones in order to maintain its level in the blood. If the deficit is not replenished, children develop external signs of rickets – muscle weakness, moodiness, changes in the shape of the skull, violation of teething, constipation,. In adults, softening of the bones occurs – ostemation. It is characterized by constant pulling pain in the lower back and hip joints, pain in the heels, ribs, lower leg, hips, shoulder blade, forearms, and spine. Muscle weakness makes it difficult for a person to get out of a chair, climb stairs, and a tendency to fall. There may be a feeling of “creeping” in the arms and legs – neuropathy. With very low serum calcium levels, seizures are possible.
What are the diagnostic methods for vitamin D deficiency?
To confirm the lack of vitamin D in the body, a blood test for vitamin D is used, while the level of 30-100 ng / ml is considered to be the norm. Let’s make a reservation right away that the norms differ in different countries and even in different laboratories. Deficiency can be indirectly confirmed by determining the level of calcium, phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase enzyme in the blood, as well as calcium and phosphorus in the urine.
So what are the ways to prevent vitamin D deficiency?
To replenish the vitamin D deficiency in the body, it is best to spend more time in the sun – expose your face and hands to the sun’s rays for 15 minutes 2-3 times a week. Each such procedure provides the production of approximately 1000 IU of vitamin D. But the formation of vitamin D in the skin depends on the angle of the sun and, thus, on the geographical latitude, season, time of day. Most of the vitamin is produced when the sun is at its zenith. That is, from 11.00 to 14.00 – just at the time when most people are trying to hide in the shadows. It is worth noting that in countries with cloudy climates or in cities covered in smog, it is impossible to synthesize enough vitamin D through sun exposure. Melanin, which is produced by the skin to protect it from UV radiation, also interferes with the production of vitamin D. Therefore, tanning,
As for tanning salons, they were originally developed only for medical purposes and were always used under the supervision of doctors to stimulate the production of vitamin D. However, today, due to the high incidence of skin cancer, this type of treatment is not used. WHO, for example, pays special attention to the complete ban on tanning salons for children under 18 years of age. Tanning enthusiasts should keep in mind that many lamps do not give ultraviolet A (320-400 nm), and not B (280-320 nm), not the same as that of the sun. Therefore, in a tanning bed, you can get a dark skin tone, but not replenish vitamin D reserves.
An alternative to sunbathing is taking vitamin D preparations. Medicines contain it in one of two forms: vitamin D 2 – produced with the help of yeast, from plant sources; vitamin D 3 – synthesized from animal products, it is not suitable for vegetarians.
Newborns and infants are a special risk group. In the first months of life, the child is actively growing and developing, therefore, even healthy children need an additional intake of vitamin D to prevent rickets. Moreover, most often, due to a deficiency of vitamin D in a nursing mother, children who are breastfed suffer. Therefore, the optimal prevention of rickets will be breastfeeding in combination with additional administration of vitamin D. Specific prophylaxis of rickets is carried out with vitamin D in a daily dose for healthy term infants of 400-500 IU. This dose is prescribed from 2 weeks of life every day from September to May, as well as in the summer months with insufficient insolation. It is safe and does not lead to excess accumulation of vitamin D, even if the level is normal. Healthy children artificially fed with adapted milk formulas that contain vitamin D, its additional introduction is not required. Most pediatricians recommend prophylactic vitamin D intake for up to 3 years.
Vitamin D supply of pregnant women is very important. Most often, a sufficient amount of it is contained in special vitamin complexes. You should carefully study the composition of the drug you have chosen and do not take additional vitamin D without consulting a doctor.
To ensure the health of bone and muscle tissue between the ages of 19 and 65, prophylactic vitamin D supplementation is recommended during the low insolation season – from October to April. At 19-50 years old, the dose of vitamin D is 600 IU / day, over 50 years old – 800-1000 IU / day.
Therapeutic doses of vitamin D can reach 20,000 IU or more, are used to treat serious deficiency conditions and only on the recommendation of the attending physician.
In obese children and adults, the dosage used should be higher because vitamin D is stored in adipose tissue.
Unfortunately, very few foods contain vitamin D. These are egg yolks, beef liver and some fish and seafood in which it is found in small amounts, such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, cod liver, tuna, swordfish. The richest in vitamin D is fish oil, made from cod liver. Obviously, nature intended that you get this vitamin through exposure to the sun, and to a lesser extent from food sources. Vegetables do not contain vitamin D at all, so there are no natural sources of this vitamin for vegetarians. In many parts of the world, the main food sources of vitamin D are milk and dairy products, margarine and vegetable oils fortified with vitamin D; in 17 countries of the world, it is mandatory to enrich margarine with this vitamin. Similar products containing dietary supplements
It should be noted that the absorption of vitamin D in the intestine significantly depends on the presence of other substances (fats, bile acids). It also depends on the type of human diet. Deficiency of bile acids leads to impaired absorption of vitamin D. It is important to understand that some foods make it difficult or even block the absorption of vitamin D. These include margarine, mayonnaise, fried bacon, sausage with fat, pork fat, fatty cakes and pastries.
