Vitamin D can be found in some foods, but most vitamin D is made by your skin. When you have a vitamin D blood test it measures how much
Before your body can use vitamin D, your liver must change it into another form called 25 hydroxyvitamin D, or 25(OH)D. Most vitamin D blood tests measure the level of 25(OH)D in your blood.
Vitamin D deficiency means you don't have enough vitamin D in your body. It primarily causes issues with your bones and muscles. Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that your body uses for normal bone development and maintenance.
Levels of 50 nmol/L (20 ng/mL) or above are adequate for most people for bone and overall health. Levels below 30 nmol/L (12 ng/mL) are too low and might weaken your bones and affect your health. Levels above 125 nmol/L (50 ng/mL) are too high and might cause health problems.
Vitamin D Levels
Healthy Bones Australia recommends a vitamin D level of at least 50 nmol/L at the end of winter and during summer higher levels are common in the range of 60-70 nmol/L.
Growing evidence has demonstrated that vitamin D has a role in sleep regulation [12]. Specifically, vitamin D deficiency (VDD) can increase risk of sleep disorders and is associated with sleep difficulties, shorter sleep duration, and nocturnal awakenings in children and adults [13,14,15].
Having inadequate levels of vitamin D may correlate with unintentional weight gain. A study on women over the age of 65 found that participants with a lower vitamin D level experienced more weight gain. A systematic review of 23 different studies found similar associations between vitamin D deficiency and obesity.
Vitamin D deficiency is most commonly caused by a lack of exposure to sunlight. Some disorders can also cause the deficiency. The most common cause is lack of exposure to sunlight, usually when the diet is deficient in vitamin D, but certain disorders can also cause the deficiency.
Vitamin D insufficiency may relate to higher levels of anxiety and depression, in turn contributing to the elevated risk of psychosis in this population.
In persons with vitamin D deficiency, treatment may include oral ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) at 50,000 IU per week for eight weeks. After vitamin D levels normalize, experts recommend maintenance dosages of cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) at 800 to 1,000 IU per day from dietary and supplemental sources.
Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency may include:
Fatigue. Not sleeping well. Bone pain or achiness. Depression or feelings of sadness.
Furthermore, it was reported that patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, an autoimmune thyroid disease had lower vitamin D levels. Vitamin D plays an essential role in calcium homeostasis and the development and maintenance of the skeleton.
Those with the lowest levels should feel an improvement after just a few days, while those who only need to top up their levels may have to wait a week or two before they begin to feel healthier and more energised.
When vitamin D levels are low and the body isn't able to properly absorb calcium and phosphorus, there is an increased risk of bone pain, bone fractures, muscle pain and muscle weakness. In older adults, severe vitamin D deficiency (levels less than 10 ng/mL) may also contribute to an increased risk of falls.
Therefore, conditions that affect the gut and digestion, like celiac disease, chronic pancreatitis, Crohn's disease, and cystic fibrosis, can reduce vitamin D absorption.
Without it, you can experience hormonal imbalances such as: Estrogen imbalance. A deficiency in vitamin D can lead to lower estrogen levels, which can cause depression, hot flashes, mood swings, and much more.
Yes, multiple studies show that a deficiency of this vitamin can lead to joint pain and swelling. As Vitamin D is required for bone building and bone health, therefore a deficiency of it will negatively affect the bones.
The experts concluded that an extra calcium and vitamin-D have an appetite-suppressing effect. Meaning, no more hunger hangs. Therefore, consider adding vitamin-D supplements to your diet, especially if you're trying to lose weight.
There's no set time of day that's best to take vitamin D supplements. Some people say taking vitamin D supplements at night is an insomnia risk. There's no research to confirm this, but you might want to take your supplement earlier in the day if you think it's screwing with your sleep.
Vitamin D and sleep: The surprising connection
Early research suggests it is inversely related to melatonin, your sleep hormone. Increasing vitamin D levels may suppress melatonin levels. So, it makes sense that taking it at night could disrupt your sleep.
"Adequate levels of magnesium in the body are essential for the absorption and metabolism not only of vitamin D but of calcium as well," Dean states. "Magnesium converts vitamin D into its active form so that it can help calcium absorption.
Vitamin D deficiency is common in Australia but some people are at a greater risk. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteoporosis, bone and joint pain. Vitamin D deficiency can easily be detected by a blood test.