Have you been inside all day maybe for the last few weeks, months, or your entire life? Then you could be experiencing vitamin D deficiency. Traditionally, low levels of vitamin D was associated with rickets, but current research is linking it to an assortment of other health problems such as pain and muscle weakness, cognitive impairment, and cancer. Vitamin D deficiency contributes to the overall health of our body systems, including the immune system, the autoimmune system, the cardiovascular system, and the integumentary system (Hoffman, et al, 2010). Studies have also shown that vitamin D can be used to prevent diabetes, hypertension, glucose intolerance, and multiple sclerosis (Vogin).
Vitamin D is commonly referred to as “the sunshine vitamin” because it is synthized in the skin as it is exposed to sunlight. This occurs in both humans and animals. People who are homebound, live in northern latitudes or limit their skin to sun exposure either through clothing or sun block are at a higher risk due to their limited exposure to the sun. When sun block is used the body does not produce vitamin D, even if you are in direct sunlight. The use of modern technology has also limited our exposure to the sun. Industrialization has moved people indoors to work under florescent lighting eight hours a day five days a week. Prior to this people spent their days outside working in the field, outdoors and under the sun. Now we sit in our cars, offices and homes. For entertainment we go to the movie theater or have dinner in a restaurant, spending the majority of our time inside.
Experts believe that the storage form of vitamin D has a half life of approximately three weeks, when the leaves on the trees begin to fall so do the stored levels of vitamin D. People in northern latitudes become deficient by December if they are relying solely on the sun for their vitamin D and may be at a greater risk for developing vitamin D deficiency (Garland).
The amount of sun exposure needed varies from person to person. People with darker skin need more sun exposure than those with fairer skin. Experts recommend around 15 to 30 minutes of sun exposure per day with 40% of your skin exposed. Sun exposure is free and a simple way to obtain vitamin D, however if this is not an option due to the region you live in it should be consumed. Most vitamin D experts now say that humans should get about 4,000 units of vitamin D a day (Cannell). Some dietary sources include eggs, oily fish, sunflower seeds, shiitake mushrooms, goat milk and nori.