HOW VITAL IS VITAMIN D FOR OUR BODY?
To answer this question, we will acquaint with the various conclusions of scientific research:
TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF THE RESPIRATORY TRACT
The National Health Service of Great Britain conducted a study, in which specialists from more than 20 countries took part, involving more than 10 thousand people. One of the findings from this large-scale study is that with daily intake of vitamin D in the form of a dietary supplement and in the prescribed dose, more than 12% of the study participants did not develop respiratory diseases. Adrian Maritne, a professor at Clinical University of London, concluded that the sunshine vitamin may help reduce the risk of respiratory tract infections, including colds and flu, especially for people who don’t get much sun or rarely eat foods rich in vitamin D.
TO DELAY THE FLU
In February 2017, a study published in the UK of 10,000 people reaffirmed the pattern established 10 years ago by Vitamin D Consul John Canel that adequate levels of Vitamin D can protect the body’s immunity more than a flu vaccine. During the study, the participants were given a specific daily dose of vitamin D. The results clearly showed that when using the flu vaccine, 1 person in 40 did not get sick, on the contrary, among those who used vitamin D3, 1 in 33 people did not get sick with the flu. This proves that a sufficient level of vitamin D3 in the blood can be stronger than the effect of a vaccine.
TO PROTECT AGAINST VIRUSES
To eliminate the vitamin D deficiency in the body and so that it is at a sufficient level, the researcher of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Cantabria and physician Victor Manuel Martinez-Taboada confirmed that modern man should take it additionally in the form of a dietary supplement of vitamin D3.
A study led by him looked at how vitamin D levels are linked to inadequate immune defenses and affect our defense against infections. To conduct a specific study, they compared changes in vitamin D in three different age groups – among participants 20 to 30 years old, 31 to 59 years old, and 60 to 86 years old. The researchers found that the receptor responsible for immunity becomes significantly weaker if vitamin D is not supplied in sufficient quantities. Therefore, a person is more susceptible to viruses and can get various infections.
TO CREATE A MUSCULAR BODY OUTLINE
The University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom has completed a study that analyzed the effects of vitamin D on muscle strength. A team of scientists monitored the amount of vitamin D in the body of 116 healthy participants aged 20 to 74 years. The researchers noted that participants with lower fat, high “non-fat”, and lean mass had a higher vitamin D ratio in their blood than those who were overweight and less lean.
TO ACHIEVE A PERFECT BODY
In February 2015, a team from the University of Milan conducted a study to prove that with the additional daily intake of a specific dose of vitamin D, you can achieve slimmer body contours. The study was based on the hypothesis that a lack of vitamin D in the body can threaten obesity and the associated risk of complications. For 400 participants with overweight and insufficient levels of vitamin D, a special diet was formulated based on a strictly defined daily dose of vitamin D – 25,000 IU or 100,000 IU per month. The participants were divided into 3 groups. Two groups were supplemented with vitamin D3. In turn, the third group took regular foods, without food additives. After 6 months, the results were incontrovertible – both groups supplemented with vitamin D lost weight,
TO MAKE THE DAY PASS WITHOUT A HEADACHE
In a study from the Eastern University of Finland, it was shown that adequate levels of vitamin D in the body can reduce chronic headaches. In a study of 2,600 participants, aged 42 to 60 years old, with low blood levels of vitamin D, chronic headaches resolved in the group that took a certain amount of vitamin D daily.
TO INCREASE THE JOY OF LIFE
There are more than 5,000 studies in which, based on the fact that vitamin D receptors are found in many places in the brain, it has been proven that the amount of vitamin D in the blood is directly related to the development of depression. In a 13-country study with 31,000 participants, a study found that the lower the amount of vitamin D in the blood, the more pronounced the mood swings and the more pronounced the symptoms of depression.
TO MAKE THE HEART BEAT RHYTHMICALLY
A study was conducted at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom, which showed that adequate vitamin D levels play a significant role in heart and vascular health. 160 people with heart failure were divided into two groups – one was given a specific dose of vitamin D3 for a year, the other was given a placebo. Those who took vitamin D3 experienced improvements in heart function. A similar study was conducted at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, which found that taking vitamin D regularly can lower blood pressure.
