The link between vitamin D deficiency and 5 diseases
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The link between vitamin D deficiency and 5 diseases
How many of you are aware of your vitamin D status? If not, you may want to get tested as some studies have suggested that lower levels of vitamin D may raise your risk for other diseases and conditions.
Understanding vitamin D
What we know about this “sunshine vitamin” is that it has many benefits ranging from promoting healthy bones and muscles to a strong, well-functioning heart. We know that the main source of obtaining vitamin D is not from food choices but rather from direct sunlight. Having at bare hands, arms, or legs exposed to sunlight for about 15-30 minutes three days a week, is a good way to obtain vitamin D. As the sun’s rays hit your bare skin, it helps your body to synthesize or make vitamin D. Once activated, this fat-soluble vitamin helps regulate blood calcium and phosphorus levels which help maintain bone integrity. Vitamins D also functions as a hormone affecting how cells of your body grow, multiply, and specialize in addition to affecting hair follicles, reproductive cells and cells of the immune system.
The best food sources of vitamin D include the following:
· Fatty fish like tuna, mackerel, and salmon
· Foods fortified with vitamin D such as milk, orange juice, soy milk and breakfast cereals
· Beef liver
· Cheese
· Egg yolks
· Cod liver oil
Common symptoms of vitamin D
If you do have a vitamin D deficiency, it can manifest itself in many ways – bone pain, muscle weakness, high blood pressure, fatigue, and depression. However, many different factors can influence those symptoms so the best and the only way to know if you are deficient in vitamin D, is to have a blood test at your doctor’s office.
8 diseases possible linked to a vitamin D deficiency
What research has shown is that individuals, who have an optimal vitamin D status, tend to have a low rate of various diseases. But for those with a vitamin D deficiency, studies have found an association between the deficiency and development of certain conditions. Bear in mind that there will be fundamental gaps and conflicting evidence that prevent a conclusive answer as to the validity of vitamin D deficiency and these diseases.
Here is a sampling of various conditions and diseases that have been linked to individuals with a vitamin D deficiency:
1. Cardiovascular Disease
Numerous studies have shown an association between low vitamin D blood levels and heart disease and related complication according to a review published in Circulation Research. Science however, has not clearly established if supplementation can reduce these risks. This review points out that vitamin D levels may be a potential culprit for heart problems such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, and stroke.
Heart disease can also be reduced by maintaining a healthy body weight, regular exercise, and eating a diet rich in lean meat, nuts, fruits, and vegetables.
2. Prostate Cancer
A link between low blood levels of vitamin D and aggressive prostate cancer was found in a study published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research. Participants in the study were European-American and African-American men. Researchers found that the African-American men had an especially strong connection between low vitamin D status and prostate cancer suggesting that they were more likely to test positive for cancer than other men with normal vitamin D levels. For these men, it is wise to make regular doctor visits and to be aware of prostate cancer symptoms and receive a prompt diagnosis and treatment.
3. Schizophrenia
The severe brain disorder of schizophrenia affects about 1.1 percent of American adults. The symptoms of this condition, which commonly appears between ages 16 and 30, include hallucinations, incoherent speech, withdrawal from others, and trouble focusing or paying attention.
A review published in 2014 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, suggested a link between schizophrenia and vitamin D deficiency as people with a deficiency were twice as likely to be diagnosed with the brain condition compared with people with sufficient vitamin D levels.
There is no cure at this time for schizophrenia but treatments for it include medication, psychosocial therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and support groups.
Several studies have linked low blood vitamin D with an increased risk of MS, while adequacy of vitamin D has been associated with a lower risk of MS and relapse. When a person has MS, his or her immune system attacks the coating that protects the nerve cells. Research suggests that a connection between vitamin D and MS could be tied to the positive effects vitamin D has on the immune system.
The link between vitamin D and MS is strengthened by the association between sunlight and the risk of MS. The farther away from the equator a person lives, the higher the risk of MS. Sunlight is the body's most efficient source for vitamin D — suggesting that exposure to sunlight may offer protection from MS. In addition, in studies of a group of nurses, the risk of developing MS was substantially less for women taking 400 international units (IUs) or more of vitamin D a day.
5. Dementia
Moderate to severe vitamin D deficiency in older adults has been associated with doubling the risk for some forms of dementia, according to a 2014 study published in the journal Neurology. Dementia involves a decline in thinking, behavior, and memory that negatively affects daily life. What the study found was that people with inadequate levels of vitamin D when compared with those with normal levels, had a 53 percent increased risk of developing dementia. Those who were severely deficient had a 125 percent increased risk.
This study was observational meaning that they were unable to prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship with vitamin D deficiency and dementia. Nonetheless, the scientists theorized that the sunshine vitamin might help clear plaques in the brain that are linked to dementia.
Best advice regarding vitamin D deficiency and dementia is to eat a healthy diet of plant-based foods, exercise regularly, and practice daily healthy habits to help reduce the risk of dementia.
Take home message
Discuss with your healthcare provider on whether you should be tested for your vitamin D status and depending on the results, whether or not you should be taking a vitamin D supplement and at what level. In the meantime, be sure to include rich food sources of vitamin D daily and to obtain sufficient exposure to direct sunlight several times a week.