We currently hear and read a lot about vitamin D and all its seemingly miraculous properties. Is it just hype or is it really a superstar vitamin? In this article, we would like to provide you with basic information about vitamin D, explain the causes and symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency and show you how to correct it.

What is vitamin D?

First of all, vitamin D is actually more of a hormone than a vitamin. It is the only vitamin that our body produces itself, while we take in the others with food (some vitamins, such as certain B vitamins and vitamin K - are also produced within us, but not by us: intestinal bacteria produce these vitamins during the fermentation of dietary fiber).

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Under the influence of sunlight, vitamin D is produced in the skin from cholesterol. And this is one of the main reasons why many people have a vitamin D deficiency, especially in winter. In Switzerland, it is simply not sunny enough at this time of year, and even when the sun does shine, it has little power in winter. What's more, we're wrapped up to the tip of our noses when we're outside. If we go outside at all.

Why vitamin D is so important

Every single cell in our body has vitamin D receptors, which means that it is needed by every single cell. Because it is needed everywhere, the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency can be varied. The many roles of vitamin D include:

• it plays an important role in strengthening the immune system, helping us to fight infections [1];
• Vitamin D is required for calcium absorption to strengthen our bones [2];
• it is needed for muscle function and physical performance [3];
• it can be the cause of tiredness and fatigue [4] - there are many possible reasons for being tired all the time, but vitamin D levels are not routinely measured. Scientists don't yet know why, but a lack of vitamin D can make you feel drained, so it's worth investigating;
• Vitamin D activates serotonin - the 'happiness hormone' - as well as oxytocin - the 'love hormone' - which means that low vitamin D levels can affect our mood [5];
• it accelerates wound healing [6];
• it stimulates hair growth [7], [8];
• Vitamin D, like some blood pressure medications, blocks a hormone that raises blood pressure, but more research is needed. [ 9]

We often read that vitamin D protects the cardiovascular system, but this has not yet been conclusively established. It is known that vitamin D has an anti-inflammatory effect. This could be the reason why it seems to help many heart patients, but more research needs to be done on this. [10]

Causes of vitamin D deficiency

too little sunlight

We have already mentioned one reason for the widespread vitamin D deficiency in Switzerland: lack of sunlight, especially - but not only - in winter. Even in summer, the amount of sunlight in northern hemisphere may be insufficient. After all, we were lucky enough to experience two very sunny summers in a row just recently. However, we tend not to venture out into the sun until we have applied sunscreen from head to toe. Sunscreen blocks the sun's rays and prevents them from reaching the layer of skin where vitamin D is produced. In dark-skinned people, the larger amount of the pigment melanin protects the skin from UV light. Unfortunately, melanin makes it even more difficult for sunlight to stimulate the production of vitamin D.

Low vitamin D levels are often measured in people who work night shifts and in older people. Of course, those who work nights don't have enough opportunity to expose their skin to sunlight, even in the sunniest of summers. Older people may also not have as much access to the outdoors. This may be because they are no longer as mobile as they used to be, or because they live in retirement homes where getting outside can be a long journey. In addition, the body's ability to convert vitamin D into its active form decreases with age.

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Digestive problems

Digestive problems can also make it difficult for the body to absorb vitamin D from food. People with frequent diarrhea, such as patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome or people with inflammatory bowel disease, may not have enough time for absorption.

Overweight

In overweight people, body fat absorbs the fat-soluble vitamin D from the bloodstream and acts like a sponge. This means that the vital vitamin is no longer available to fulfill its many tasks in the body. This is how obesity affects vitamin D levels.

Stress and lack of sleep

Perhaps surprising reasons for a possible vitamin D deficiency are stress and not getting enough healthy sleep. Just as we need the sun to produce vitamin D, we need sleep to be able to use it. The stress hormone cortisol blocks the uptake of vitamin D through the vitamin D receptors.

Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency

Do any of the above apply to you? Do you also experience symptoms such as unexplained fatigue, depression or seasonal winter depression and anxiety, muscle cramps and weakness, joint pain (especially in the lower back and knees)? Do you catch every flu and cold that goes around? Have you noticed that your hair is thinning or wounds are healing poorly? If this sounds familiar, it may be worth having your vitamin D levels checked. Symptoms such as depression, tiredness and hair loss can also indicate a vitamin B12 deficiency. A blood test can clarify this.

