Vitamin D deficiency has become a pandemic with about 1 billion people all over the world having low levels of vitamin D. Although adequate levels of vitamin D can be produced by the body with regular exposure to sunlight, vitamin D insufficiency prevails in India due to several other factors like dietary habits, increasing pollution and genetics.
The fact that vitamin D alone can influence about 3000 genes of our body (out of the total 24000 genes) clearly signifies its importance in our system. Extensive studies have explored the role of vitamin D in health problems. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to over a hundred health issues till now. Here are top 12 health risks you might be facing due to low levels of vitamin D.
1. Diabetes: The number of diabetic people is increasing day by day and most of them might be deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D is required to balance sugar levels in the blood by regulating the secretion of insulin. Research suggests that low levels of vitamin D increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.Some studies have also found that the vitamin D also increases the risk of type 1 diabetes. Here are 10 tips to keep your blood sugar under control.
2. Hypertension: Indian research based on a large scale observational data showed that people having low levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (a form of vitamin D) had a higher risk of developing hypertension; however, the correlation is not yet found. Here are some herbal remedies for hypertension.
3. Cardiovascular risk: A population-based study of 9,949 adults showed that vitamin D deficiency is significantly associated with increased risk of fatal cardiovascular events. The study considered adjustments for smoking, physical activity and other factors contributing to heart diseases and concluded that vitamin D deficiency increased the risk of fatal cardiovascular diseases (CVD) by 62%.
4. Flu: Do you suffer from recurrent cold and respiratory infections? Instead of blaming the seasonal changes, check your vitamin D levels. Vitamin D has an important role to play in activating the cells of your immune system which help to fight infections. Therefore people who are deficient in vitamin D are at an increased risk of developing recurrent infections. A study published in the Cambridge Journals showed that vitamin D deficiency predisposes children to respiratory infections. Here are some immune-boosting foods that you should include in your diet.
5. Anaemia: Anaemia occurs when your body does not have sufficient levels of red blood cells that carry oxygen to various parts of the body. But the main underlying reason for anaemia might be vitamin D deficiency. A study led by investigators at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center found that people having low levels of haemoglobin also had low levels of vitamin D. Although the exact role of vitamin D and anaemia is still under investigation, there is sufficient evidence linking anaemia to vitamin D insufficiency. Here are top 7 home remedies to keep anaemia at bay.
6. Weak bones: Vitamin D plays an important role in absorbing calcium from the food you eat in the intestine. Naturally if you’re deficient in vitamin D, you will be calcium deficient as well. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, with low levels of vitamin D your body can absorb only 10 to 15 percent of the calcium you take. And calcium is required for building stronger and healthy bones. Therefore indirectly vitamin D deficiency results in weak, soft and achy bones. Lack of calcium deposition due to vitamin D deficiency also causes rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. It also affects the bone density in adults, which increases the risk of osteoporosisand fractures. Read more about how Vitamin D helps reduce chronic pain in people with fibromyalgia.
7. Brain damage: A recent study led by researchers at the University of Kentucky showed that low levels of vitamin D can cause damage to some proteins in the brain of rats. The study also suggested that deficiency of vitamin D can affect the oxidative status of the brain, cognitive performance and memory power. Read more about foods rich in antioxidants that can boost your memory.
8. Infertility: Daily morning walk under the sun can help you to boost your reproductive health. After a detailed analysis of several studies, Austrian physicians found that vitamin D stimulates the production of the male hormone testosterone and female hormone progestrone. Here are 10 things that could cause infertility (Gallery)
9. Crohn’s disease: Crohn’s disease is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that affects the intestine. Low levels of vitamin D affects the genetic expression involved in Crohn’s disease making the symptoms even more worse.
10. Aging: As you age, your bone mass will gradually decline. But with low levels of vitamin D, your body will start ageing prematurely. A study published in the journal Science Translational Medicine shows that vitamin D insufficiency causes early ageing of bone because of reduced bone mass.
11. Depression: Antidepressants is not the only solution for you prolonged sadness and depression. You could actually pep up your mood by restoring your vitamin D levels. In a systematic review on women suffering from moderate and severe depression, an oral vitamin D therapy for 8-12 weeks significantly improved depression symptoms in participants. Here’s how upi can beat stress, fatigue and depression with laughter yoga.
12. Cancer: Low levels of vitamin D also makes it to the list of hundreds of things that are known to increase the risk ofcancer. There is abundant evidence supporting the role of vitamin D levels and reduced risk of colon, prostate and breast cancers. In fact, evidence also suggest that vitamin D can help in cancer treatment. A study carried out by scientists at Georgetown University Medical Center revealed that increased level of vitamin D reduced cancer growth by 75 percent. Here are 10 simple ways to prevent cancer (gallery).
As per the current recommendations, daily intake of vitamin D should be 2000 IU. Although sunlight is the best natural source of vitamin D, you can also obtain it through your diet. Natural form of vitamin D3 is present in dairy products like milk (100 IU in one 8 ounce glass), yogurt (80 IU) and egg yolks (one yolk offers 20 IU of vitamin D). You can also eat fatty fish like salmon which will give you 400 IU of vitamin D in just 5 ounces. For extra supplementation eat cereals, fresh fruit juice and some vitamin D-fortified foods.
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