Researches have shown that Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for healthy living. Being Vitamin D deficient is common in India and you will always find 8 people out of 10 being Vitamin D deficient. A recent study reveals that 70-90% of Indians including 88% Mumbaikars are Vitamin D deficient.
Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids responsible for increasing intestinal absorption of phosphate, calcium, and magnesium. Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3 are the most important compounds of Vitamin D.
Now we know what is Vitamin D and what are its compounds, but why our body requires Vitamin D? Vitamin D is required by our body to balance its functioning as it helps in strengthening bones and helps in preventing some cancers. It also helps in overcoming muscle weakness, depression, pain, and fatigue.
Exposing ourselves to sunlight can be the best and the most natural way to increase the level of Vitamin D in our body. Other than natural ways, we can adopt other ways to increase Vitamin D levels like starting a medicinal course or starting eating Vitamin D foods and supplements. Medicinal courses are suggested to those who hardly expose themselves to sunlight.
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Role of Vitamin D in Our Body
As we all know that we can get Vitamin D naturally from sunlight but it can also be availed through other supplements and food items. For those who don’t know, Vitamin D helps in regulating the absorption of phosphorus and calcium. Apart from this, it strengthens bones and teeth and fights infections and diseases. Also, it improves the functioning of the immune system.
It would be hard to accept this fact but researches show that Vitamin D helps in reducing stress and anxiety and elevates your mood. Moreover, you will lose weight easily if your body is getting a regular supply of Vitamin D.
That is why it is said to pay close attention to the Vitamin D level of your body. There is a possibility that you may suffer from health problems if you are Vitamin D sufficient. In winters, the weather remains foggy and smoggy most of the time throughout the season, so there are fewer opportunities to expose your body to sunlight.
In winters, you have to be very cautious about your health because once you become Vitamin D deficient, there are high chances that you might miss the signs. However, there are two most unusual signs of Vitamin D deficiency you must look out for.
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Common Signs of Vitamin D Deficiency in Winters
- Fatigue and Weakness
You may have heard from many people complaining about tiredness and weakness. Weaknesses that hold them back from doing any work which requires physical work. Vitamin D deficiency can be a reason for such problems.
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If you are experiencing pain in your muscles then you are more likely to find difficulty in climbing stairs or getting up from the floor. You might start walking in a clumsy fashion like with short steps in order to reach a destination while walking.
If this problem persists longer, then your knees may not support your legs to even stand in one place. Therefore, it is suggested to start consuming food items and necessary medicines to level Vitamin D in your body.
- Bone Pain
Vitamin D helps in strengthening bones by absorbing phosphorus and calcium. Someone who is suffering from ‘rickets’, a disorder that weakens bones in kids and makes them soft, can be cured with Vitamin D. Parents have to be cautious about what they are feeding their child in his/her growing age.
How to Diagnose Vitamin D Deficiency in Body
Vitamin D deficiency can be diagnosed with the help of a blood test. Two tests are performed in labs to diagnose deficiency of Vitamin D in the body. The most common test is the 25-hydroxyvitamin D test, also known as 25(OH)D for short.