People with vitamin D deficiency are often advised to spend more time in the sun, but it is not possible to say exactly how much time should one spend in the sun.

It is because sun exposure that your skin needs to make vitamin D depends on multiple factors, i.e. your skin complexion, how much of your skin is exposed, the time of the year and what time of the day it is and so on.

It is suggested that the best time is between 11am and 3pm. Other factors that cause vitamin D deficiency are: Strict vegan diet — the best food sources of Vitamin D are some fish, fish liver oils, egg yolks and dairy products.

Dark skin — people with dark skin have higher levels of melanin which reduces the skin’s ability to make vitamin D Certain diseases — digestive problems such as Crohn’s disease, cystic fibrosis and celiac disease can reduce the ability of the intestines to absorb vitamin D from the food you eat. Kidney and liver diseases can also reduce the ability of these organs to create the biologically active form of Vitamin D in the body.

If you can’t soak up the sun, a fishy diet can restore Vitamin D levels

Obesity — The weight of the person does not affect the production of vitamin D but obese people have lower levels of vitamin D as it becomes trapped inside fat tissue and thus smaller quantities are available in the blood.

Though it is not yet fully understood how vitamin D works within the body and how it affects our overall health it is clear that vitamin D is important for good overall health and plays an important role in making sure that our heart, lungs, muscles and brain function well, and lack of vitamin D can be the cause of many problems.

Osteoporosis — People generally associate lack of vitamin D to weak bones and osteoporosis. Vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium which is essential for the bones. If your body lacks vitamin D sufficient amounts of calcium will not be absorbed, leaving you with weak bones that are prone to fractures.

Rheumatoid arthritis is another condition associated with lower levels of vitamin D. Studies have shown that women who have better levels of vitamin D are less likely to develop Arthritis and people who lack vitamin D experience severe and more active symptoms of arthritis.

Oral health — Periodontal health and vitamin D are closely related; the lower the level of vitamin D the poorer the dental health. Studies have also shown that people who lack vitamin D have higher rate of tooth loss than those who have more vitamin D in their body.

Asthma — Vitamin D may improve asthma control by increasing the production of a protein that has anti-inflammatory effects, and at the same time block inflammation-causing protein in the lung.

Type 2 diabetes — Several studies show that vitamin D may contribute to glucose tolerance through its effects on insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity.

Vitamin deficiency can cause many other ailments, such as high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases, depression, allergies, influenza and some types of cancer.

There is no clear pattern of symptoms for low levels of vitamin D; some people have vitamin D deficiency yet they do not show any symptoms. But it is better to consult your physician and (s)he will recommend test to verify you vitamin D levels if you are experiencing the following problems:

Fatigue

Muscle pain/cramps and weakness

Joint pain

Weight gain

High blood pressure

Restless sleep

Poor concentration

Headaches

Bladder problems

Constipation or diarrhoea

However, it does not mean that the presence of these symptoms is due to vitamin D deficiency alone and that you should start taking supplements on your own. Remember, while you cannot have an excess of vitamin D through sunlight or food, it is possible to get too much in the form of supplements; never exceed the daily dose recommended by your doctor.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, September 6th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play