Vitamin D – The sun vitamin

Vitamin D – the so-called sun vitamin has been known for a long time for its positive effects on health, especially for bone and muscle building and maintenance. However, more and more discoveries are being made about the vitamin with regard to its modes of action.

What is vitamin D?

The general rule with vitamins is that they are essential substances, organic compounds that must be absorbed through food, as they cannot be produced by the body.

The vitamin takes a prominent role, because this vitamin can be produced by the body itself with the help of sunlight. The production is not only one vitamin, but five different forms of the vitamin.

These forms are as follows:

– Vitamin D1,
– Vitamin D2,
– Vitamin D3,
– Vitamin D4 and vitamin D5.

In most cases, when people talk about vitamins D, they mean vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 is also called cholecalciferol.

Furthermore, the vitamin D is a prohormone. A prohormone is defined as a hormone precursor, meaning that the vitamin has no hormonal effects, but is first converted in metabolism to a hormone, in this case to the hormone calcitriol.

In addition to the absorption through sunlight and food, there is another way to meet the vitamin D requirement, in the form of dietary supplements.

Since the body produces little of the vitamin itself in fall and winter, and also gets a maximum of approx. 20% of the need can take up, is often resorted to food supplements in the form of vitamin D3 drops.

One of the advantages of vitamin D3 drops is that even in the cold days of the year, the need for vitamin D is ensured.

Furthermore, the size of the package makes them ideal for traveling and a good alternative if you have trouble taking tablets.

Recommendation for use of vitamin D drops:

Vitamin D3 drops should be taken daily with meals. 1 drop is sufficient with each meal of the day. When buying vitamin D3 drops, make sure there is a pipette to help you measure the exact dosage.

Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency

Vitamin D is an important vitamin for a variety of functions of the body. If the body produces too little of the vitamin, and too little also enters the body through food, it can have several effects.

Typical symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include:

– Muscle weakness,
– Hair loss,
– Tooth ailments,
– Dry, cracked skin,
– Increased blood pressure,
– Weakened immune system,
– tiredness, listlessness
– Mood swings.

A vitamin D deficiency can have a variety of problems and ailments as a result. The reasons for this are that vitamin D is involved in various modes of action in the body.

It affects bone formation and maintenance by regulating calcium-phosphate metabolism, which has an important role in health and blood pressure. If the vitamin D is not sufficiently present in the body for various reasons, increased blood pressure and increased sweating can be the consequences.

Vitamin D is also an important helper in strengthening the immune system. With the help of vitamin D, the production of defenses in the body is increased, which is the reason that a deficiency of the vitamin, results in a weakened immune system.

Many feel listless, listless and tired in the fall and winter, this can have as a reason that a vitamin D deficiency is present. The reason for this is that the hormone calcitriol is responsible for the regulation of calcium.

If the calcium household is disturbed, the consequence is that the body does not function as desired. In addition, limbs and muscle complaints can occur, which is why it is important to get enough sun in the summer to fill the store of vitamins.

In the cold winter days it is especially important to interpret the symptoms early and not to ignore them. To clarify a suspected vitamin D deficiency, a blood test is carried out by your family doctor.

Application in naturopathy

Sunlight plays the most important role in vitamin D production. Many doctors and alternative practitioners are intensively concerned with winter depression and spring fatigue in connection with a vitamin D deficiency.

This would also explain why there is an increased incidence of infections and colds during these months. 10-15 minute walks on sunny days are enough to meet the daily requirement of vitamin D.

From October to February, the hours of sunshine are not infrequently 0, which is why many people take nutritional supplements.

But naturopaths also warn against an overdose of the vitamin, because this can result in nausea, headache and muscle pain, weakness or increased urination.

Absorption of vitamin D

The easiest way to absorb the vitamin is through sunlight. Sufficient for this is to have the face, hands and arms free. However, the body can store more when more parts of the body are exposed to sunlight.

Furthermore, the vitamin can also be absorbed through food. Especially on the cold and dark days of the year, it is difficult to absorb the vitamin through sunlight. Therefore, the body should be supplied with the necessary vitamin in part through food.

It should be noted, however, that a sufficient amount of the vitamin can be achieved not only through food. Foods that are high in the vitamin include animal products such as fish, milk, cheese, eggs, and fruits such as the avocado.

The following foods are high in vitamin D:

– Rollmops,
– Salmon,
– Minced meat,
– Margarine,
– Tuna,
– Cod,
– Eggs,
– Processed cheese,
– Avocado.