{"id":17949,"date":"2022-10-20T17:16:31","date_gmt":"2022-10-20T11:46:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.odoc.life\/?p=17949"},"modified":"2022-10-25T15:00:30","modified_gmt":"2022-10-25T09:30:30","slug":"are-you-part-of-the-vitamin-d-deficiency-club","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.odoc.life\/si\/blog\/are-you-part-of-the-vitamin-d-deficiency-club\/","title":{"rendered":"Are you part of the Vitamin D Deficiency club?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Are you part of the Vitamin D Deficiency club?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u00a0<\/p>

Do you always get sick? muscles and joints hurt out of nowhere? Uncontrollable hair loss?\u00a0 Get tired easily?<\/span><\/p>

You might have Vitamin D Deficiency.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

The Ministry of Health says that 50% of Sri Lanka\u2019s population suffers from vitamin D deficiency.<\/span> Around 1 billion people worldwide have a vitamin D deficiency, and it\u2019s a global public health concern.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

So, what is it? Should you be worried? Let us break it down for you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

What is Vitamin D?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>

Prepare to be surprised. Vitamin D is not technically a \u201cvitamin\u201d, it\u2019s a prohormone\u2014which means, it\u2019s converted into a hormone by our body. Hormones generally carry out <\/span>key<\/span><\/i> bodily functions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Vitamin D is divided into 5 different substances, out of which, the below two are the most important to us.<\/span><\/p>

Vitamin D2: This comes from plants.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Vitamin D3: This comes from animal sources, or our body can produce it when exposed to sunlight. D3 is supposed to be the most impactful one of all the Vitamin D siblings.<\/span><\/p>

Note to reader: Try not to worry about the differences between these two. The point is that you need them both and let\u2019s explore along those lines.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Why do we need Vitamin D?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>

Vitamin D helps the body absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus\u2014both are needed for bone development and maintenance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

It\u00a0 also affects many other body organs like lungs, skin, cardiovascular system and more. Therefore, it impacts our disease-fighting ability, mood, weight loss journey, etc.<\/span><\/p>

In summary, Vitamin D is essential to function normally as a human being. Having low levels of this nutrient causes Vitamin D Deficiency and it can lead to trouble.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

You usually know things are not going well when you start to show the following symptoms.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms<\/b><\/p>

If you relate to any of the below symptoms, we would like to interrupt your intention to self-diagnose and urge you to use this article as a guide and consult a doctor. Hint: With the oDoc app, your doctor is only a few taps away.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Frequent illnesses: Vitamin D plays a huge role in determining how your body handles any form of threats such as viruses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Unable to sleep well: There are parts in your brain that require Vitamin D to create Melatonin (the \u2018sleep hormone\u2019) needed for a good night’s sleep.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Bone and joint aches: Joint pain can lead to so many inconveniences like issues such as rheumatoid arthritis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Hair loss: Vitamin D is used in the skin by keratinocytes\u2014cells that process keratin, a protein found in your hair, nails and skin. When the body doesn\u2019t have enough vitamin D, keratinocytes in hair follicles have trouble doing their job, which includes hair growth.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Depression or feelings of sadness: There are several findings that link depression and Vitamin D Deficiency under different conditions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Fatigue: Deficiency of Vitamin D can cause bone and muscle weakness, which can lead to being tired all the time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Loss of appetite: This is an early sign of vitamin D deficiency.<\/span><\/p>

Slow wound healing: The vitamin D plays a key role in wound healing as it controls growth factors and others that form new tissues.<\/span><\/p>

Fractures: If someone has a fracture, the doctor might test their vitamin D level to cure, depending on the person\u2019s age and health history.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

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What Causes the Deficiency of Vitamin D?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>

Like our elders says, \u2018you should always ask why?\u2019, The answer to this question varies from person to person but here are a few common reasons:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

  1. Not enough vitamin D in your diet and\/or through sunlight.<\/span><\/li>
  2. Your body isn\u2019t absorbing vitamin D effectively.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>
  3. Certain medical conditions such as obesity, kidney diseases and cystic fibrosis.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>
  4. Weight-loss surgeries can reduce the size of your stomach and make it difficult for your body to absorb enough amounts of certain vitamins, minerals and nutrients.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>
  5. Specific medications like laxatives, steroids, some cholesterol-reducing and weight loss drugs<\/span><\/li><\/ol>

    Pro-tip: Always ask your healthcare provider the side effects of what\u2019s been prescribed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

    \u00a0<\/p>

    Did you know some are naturally more at risk for Vitamin D Deficiency?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>

    If you didn\u2019t, it\u2019s okay. Remember the below list doesn\u2019t confirm anything. Be aware, you could prevent the symptoms by taking good care of yourself.<\/span><\/p>

    1. Age: Our skin’s ability to produce vitamin D reduces as we age, so people over the age of 65 are asked to watch out. Infants, especially those who are breastfed are also at risk, as breastmilk only has a small amount of vitamin D.<\/span><\/li>
    2. Skin colour: Those with darker skin produce less vitamin D compared to the ones with lighter skin. Therefore, they are prone to vitamin D deficiency.<\/span><\/li>
    3. Lifestyle: Those who work from home or stay indoors mostly can be at risk for Vitamin D deficiency as they don\u2019t get much sunlight.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ol>

      Now, if you connect with any causes or symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency, we suggest you consult a doctor at your earliest. Via oDoc, it only takes a few seconds to download the app and get in touch with a professional.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

      Meanwhile, incorporate healthy habits in your day-to-day life to recover or prevent Vitamin D deficiency, look below for an exhaustive list of tips.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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      How to get Vitamin D naturally<\/b><\/p>

      1. Spending time under the sun:\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ol>

        This might be interesting to hear after everyone around us seems to not like direct sunlight. Having said that, the sun is the best source of vitamin D3.<\/span><\/p>

        To do it right, get 10\u201330 minutes of midday sunlight every day. If you have darker skin, you may need a little more than that, but it depends on your skin sensitivity. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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        2. Making changes to your diet:<\/span><\/p>

        You could incorporate the following to enhance the level of vitamin D in your body.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>