When is vitamin D deficiency dangerous ? Vitamin D is one of the important vitamins that the human body cannot dispense with, especially since this vitamin that can be obtained from sunlight helps protect the body from the risk of many serious diseases, and in the context of talking about Vitamin D The reference site is interested in highlighting when vitamin D deficiency is dangerous, while clarifying the main reasons behind the lack of this vitamin, which is useful for the vitality and activity of the body.
What is Vitamin D
One of the useful vitamins that the body needs periodically and continuously, but this vitamin is distinguished from others by the possibility of obtaining it from sunlight, especially useful ones, as exposure of the body to sunlight, especially in the early morning, helps to supply the body with a useful and sufficient amount of it, and it should also be noted However, this vitamin can be obtained through eating some foods, including fish, dairy, and others.
When is Vitamin D deficiency dangerous?
There are many symptoms or signs that emphasize the seriousness of the deficiency of this vitamin from the body, and they are all clear as follows:
Cognitive disorders
Many scientific studies have confirmed that vitamin D plays a distinctive role in maintaining the cognitive functions performed by the brain. It is one of the vitamins that protect against the risk of Alzheimer’s disease or memory impairment, and others, but its deficiency may lead to some serious diseases, including chronic depression, anxiety, Schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease are sometimes difficult to control.
chronic depression
A large group of scientific and medical research has proven the strong link between exposure to beneficial sunlight and a feeling of vitality and activity, and these studies have proven that lack of exposure to sunlight for a long period of time leads to the risk of many serious psychological diseases, including severe depression, which leads to a constant desire to Loneliness, especially since the sun plays a wonderful role in supplying the body with natural vitamin D that treats these psychological problems.
heart disease
Vitamin D treats severe infections that affect different parts of the body, and it plays a vital role in controlling the level of blood pressure, and the lack of this vitamin increases infections of the heart and blood vessels, as it increases the level of blood pressure in excess of the limit, as it leads to a risk Serious heart attacks that may lead to death, and it should be noted that vitamin D deficiency affects blood vessels, especially peripheral ones, negatively.
Inflammatory bowel
Vitamin D deficiency affects the digestive system negatively, especially as it prevents the absorption process that the body needs to prevent cystic fibrosis, Crohn’s disease, and serious celiac disease. At times, this patient needs to eat foods rich in vitamin D to overcome this serious problem.
skeletal disease
Vitamin D helps the body absorb useful minerals and vitamins, including calcium, phosphorous, and many other minerals that maintain the bones and joints of the body. Prone to fractures, and in general, the elderly need to take vitamin D supplements to prevent this serious problem.
Type 2 diabetes
Many scientific studies have proven that the higher the levels of vitamin D in the body, the lower the risk of developing diabetes, whether type 1 or 2, and therefore the lack of this vitamin leads to the risk of developing diabetes, especially type 2, especially since this vitamin helps improve the level of sugar. In the blood and then resistance to the proportion of excessive insulin.
Causes of Vitamin D deficiency
There are many reasons that lead to a deficiency of vitamin D in the body, and these reasons are as follows:
- Dark skin: People with dark skin suffer from a lack of skin production of the required pigment melanin, which leads to the body not producing the amount it needs of vitamin D.
- Nutritional deficiencies: The body needs diversity in the nutrients it needs, and not eating fish or meat leads to a lack of vitamin D, and then the body suffers from many complications.
- Lack of exposure to the sun: The sun is one of the main sources of vitamin D, and not being exposed to the sun for a long period of time doubles the risk of developing a deficiency of this vitamin from the body.
- Excessive use of sunscreen: Despite its great importance in preventing the side effects of the sun, its excessive use prevents the skin from absorbing useful vitamin D.
- Kidney disease: The deficiency of the necessary enzyme that the kidneys produce leads to a severe deficiency of the existing amount of vitamin D as a result of the body not absorbing it.
- Weight loss operations: Reducing the size of the stomach makes it difficult for the body to absorb the vitamins and minerals it needs, which leads to vitamin D deficiency.
- Breastfeeding: Breast milk does not contain enough vitamin D, so it is necessary to give the child nutritional supplements that are suitable for him to supply him with this useful vitamin.
Symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency
There are many symptoms that indicate a lack of vitamin D from the body, and these symptoms are evident as follows:
Weak immune system
A patient with vitamin D deficiency feels tired and constantly tired, and this results from the severe weakness of the immune system, which is unable to fight harmful bacteria or toxins, which leads to continuous infection with colds and severe flu that may continue with the patient for a long period of time, and some studies have proven There is an association between vitamin D deficiency and respiratory disease.
constant fatigue
Vitamin D deficiency often appears in the form of severe fatigue and stress that the body cannot tolerate at times, and although there are many reasons why the patient feels tired and exhausted, vitamin D deficiency is one of the most important of them at all, so the patient cannot perform any of the activities daily routine, which leads to many serious mental illnesses.
Bone pain
Vitamin D helps improve the absorption functions of the body for the useful calcium mineral, which plays a vital role in maintaining the joints and muscles of the body, and the deficiency of this vitamin prevents the absorption function and thus increases the feeling of pain, especially in the various muscles and joints of the body, so pain increases in the lower back, legs and some other parts .
poor wound healing
A sufficient proportion of vitamin D helps in the production of many useful compounds that play a vital role in the formation of a new layer of the skin and then the healing of wounds as quickly as possible, but the lack of this vitamin leads to severe infections and then wounds do not heal quickly. These patients are advised to take vitamin D supplements to speed up the wound healing process, especially after major surgeries.
Psychological symptoms of vitamin D deficiency
There are many mental illnesses that result from vitamin D deficiency, including the following:
- Depression: Vitamin D deficiency leads to a decrease in the amount of vital activity in the human body, especially in the elderly, which leads to an increase in loneliness and psychological depression.
- Anxiety: The lack of this vitamin increases symptoms and feelings of anxiety in all people, especially pregnant and breastfeeding women, and therefore these cases need nutritional supplements that contain vitamin D.
- Emotional disorders: Many people suffer from some seasonal affective disorders, such as feelings of anxiety, psychological stress, and others, and this results from a lack of this useful vitamin.
Vitamin D deficiency treatment
There are many treatment methods that can be used to treat the problem of vitamin D deficiency, and these treatment methods are as follows:
Nutritional supplements
A patient with vitamin D deficiency needs to take medical nutritional supplements that come in the form of tablets or pills and contain a high percentage of vitamin D, and in general, these supplements may not need a prescription in many times, although he likes to refer to the treating doctor Before taking it, to know the exact dose, especially since an excess of vitamin D above the normal limit may lead to serious complications that are difficult to bear.
Diet
Many doctors recommend eating foods that are high in vitamin D, including the following:
- fish.
- meat.
- Dairy products.
- mushrooms;
- Beef liver.
- yolk.
- fortified cereals.
sun exposure
Sunlight is one of the best natural sources for supplying the body with a large amount of vitamin D in a short period of time. Therefore, it is important to spend enough time outdoors without applying sunscreen, which blocks the benefit from these beneficial rays that the body needs continuously, and the instructions must be followed. Medical treatment before exposure to the sun so that the patient is not affected by the harmful rays of the sun, especially ultraviolet ones.