Why Is Vitamin D Important?

Vitamin D, the "sunshine vitamin," is produced in the skin upon sun exposure. Almost 40% of Americans fall short of their optimal vitamin D levels. Signs of low vitamin D can be as subtle as fatigue, frequent illness, or back pain. Vitamin D is essential because of its wide range of benefits to our overall health. We spoke with two experts to learn more about the importance of vitamin D.

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Importance of Vitamin D

Like other vitamins, we can obtain vitamin D from the foods we eat or supplements we take, but our bodies also naturally convert ultraviolet-B (UVB) rays from the sun into vitamin D.

Vitamin D has a wide range of benefits for our health, including maintaining bone health, supporting our immune system, preventing cancer, and improving depression, among others. The seven key benefits of vitamin D are prevention of:

• Bone loss
• Cancer
• Depression
• Type 2 diabetes
• Cardiovascular disease
• Weight loss
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)

Bone Health

For our bodies to absorb calcium effectively, we need vitamin D. According to Nutritionist Lisa Richards, “Vitamin D is essential to allowing your body to use the calcium it is given to support bone growth and health. When vitamin D levels are low, this process is not as efficient, and our bones can become weak.”

Immune Support

Vitamin D is also essential in supporting our immune system. Allison Stock, Registered Dietician, explains, “Your immune system is very complex, but scientists have discovered that vitamin D receptors exist on the cells of your immune system. This means vitamin D is actively part of the process of fighting infections like the common cold and flu virus.

Mental Health

Like the immune system, your brain also has receptors for vitamin D. Research has shown low vitamin D levels are associated with a greater risk for symptoms of depression. In addition to that, several studies found vitamin D supplementation had a positive impact on depression scores. However, more research is needed to fully understand how vitamin D is involved in the pathology of depression.”

Symptoms of Low Vitamin D

Richards explains, “Signs and symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency can easily be passed off as just a side effect of your busy and exhausting lifestyle. But, chronic fatigue and other symptoms can be signs of a serious vitamin D deficiency.

While we may not notice this initially, the side effects of our chronic vitamin D deficiency may show up later in life through fragile bones.” The most common signs and symptoms of low vitamin D include:

• Being sick or getting infections often
• Fatigue and tiredness
• Bone and back pain
• Depression
• Impaired wound healing
• Bone loss
• Hair loss
• Muscle Pain

For children, signs of low vitamin D may include:

• Irritability
• Lethargy
• Developmental delay
• Bone changes
• Bone fractures

There are, however, many ways you can increase vitamin D levels, such as:

• Adding more vitamin D rich foods to your diet
• Spending more time outside
• Taking a vitamin D supplement