Raji* has been sitting rooted to the couch on her balcony for a while now, with a distant look in her eyes. This has become a regular scene in the house recently, quite in contrast to her usual self. She hasn't been feeling great lately. Her energy levels are low; she often experiences muscle pain and allergies and has no enthusiasm to perform even her daily chores. Nothing else has changed at home for her to feel stressed. Her family (and even she) thinks it is due to poor sleep. Despite her efforts to stick to a consistent sleep routine, a good night's sleep seems elusive.
What can help her?
This is the real-life experience of someone from Team Miyara. * Name changed
Simple blood work led to her diagnosis of vitamin D deficiency.
Until about 15 years ago, not much was known about this vitamin and its deficiency was thought to only manifest as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. But today, we know that this vitamin dons multiple hats and has even been elevated to the status of a hormone. Lower vitamin D levels are associated with depression, mood swings, brain fog, stress urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, sleep disturbances and sexual dysfunction; in other words, lower vitamin D can worsen menopause symptoms.
Unfortunately, despite being a “super vitamin”, according to recent reports, ~1 billion people worldwide have a deficiency, whereas ~50% of the population has an insufficiency of vitamin D. Even in a tropical country like India, where ample sunshine is available, the deficiency is to the tune of 83-90%. The modern, indoor lifestyle is largely to blame for this.
Why is Vitamin D Important for Women?
There are a multitude of roles, but here are the key ones.
Strong Bones: Vitamin D helps in calcium absorption and deposition in bones. Maintaining sufficient vitamin D levels can prevent osteoporosis and even help regain bone density in menopausal women.
Muscle Health: Vitamin D positively influences muscle mass, exercise capacity and performance, as well as muscle contraction and strength. This is particularly important to prevent muscle loss as we age.
Immune Support: Vitamin D plays a role in the maturation of antibodies and other protective cells of the immune system. In fact, a deficiency of vitamin D is associated with a higher risk of autoimmunity and even cancers.
Mood Regulation: Studies suggest vitamin D may have a role in mood regulation by increasing the levels of serotonin, a feel-good hormone. Low vitamin D levels have been linked to an increased risk of depression.
Improvement in Reproductive Health: Low vitamin D status is associated with an increased risk of PCOS, endometriosis and infertility. During perimenopause, vitamin D deficiency is associated with genitourinary symptoms like vaginal dryness and recurrent urinary infections.
Other Proposed Benefits: While research on these areas is limited, vitamin D is believed to aid cardiometabolic health (fat loss, psoriasis, insulin resistance and blood pressure regulation) through menopause.
Related Reading: Practical tools for bone and muscle health in midlife
How Much Vitamin D Do You Need?
The recommended daily intake (RDI) varies depending on age:
Adult Women (over 70 years of age): 800 IU
However, most experts agree that supplementing with 1000 IU per day is safe.
How Do You Get Enough?
That’s easy. Your body can make it! All you need is 15-20 min of daily direct sun on your bare skin. The time of day matters and differs based on where you live. Alternatively, you can even get it from supplements or certain food sources like fatty fish, red meat, egg yolks, liver, UV-treated mushrooms and fortified foods.
What Causes Your Vitamin D Levels To Fall?
This happens because of irregular or insufficient sun exposure, use of sunscreen which acts as a barrier between the skin and the UV rays of the sun (which are needed to make vitamin D), geographic location (countries where sunlight is scarce or limited), age, skin pigmentation (darker skin means lower vitamin D production) and certain medical conditions (Crohn’s disease, kidney/liver disease, obesity).
The risk of Vitamin D deficiency may be higher as we age due to poor absorption in the intestine. However, research on this is inconclusive.
How Can I Know If I Have Enough Vitamin D?
A simple blood test can help you measure your serum 25(OH)D levels, i.e. the levels of vitamin D in your blood. Vitamin D deficiency is typically defined as having blood levels below 20 ng/mL, while levels from 21–29 ng/mL are considered insufficient.
Summing It All Up
Vitamin D deficiency is now considered a worldwide pandemic. Most experts agree that supplementation is essential if you do not get adequate sun exposure since getting the daily requirement through food alone is difficult. Vitamin D could be the reason behind those nagging health complaints such as fatigue, aches and pains, mood swings and even frequent illnesses. Prioritize this sunshine vitamin and take a step towards better overall well-being right away!
Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you.
Disclaimer: Miyara Women does not undertake any financial/reputational/legal/misrepresentational impact or other obligations/ liabilities that may arise from the content.
To check out our women's health products, click here
About the author
Kanchana is a Lifestyle Consultant & Weight Management Specialist. After a Masters degree in Molecular Biology from the USA, she ventured into the field of Nutrition and is certified in General Nutrition, Sports Nutrition, and Weight Management. Her own successful weight loss journey inspired her to help people of all age groups and health conditions via Calorie Culture, which she founded in 2012. She is also an avid dancer, mini marathoner, and sports enthusiast. She strongly advocates sustainable lifestyle changes as a means to long-term health benefits and optimal weight.
コメント