IN ORDER NOT TO SUCCUMB TO INSOMNIA
After two years of working with 1,500 patients complaining of sleep problems, Professors SC Gominak and WE Stumpf hypothesized that such widespread sleep disorders in the world are associated with a global vitamin D deficiency in the body of the inhabitants. A similar conclusion was reached two years later by a team of four other researchers, who even confirmed that persistent vitamin D deficiency may not only be associated with the development of symptoms of lack of sleep, but may also increase the risk of obstructive sleep apnea. In 2015, a US study looked at vitamin D levels and sleep quality in 3,048 men under the age of 68. In a study that measured sleep habits and duration, the frequency of awakenings, “sleep efficiency”, taking into account the time spent awake and asleep, it was stated that
SET YOUR VITAMIN D LEVEL
It is recommended that the level of vitamin 25 (OH) D in the body be determined by laboratory tests at least once a year.
Critical vitamin D deficiency is noted if its level is below 10 ng / ml; insufficient vitamin D levels are 10 – 30 ng / ml. In turn, the optimal vitamin D level is between 30 and 100 ng / ml.
NEXT STEP
You can be welcomed if the tests showed that the amount of vitamin in the blood is within the normal range. Your next task is to maintain this level by regularly taking your daily dose of vitamin D.
In case the tests indicate a deficiency, or, more seriously, a deficiency, we suggest that you consider taking a larger dose of vitamin D until the moment when the optimal rate is reached. …
In the European Union, there are no recommendations for a single daily intake of vitamin D, which ranges from 600 IU (international units) to 4000 IU for people over one year of age.
The synthesis of vitamin D in the body begins under the influence of the sun’s rays, however, provided that the angle of incidence of the sun’s rays exceeds 50 degrees above the horizon, and the body is open to the sun without a protective cream.
Vitamin D can also be taken with food. Vitamin D2 is found in mushrooms, and vitamin D 3 is found in animal products, mainly in such fish products as salmon, tuna, sardines, fish oil obtained from fish liver, beef liver, egg yolk and other products. To ensure the minimum required daily intake (50 µg), you should eat 250 g of fresh salmon, 40 eggs or drink 10 cups of milk daily.
AN INNOVATIVE, EFFECTIVE AND NATURAL SOLUTION
The latest advance in science is vitamin D in spray form. This type of vitamin intake is up to 95% more effective than tablets, capsules and drops, because, firstly, there is no oxidation of vitamin D and, secondly, the spray form through the oral mucosa enters the circulation into the system and then spreads throughout the body bypassing the gastrointestinal tract (acid hydrolysis) and the effects of the liver.
An important factor that enhances the effectiveness of the nebulized vitamin is the way the vitamin is prepared to enter the circulation. The atomized vitamin D based on the microemulsion guarantees immediate absorption of the spray liquid, thus a higher amount of vitamin D entering the bloodstream.
The micro emulsion spray products containing vitamin D3 offered by the local pharmaceutical brand LYL love your life® meet the listed requirements – to maintain the optimal level of vitamin D in the body LYLsunD3 2000 SV and to prevent vitamin D deficiency in the body – LYLsunD3 4000 SV.
LYLsunD3 is a naturally occurring vitamin D3 derived from lanolin. The composition contains a natural sweetener – xylitol, friendly to the health of teeth and mouth, and a natural orange flavor, which makes vitamin D3 intake pleasant not only for adults, but also for children.
The product does not contain gluten, colors, artificial sweeteners, GMOs, and does not contain essential oil or palm oil, which can oxidize quickly enough. The spray bottles of both LYLsunD3 products are easy to use and are rated for 125 uses or 4 months.
To maintain an optimal level of vitamin D in the body – LYLsunD3 2000 SV
Usage: for adults – 1 spray per day, after meals, under the tongue or on the inside of the cheek. For children over 1 year old – 1 spray per week, or as directed by a doctor. It is recommended to shake the spray before use.
For the successful prevention of vitamin D deficiency or deficiency – LYLsunD3 4000 SV PROFESSIONAL
Use: 2 spray daily dose, after meals, under the tongue or on the inner side of the cheek. Suitable for use and for children from 11 years of age, according to the doctor’s instructions. We recommend shaking the spray before use.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that recommendations for prophylactic vitamin D intake vary from country to country and from region to region. New scientific studies are constantly being published – some are wary of taking vitamin D, others recommend starting right now at 2000-6000 IU. Earlier it was said about the irreparable harm of the sun’s rays, due to the risk of developing skin cancer, and today they say that insolation is necessary in small quantities. Therefore, you should not rush to extremes – moderation has always been the best recommendation.
