For most adults, vitamin D deficiency is not a concern. However, some groups — particularly people who are obese, who have dark skin and who are older than age 65 — may have lower levels of vitamin D due to their diets, little sun exposure or other factors.
Unfortunately, about 42% of the US population is vitamin D deficient with some populations having even higher levels of deficiency, including premenopausal women, those with poor nutrition habits, people over age 65, Caucasians who avoid even minimal sun exposure, and those who take prescription medication long term ...
Vitamin D deficiency is common in all age groups, including infants, children, and teens. Certain kids, like those with darker skin tones, those with more body fat, and those who get limited sun exposure, are more likely to develop a deficiency.
Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a loss of bone density, which can contribute to osteoporosis and fractures (broken bones). Severe vitamin D deficiency can also lead to other diseases. In children, it can cause rickets. Rickets is a rare disease that causes the bones to become soft and bend.
The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency amongst those with dark skin, or those who cover their skin for religious reasons, can be directly attributed to extremely low sun exposure, which is the main source of vitamin D in Australia.
Vitamin D deficiency (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) <50 nmol/L or 20 ng/mL) is common in Europe and the Middle East. It occurs in <20% of the population in Northern Europe, in 30–60% in Western, Southern and Eastern Europe and up to 80% in Middle East countries.
Lower vitamin D levels were more common in Black individuals (<20 ng/mL: 829 of 2288 Black individuals [36%]) than White individuals (<20 ng/mL: 315 of 1999 White individuals [16%]).
Melanin is the pigment that provides skin color, and individuals with darker skin have more of it than those with lighter skin. Having more melanin reduces your ability to synthesize vitamin D from the sun, resulting in lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, according to the ODS.
Many people believe that their lack of Vitamin D is due to their diet or lack of sunlight. However, 80 % of how your body absorbs Vitamin D is due to genetics. So no matter if you have a diet rich in Vitamin D or if you are getting plenty of sunlight, you may still be prone to a deficiency.
Whilst a 10 micrograms dose may be enough for Caucasians and people with lighter skins, people with dark skin, may need slightly more. In any case, you should talk to your doctor for their advice especially if you consider taking a higher dose than the recommended amount.
Symptoms when vitamin D is low
Fatigue. Not sleeping well. Bone pain or achiness. Depression or feelings of sadness.
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].
More than 1 in every 3 Australian adults has mild, moderate or severe vitamin D deficiency. The Australian government publishes recommended dietary intakes (RDIs) for all vitamins. Babies, children, teenagers and adults aged 19–50 years should have 5μg (micrograms) of vitamin D per day.
A lack of vitamin D can lead to bone deformities such as rickets in children, and bone pain caused by a condition called osteomalacia in adults. Government advice is that everyone should consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement during the autumn and winter.
Oranges may be the closest you'll get to a fruit containing vitamin D.
Research shows that a lack of vitamin D in your body can lead to hair loss. One role vitamin D plays is stimulating new and old hair follicles. When there isn't enough vitamin D in your system, new hair growth can be stunted.
Vitamin D may regulate mood and reduce depression
Research has shown that vitamin D might play an important role in regulating mood and decreasing the risk of depression. A review of 7,534 people found that those experiencing negative emotions who received vitamin D supplements noticed an improvement in symptoms.
The symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are often subtle, so many people don't know they're deficient. Some of the effects of vitamin D deficiency include: Fatigue or tiredness. Bone pain.
Left untreated, vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteoporosis in adults, rickets in children and adverse outcomes in pregnant women. It may also be linked to heart disease, diabetes and cancer — although more study is needed on the topic.
Do lighter skin tones need less vitamin D? People with lighter skin don't need less vitamin D, but because their skin can generate vitamin D more quickly, they need less sun exposure. This means that light-skinned people should find it easier to get vitamin D from sunlight between April and September.
Circulating vitamin D concentrations differ by skin color: Individuals with darker skin produce less vitamin D with the same amount of sunlight exposure than individuals with lighter skin color [10,12].
A vitamin D deficiency can affect more than just your bones; it can affect your skin as well. Healthy vitamin D levels might help prevent skin from prematurely aging but too much sun leads to accelerated skin aging.
The recommended daily amount of vitamin D is 400 international units (IU) for children up to age 12 months, 600 IU for people ages 1 to 70 years, and 800 IU for people over 70 years.
Everlywell, Drop, and myLAB Box are other brands that offer at-home vitamin D tests. Each relies on a finger prick blood sample. “Any at-home testing should be done by individuals who know or feel they may be at risk for low levels,” Guandalini says.