Vitamin D deficiency: symptoms, causes and treatment

What is vitamin D deficiency and how much vitamin D do you need every day?

Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that plays a decisive role in the health of your bones, teeth, muscles and your immune system. Your body can produce vitamin D if your skin is exposed to direct sunlight. However, due to various factors such as low sunlight, the use of sunscreen or a older age, a vitamin D deficiency can occur.

A vitamin D deficiency exists if the vitamin D level in your blood is below 20 ng/ml (50 NMOL/L). The recommended daily supply of vitamin D varies depending on age and special circumstances such as pregnancy or lactation. A daily supply of 800-1000 IE (20-25 μg) vitamin D is recommended for adults to maintain an optimal vitamin D level.

Vitamin D deficiency symptoms

The symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency can be very diverse and are often not recognized immediately because they appear gradually and can be confused with other symptoms. Frequent signs of a vitamin D deficiency are:

• Fatigue and exhaustion
• Muscle pain and weakness
• Bone and joint pain
• Susceptibility to infections
• Depressive moods
• Wound healing disorders

Vitamin D deficiency symptoms in women

In addition to the general symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency, further complaints can occur in women:

• Menstrual disorders
• PMS (premenstrual syndrome)
• infertility
• Pregnancy complications

A sufficient vitamin D level is particularly important for women during pregnancy and breastfeeding, since vitamin D for the development of the fetus and the newborn is of great importance.

Vitamin D deficiency hair loss

A less well-known symptom of vitamin D deficiency is hair loss. Vitamin D plays an important role for the hair cycle and the hair follicle. A lack of vitamin D can lead to premature shift in hair follicles in the resting phase, which results in increased hair loss. A sufficient supply of vitamin D can help reduce hair loss and promote hair growth.

Causes of vitamin D deficiency

There are various reasons that can lead to a vitamin D deficiency:

• Lack of sun exposure: Your body produces vitamin D mainly by the action of UVB radiation on the skin. If you are too little outdoors or cover your skin, this can lead to a vitamin D deficiency.
• Use of sunscreen: Sunscreen with high sun protection factor block the UVB radiation and thus reduce the body's own vitamin D production.
• Dark skin: Melanin, the pigment that gives the skin its color, acts as natural sun protection. People with dark skin therefore need more sunlight to produce sufficient vitamin D.
• Old: With increasing age, skin's ability to form vitamin D decreases.
• Nutrient -low nutrition: Only a few foods contain vitamin D. A diet that is poor in vitamin D foods containing vitamin D can contribute to a deficiency.
• Certain diseases: Some diseases such as Crohn's disease, celiac disease or fat malabsorption can affect the intake of vitamin D in the intestine.

Follow vitamin D deficiency

A long-term vitamin D deficiency can have serious consequences for your health:

• Bone weakness and osteoporosis: Vitamin D is crucial for the inclusion of calcium in the bones. A deficiency can lead to bone weakness and an increased risk of osteoporosis.
• Muscle weakness and increased risk of falling: Vitamin D contributes to muscle strength. A deficiency can lead to muscle weakness and an increased risk of falling, especially in older people.
• Weakened immune system: Vitamin D plays an important role in the immune system. A deficiency can lead to an increased susceptibility to infections.
• Chronic diseases: A vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of various chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.

Fix vitamin D deficiency

To compensate for a vitamin D deficiency, there are various options:

• Sun exposure: Spend 10-30 minutes in the sun a day, without sun protection and with uncovered skin (face, arms, legs). However, make sure to avoid sunburns.
• Vitamin D rich diet: Consumption increasingly food that naturally contain vitamin D or are enriched with vitamin D (see below).
• Dietary supplements: Vitamin D preparations can be taken in the form of tablets, capsules or drops. Let your vitamin D mirror determine beforehand by a blood test and discuss the dosage with your doctor.

Vitamin D drops

Vitamin D drops are a convenient and effective way to compensate for a vitamin D deficiency. They are easy to dose and are recorded directly via the oral mucosa. Vitamin D drops are available in different doses, mostly in the form of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), which is better absorbed by the body than vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol).

Vitamin D in food

There are only a few foods that naturally contain significant amounts of vitamin D. Here is an overview of the vitamin D richest foods (animal or herbal) with their average vitamin D content per 100 g: