Do You Get Enough Vitamin D?

Do you get enough vitamin D?

According to experts, the response is a no to a million Americans.

This is exacerbated by the fact that so many people work indoors every day, according to Dr. Kevin Cooke, an Aviv Clinics physician with a background in both internal and family medicine who specializes in patients' food and nutrition needs.

"We just don't get outside as much," he adds, explaining that exposure to sunlight, your nutrition, and your skin all assist your body convert vitamin D to the active form. "Because of the nature of working indoors and then going into the winter months with less sun exposure, a lot of people are vitamin D deficient."

According to the National Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicine website, approximately 35 percent of adults in the United States are vitamin D deficient.

The figure is expected to be greater for certain groups, such as nursing home residents and hospitalized patients. Not only are these populations more likely to be indoors, but Cooke notes that older people are more likely to be vitamin D deficient due to changes in skin and stomach absorption as we age.

According to the National Library of Medicine and the Cleveland Clinic, people with darker complexion are also at a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency. Obesity, Crohn's disease, celiac disease, and liver or kidney disease are all medical disorders that might cause deficiency.

Here's what more you should know about this vital vitamin:

What exactly is vitamin D, and why is it so important?

Cooke explains that the primary function of vitamin D is to assist our bodies with calcium and bone maintenance. However, current study indicates that it may also be beneficial in other areas.

"A lot of newer studies (show) a lack of vitamin D causing decreased energy and mood," he adds, adding that seasonal affective disorder may be related.

"There's some newer data pointing to seasonal affective disorder or depression during the winter months, which makes sense given that you don't get much sun, especially in the northern half of the United States," he says. "It can really be a cause or point to seasonal affective disorder and depression."

Vitamin D insufficiency symptoms

Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent, and many people who are deficient do not experience symptoms. A blood test can be performed by your doctor to determine your vitamin D level.

"Most people who see a doctor once a year should, and hopefully do, have their vitamin D levels checked," he says. "This way, they'll know if they're deficient."

Because a lack of vitamin D can induce bone discomfort, thinning, osteopenia (a decrease in bone mineral density), or osteomalacia (softening of the bones), Cooke says one of the first symptoms you may be low is if you have bone aches and pains or increasing arthritis.

A continuing loss of bone density, known as osteoporosis, increases the chance of bone fractures, which is a severe medical problem for older adults.

Cooke adds that "fatigue, low energy — what I would call low 'get up and go' or low zest" can also be symptoms that you aren't getting enough vitamin D.

How can I get more vitamin D?

What is the most effective strategy to avoid vitamin D deficiency? Make sure you're receiving enough vitamin D through your food or through sun exposure - just remember to wear sunscreen.

According to the National Library of Medicine, around 50% to 90% of vitamin D is absorbed through the skin via sunlight, with the remainder coming from meals.

Cooke recommends eating foods high in or fortified with vitamin D in your diet, such as milk, yoghurt, and some fatty seafood.

Vitamin D pills and cod liver oil can also help boost your vitamin D levels, but only under the supervision and advice of your doctor.