Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D Deficiency is the hot burning topic in the present scenario. Vitamin D is the god’s gift as it is found in the natural sunlight. Sunlight part which consists of Ultraviolet B rays enriches you with Vitamin D. Exposing your bare skin to sun is the easiest and natural way to get vitamin D.

Your body gets adequate and right amount of Vitamin D when you take Vitamin D from sunlight and Food rich in Vitamin D. Vitamin D rich Supplements can also be tried along in case extreme and worsening deficiency of Vitamin D.

The importance of Vitamin D levels at age 50 and beyond becomes more important as body ages so are the requirements in intake of Calcium and Vitamin D. Also, Bone degeneration is the natural process of ageing. The next question which must be coming to your mind could be `What causes your Bones to Deteriorate’? Understanding Cartilage, Joint and Aging Process is not that cumbersome as it appears. The simple explanation is of the cartilage-degeneration which takes a toll over your joint health .The cartilage gives the support to your bones and nourishes the joints so that they are display an effective 360 degree like rotation.

This cartilage degeneration and eventual bone degeneration display a magnifying effect in individuals who exhibit the following outlook towards their lives. These are as follows-

Less Sun bask (hence less Vitamin D)
Fewer intakes of Calcium rich Foods
Less exercise schedules
Time crunch (not even have time to go for regular walks)
Excessive weight (undue and more pressure on bones and joints)

Having understood the basics. Let us jump to next question that is `What is Vitamin D and what does it do?. As we all know vitamins and minerals come under the category of essential nutrients. Essential nutrients are those nutrients which your body cannot manufacture and hence to be supplemented through diet (outside Source). Vitamin D is one of the essential nutrients which is important for Bone Health.

The sunshine vitamin that is Vitamin D comes in two forms D2 and D3.The medical terms of Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3 are respectively called Ergocalciferol and Cholecalciferol. The sources of Vitamin D2 include plant foods and supplements. The source of Vitamin D3 comes from animal foods (like eggs, cod liver oil), supplements and sunlight.

What does Vitamin D do?

It is one of the essential nutrients so it definitely contributes a good share to your body. It is important for your bones. Why? It helps the body to absorb calcium (important element) from food and various other calcium rich supplements. The worst thing that can happen when you don’t get Vitamin D is development of Soft , Brittle and Thin Bones.

Hopefully now you must have understood when people ask a question `What does it mean when your Vitamin D is low’? It signifies that your bones are not getting enough nutrition and thus in overall your joint health suffers.

Science lovers must have wanted to see one question and its answer in the starting of blog, but let us put that question here…So..What medical term is used to refer to a deficiency of Vitamin D? It is called Osteomalacia. Osteomalacia is basically a bone disease of adults and occurs when a person has long episode of low Vitamin D scenario.

What are the side effects of having low Vitamin D?