Although vitamin D deficiency is common, we advise you to take a vitamin D supplement, have yourself tested before taking a vitamin D supplement. To confirm a vitamin D deficiency, blood tests and sometimes X-rays are carried out. If you consume too much of the water-soluble vitamins (such as the B vitamins or vitamin C), the excess is excreted in the urine. However, fat-soluble vitamins - such as vitamin D - are stored in the liver and fatty tissue, and toxicity is possible. Therefore, only supplement if there is actually a deficiency. Test again after a few months of supplementation.

Prevention of vitamin D deficiency

As it is difficult for many people to get enough sunlight, for example because they get sunburnt easily, they like to take supplements or food supplements.

Vitamin D supplements are particularly important for people who are at risk of a deficiency. This includes older people and people with fair skin in particular.

As breast milk contains little vitamin D, the use of vitamin D supplements is also recommended for breastfed children until they reach the age of six months.

Treating a vitamin D deficiency

Through your diet

You will not be able to meet your vitamin D requirements from food alone. There are not many foods that contain it, and if they do, then not in sufficient quantities. Good natural sources are oily fish (e.g. salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, anchovies), liver, eggs and mushrooms. This makes it difficult to keep vitamin D levels sufficiently high, especially for vegans. Other food sources can be artificially fortified with vitamin D, e.g. butter and margarine, orange juice, milk, soy milk and some cereals. However, we are reluctant to recommend most of these fortified foods. They have a high sugar content or are highly processed (or both).

Get enough sunlight

The best way to make vitamin D is to get outside in the sun. The recommended exposure - depending on the time of year - is 10 to 30 minutes without sunscreen. You only need to expose your face and forearms for this time. However, the period of vitamin D absorption via the sun and skin is very limited in our latitudes, namely roughly from March to October, and there between 11:00 and 15:00. Outside of these times, supplementation is a good solution.

Taking supplements

However, if you get tested and find that you currently have a deficiency, you will need a supplement to bring your vitamin D levels back to normal.

We want to support you in your vitamin D intake. For this very reason, we have developed a product that allows you to absorb it easily via the oral mucosa. Our VITA D3 LIQUID with 2000 I.U. provides you with 2,000 international units per drop. The bottle contains approx. 400 drops, so you can easily work out how long a bottle will last you. In addition to vitamin D3, it contains only MCT medium-chain fatty acids based on coconut oil. We completely avoid superfluous additives so as not to burden your body unnecessarily.

If you would like to browse through the Arktis BioPharma premium quality vitamins, please visit our online store.

Vitamin D: When does it make sense to take it?

In this video, we show you when it is advisable to take vitamin D supplements. For bones, muscles and the immune system. We also present our vitamin D supplements in detail.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS6vG1M4vxM[/embed]

[1] Schwalfenberg GK (2011): A review of the critical role of vitamin D in the functioning of the immune system and the clinical implications of vitamin D deficiency. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2011 Jan;55(1):96-108.

[2] Lips P (2006): Vitamin D physiology. Prog Biophys Mol Biol. 2006 Sep;92(1):4-8.

[3] Lips P (2006): Vitamin D physiology. Prog Biophys Mol Biol. 2006 Sep;92(1):4-8.

[4] Johnson K, Sattari M (2015): Vitamin D deficiency and fatigue: an unusual presentation. Springerplus. 2015 Oct 7;4:584.

[5] Patrick RP, Ames BN (2014): Vitamin D hormone regulates serotonin synthesis. Part 1: relevance for autism. The FASEB Journal. Jun;28(6):2398-413.

[6] Bashutski JD, Eber RM, Kinney JS, et al (2011): The impact of vitamin D status on periodontal surgery outcomes. J Dent Res. 2011 Aug;90(8):1007-12.

[7] Almohanna HM, Ahmed AA, Tsatalis JP, Tosti A (2019): The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review. Dermatol Ther (Heidelberg). 2019 Mar;9(1):51-70.

[8] Mahamid M, Abu-Elhija O, Samamra M, et al (2014): Association between vitamin D levels and alopecia areata. Isr Med Assoc J. 2014 Jun;16(6):367-70.

[9] Legarth C, Grimm D, Wehland M, et al (2018): The Impact of Vitamin D in the Treatment of Essential Hypertension. Int J Mol Sci. 2018 Feb 3;19(2).

[10] Legarth C, Grimm D, Krüger M, et al (2019): Potential Beneficial Effects of Vitamin D in Coronary Artery Disease. Nutrients. 2019 Dec 30;12(1).