Is vitamin D supplementation essential?
In the majority of the population, vitamin D levels in the body, are insufficient for the body to function properly. Find out who should be supplementing it and why adequate levels are so important.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that acts like a steroid hormone. It affects the bones, gut, immune and cardiovascular systems, pancreas, muscles, brain, and control of cell cycles. The need for supplementation is widely reported, but is it necessary? And if so, why?
How can you naturally supply vitamin D to the body?
Vitamin D comes in two forms, but the human body synthesizes only one of them – vitamin D3. It is synthesized from UVB light and is also found in fish oils such as salmon, mackerel, and herring. Unfortunately, both the duration of sun exposure and the consumption of oily fish and oils derived from these fish are at a fairly low level in Western European countries. All this means that we are not able to cover our body’s vitamin D requirements naturally.
Is vitamin D supplementation necessary?
To ensure adequate vitamin D requirements, we should typically spend between 1,000 and 1,500 hours in the sun during spring, summer, and autumn. It is important to remember that although sunscreen is very necessary, it acts as a barrier to UV rays, resulting in an additional reduction in vitamin D synthesis in the body.
Studies show that even in a sunny country like Spain, around 33% of the population may be at risk of vitamin D deficiency. Taking these factors into account, we can therefore draw a simple conclusion: vitamin supplementation is necessary for most of us.
Who should supplement vitamin D?
Certain groups in society are particularly vulnerable to vitamin D deficiency and should undoubtedly supplement. We can include:
- breastfed children,
- older adults,
- people with limited sun exposure,
- black people,
- people with impaired fat absorption,
- obese people,
- people after gastric bypass surgery.
For groups of people other than those mentioned above, it is advisable to precede the decision on vitamin D supplementation with a consultation with a doctor, as well as a blood test to determine the vitamin D concentration in the body.
Effects of vitamin D deficiency
The main effect of a vitamin D deficiency is a reduction in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, which can lead to demineralization of the skeleton and, consequently, the development of osteoporosis. It can also cause muscle weakness, which in children can manifest as problems with standing and walking.
Beneficial effects of vitamin D supplementation
In addition to its positive effects on bone health, vitamin D supplementation can also have a beneficial effect on the prevention and treatment of other disease entities.
Cancers
A 2018 study in Japan showed that higher vitamin D levels were associated with an approximately 20% lower risk of cancer in both sexes. It also correlated with an approximately 30-50% lower relative risk of liver cancer. This correlation applied more to men than to women. The study found no association between vitamin D levels in the body and lung cancer or prostate cancer.
Cardiovascular diseases
Numerous studies prove the protective effect of vitamin D on the heart. This is probably done by inhibiting inflammation, by affecting the endocrine system renin-angiotensin or by directly affecting heart cells and blood vessel walls.
Depression
A study was conducted in Norway in which participants were given high doses of vitamin D (20 000 or 40 000 IU per week). The study showed improvement in depressive symptom scale scores after 1 year, compared to those receiving a placebo.
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Bibliography:
- I. González-Molero, S. Morcillo, S. Valdés, V. Pérez-Valero, P. Botas, E. Delgado, D. Hernández, G. Olveira, G. Rojo, C. Gutierrez-Repiso, E. Rubio-Martín, E. Menéndez, F. Soriguer, Vitamin D deficiency in Spain: a population-based cohort study, Eur J Clin Nutr. 2011 Mar;65(3):321-8.
- Rathish Nair, Arun Maseeh, Vitamin D: The “sunshine” vitamin, J Pharmacol Pharmacother. 2012 Apr-Jun; 3(2): 118–126.
- Sanjeev Budhathoki, Akihisa Hidaka, Taiki Yamaji, Norie Sawada, Sachiko Tanaka-Mizuno, Aya Kuchiba, Hadrien Charvat, Atsushi Goto, Satoshi Kojima, Natsuki Sudo, Taichi Shimazu, Shizuka Sasazuki, Manami Inoue, Shoichiro Tsugane, Motoki Iwasaki. Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration and subsequent risk of total and site specific cancers in Japanese population: large case-cohort study within Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study cohort. BMJ, 2018.