Pros and Cons of Taking Vitamin D Supplements

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin which is also called the sun vitamin as that’s the prime source of this vitamin. The body cannot synthesize it and there are only a few foods that naturally contain an adequate amount of vitamin D. So, long story short, the sun is our main source of  Vitamin D and with most of us retiring from outdoor jobs, we are a generation suffering from Vitamin D deficiencies. So, in this blog, I will be talking the truth about Vitamin D Supplements. Read on!

Vitamin D is basically produced endogenously when ultraviolet rays from sunlight strike the skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis. It’s like the human body produces Vitamin D as a response to sun exposure. This nutrient is essential for our body, for maintaining healthy bones and teeth to protecting the body against a range of diseases, This vitamin has got some vital functions!

Vitamin D can help stave off fatigue, depression, and even cancer. 

Also Read: Vegetarian diet and Vitamin B12 deficiency

A patient’s story

Recently, one of my patients dropped into my clinic. He is a regular patient, an engineer by profession, working in the petroleum sector. Farooq recently came back from Azerbaijan. The Armenia conflict, the outbreak of a pandemic, and the hostility of war made his life miserable.  

Azerbaijan is an oil mine where oil is available just 10 feet below the ground. He always fondly spoke to me about the capital city Baku and the culture of that country. Though our meetings have always been brief, we spoke a lot about this rich and interesting country. He would always come back with delicious dark chocolate and juicy stories of that country. 

Today Farooq was standing in front of me and I could barely recognize him. He was no more this fair, tall, and handsome man I have been meeting. His skin was completely tanned and there were scratch marks all over his skin. 

As I sat there in bewilderment, he spoke breaking the silence, ‘Sir, 6 months ago, I went to a doctor and he suggested I get a blood test done. The reports revealed that I was suffering from Vitamin D deficiency.’

So, I started sitting in the hot sun for two hours a day and now just look at my skin. He got anxious as he spoke to me. After listening to his complete story, I told him to take Vitamin D supplements!

These days most people are deficient in Vitamin D because this particular vitamin is absorbed through the face, shoulders, and back. Either we don’t step out in the sun or even if we do, these parts of the body are mostly covered. Furthermore, a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 can reduce the body’s ability to synthesize the vitamin by 95%. 

Vitamin D

Vitamin D has a deep impact on all the events in our body. It’s not just a vitamin but a prohormone or a precursor of a hormone. This vitamin helps in promoting healthy bones and teeth. It supports your immune system, brain, and your nervous system’s health. It helps in regulating insulin levels and supporting diabetes management. Vitamin D is also crucial in supporting lung function and cardiovascular health. 

Health benefits of Vitamin D

Healthy bones and fewer pains

Vitamin D plays a significant role in the regulation of calcium. It helps the body to absorb calcium from the diet. It further helps in maintaining the phosphorus levels in our body. Both of these nutrients are vital for maintaining healthy bones. An adequate amount of Vitamin D also ensures reduced body aches and fatigue.

Vitamin D deficiency in children can cause rickets. It’s a disease in which bone tissues don’t materialize, leading to soft bones and skeletal deformities. In adults, it can manifest into osteomalacia, osteoporosis, or other bone-related diseases. Low bone density is a very common disorder in adults and the elderly. 

Healthy infants and happy growth

Vitamin D is also essential for newborn babies. Breastfeeding babies who have minimal sun exposure may suffer from a deficiency of Vitamin D. That’s why sunbathing is considered an essential ritual for newborn babies in Ayurveda. 

A deficiency in vitamin D has been linked to high blood pressure in children. Another study quoted that low vitamin D levels can result in stiffness in the arterial walls of children. Low Vitamin D exposure can also lead to an increased risk of allergic sensitization.

Vitamin D ensures a healthy pregnancy 

A study found that pregnant women deficient in vitamin D may have a greater risk of developing preeclampsia or preterm birth. It can also increase the risk of gestational diabetes and bacterial vaginosis in pregnant women. A deficiency in vitamin E can also increase the risk of infections.  

It can prevent chronic diseases

Vitamin D also plays a prominent role in the reduction of inflammation and modulation of cell growth. It further aids in regulating neuromuscular, immune function, and glucose metabolism. 

Those with a very low level of Vitamin D are twice as likely to have a heart attack. Vitamin D deficiency also increases the risk of strokes and heart diseases. Studies also showed that higher levels of Vitamin D in blood levels are associated with lower rates of Type 2 Diabetes. 

It can help in battling depression

Research says that Vitamin D plays an important role in regulating mood and warding off depression. Often, people with depression report an improvement in their symptoms after taking Vitamin D supplements.

Natural Sources of Vitamin D

In ancient times, people never cared about getting Vitamin D. Because it was out there always and in abundance! People had outdoor jobs, kids loved playing in the sun, and women basked in the sun in the verandas. But the world has flipped in just a decade.

Sensible sun exposure on the bare skin for even 5–10 minutes, 2–3 times per week produces a sufficient amount of Vitamin D for the body. But since, nowadays, most jobs are indoors, kids are stuck to their video games and the sun’s heat is getting scorching high!! So, the most obvious choice of Vitamin D is no longer used like before. 

Some other sources of Vitamin D include 

• fatty fish
• egg yolks
• cheese
• mushrooms
• fortified milk
• fortified cereals and juices

Vitamin D Supplement Dosage

For healthy people, the daily dose of vitamin D is about 1000 to 2000 IU. But for those, with a deficiency of Vitamin D, the doctors usually advise a weekly dosage of 60000 IU for 6 to 8 weeks. 

Take away!

Vitamin D is a very essential nutrient. But because of its easy availability people never really bothered about getting it from the diet or supplements. But in many jobs, people work in an environment in which sun exposure is very limited. This has become a mass reality during the pandemic when most people are spending their days locked inside their cramped houses with little exposure to sunlight and very high exposure to stress. In such a scenario, taking Vitamin D supplements can help!