Vitamin D deficiency: symptoms, causes and what helps against it

A vitamin D deficiency can be a problem, especially in winter: because of the lack of sun, our body cannot produce enough vitamin D and many people feel depressed. You can find more background information and tips here.

Vitamin D is also known as the sunshine vitamin. It can be formed by the body independently, but requires the sun’s rays to do so. While you are usually well supplied with vitamin D in the summer months, the vitamin D level often drops in the autumn and winter months.

Especially in our latitudes, the duration and intensity of the sun in winter is often not sufficient to produce enough vitamin D on our own. If the supplies from the summer are used up, it can lead to a vitamin D deficiency.

The undersupply is often expressed through non-specific symptoms, such as tiredness. If the vitamin level remains too long or too much below the actual requirement, serious diseases can also be promoted.

Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency

A vitamin D deficiency initially manifests itself in non-specific symptoms:

• Increased susceptibility to infections, since the barriers for bacteria and viruses can be overcome more easily.
• Vitamin D has an anti-inflammatory effect and stimulates collagen production and the growth of connective tissue. When it is absent in the body, one occurs worse wound healing.
• Lack of concentration, chronic fatigue and exhaustion.
• A lack of vitamin D affects muscle function and bone metabolism. Pain in the back and in the legs, ribs and joints can indicate a vitamin D deficiency.
• persistent bad mood and depressions may be related to low vitamin D levels. The vitamin plays an important role in the production of the happiness hormones serotonin and dopamine.

If there is a chronic deficiency of vitamin D, even serious illnesses and an unfavorable course of the disease can be promoted:

• periodontitis and gingivitis
• diabetes
• asthma
• multiple sclerosis
• cancers
• osteoporosis

Causes of vitamin D deficiency

Almost 60 percent of all people in Central and Northern Europe are not optimally supplied with vitamin D. The reasons for this are diverse:

• The main reason: the skin does not absorb enough sun rays. The body makes vitamin D with the help of UV-B rays from the sun. On the one hand, this can be due to the weather – especially in winter. On the other hand, it is also because you spend too much time in closed rooms or your skin is covered by clothing.
• Diseases such as celiac disease (gluten intolerance) impair the absorption of the vitamin from the intestine and can also promote undersupply.
• Taking certain medications can also negatively affect vitamin D levels.
• During pregnancy and breastfeeding, mothers have an increased need for vitamins and minerals. If this is not covered, a vitamin D deficiency can result.

What helps with a vitamin D deficiency?

• You can have a vitamin D deficiency diagnosed by a doctor with a simple blood test. To replenish your vitamin D stores, you should expose your face, forearms and hands to the sun for up to 15 minutes at least three times a week. Since the body protects itself from an overdose of vitamin D, there is no point in staying in the sun for as long as possible. The recording will just stop automatically.
• UV lamps or tanning beds are also not advisable to improve vitamin D production, as the rays do not correspond to the light spectrum of the sun and are therefore not effective in this regard. Just special daylight lamps can help increase vitamin D levels.
• Other vitamin deficiencies can be corrected through diet. This does not work with a vitamin D deficiency, since hardly any food contains sufficient amounts of the D vitamin. Although there are vitamin D preparations, they warn against them Stiftung Warentest and Eco test. Many of them are overdosed. Anyone who takes such preparations regularly must expect serious health consequences: the calcium metabolism can be disrupted and the health of the bones can suffer from the preparations. Kidney damage can also result. Other symptoms include fatigue, confusion, indigestion, and even abnormal heart rhythms. The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) also advises that the best way to ensure the supply of vitamin D is through the body’s own production. According to the DGE, preparations can be taken up to a value of 20 µg/day in the event of a deficiency – but to be on the safe side, you should seek medical advice.

Read more at Utopia:

• 7 ways out of winter depression
• Nutrient deficiency: how to recognize it and what you can do about it
• Winterizing your bike: The best tips