Vitamin D is one of the micronutrients that are most crucial to the overall well-being, but also one of the deficits are most common in the Spanish population. Although we tend to associate it solely to bone health, its role is much broader: it is involved in immune function, mood, muscle metabolism and hormonal regulation. To have low levels it can go unnoticed for years, but it can also generate subtle symptoms that affect the quality of life. In the stages of female health control takes on special importance, and, if you want to see more, you can consult our Study Women's Health.
- What is vitamin D and why is it important?
- Symptoms of vitamin D low
- Frequent causes of the deficit
- Vitamin D and bone health: impact on menopause and perimenopause
- How to measure vitamin D in an analytic
- Vitamin D in women: increased risk in different life stages
What is vitamin D and why is it important?
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin with a unique particularity: the body can produce it naturally when the skin is exposed to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. You also get in a small proportion of certain foods such as fatty fish, eggs, fortified dairy or some mushrooms.
The functions of vitamin D are multiple:
- Regulation of calcium and phosphorusessential for the health of bones and teeth.
- Participation in muscle function, reducing the risk of weakness, and falls.
- Support the immune system, favouring an efficient response against infections.
- Influence in the moodthey are associated with levels more stable energy and well being.
Interaction with hormones and inflammatory processeskey women in stages such as pregnancy, breastfeeding, perimenopause, or menopause
When vitamin D is low the recommended ranges, the agency must strive to maintain the mineral balance and efficiency in the muscle, which causes symptoms and, in the long term, the greater the risk of loss of bone mass.
Symptoms of vitamin D low
Vitamin D deficiency is known as a “symptom silent.” The symptoms of vitamin D low can manifest itself in subtle ways because many people did not manifest itself in an obvious way. However, when it appears, often with signs of diffuse and often confused with stress, accumulated fatigue or aging natural:
- Persistent fatigueeven sleeping well.
- Muscle pain or a feeling of weakness in the legs and arms.
- Bone pain, especially in the lower part of the back.
- Increased susceptibility to infections respiratory or viral.
- Mood changes, irritability, or the tendency to low mood.
- Difficulty concentrating and feeling “foggy mind.”
If you want to understand what other values can influence the energy and well-being, you can expand the information in our article on the complete analysis: the key values that should be reviewed each year. (link to post)
Frequent causes of the deficit
The reasons why many people have a vitamin D low are diverse, and often match several factors at once:
Sun exposure
The current way of life —many hours indoors, telecommuting, use of photoprotection daily— significantly reduces the synthesis of vitamin D In autumn and winter, the UV radiation is even lower.
Age
Over the years, the skin produces less vitamin D. This especially affects women in menopause and people over 65 years of age
Diet insufficient
Most diets do not provide significant amounts of vitamin D unless they are consumed regularly blue fish or fortified foods.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
The needs are growing and the risk of shortfall is greater.
Absorption problems
Intestinal diseases, surgeries, digestive or treatments that interfere with the absorption of fat can reduce the levels.
Alterations of liver or kidney
These organs are essential to activate vitamin D, so their malfunction may directly impact on the levels.
Vitamin D and bone health: impact on menopause and perimenopause
During the transition to menopause, calcium metabolism is changing rapidly. The fall of estrogen increases bone density loss, which can accelerate the appearance of osteopenia and osteoporosis.
Vitamin D helps to:
- Absorb calcium effectively.
- Maintain bone mass during the hormonal changes.
- Improve muscle tone and reduce the risk of falls.
Have deficit during this stage can result in bone pain, fragility fractures, or more rapid progression to osteoporosis. Therefore, to control the levels is key between the ages of 45-50 years, especially in women with rules, irregular, flushing, or a family history of osteopenia.
How to measure vitamin D in an analytic
The analysis of vitamin D is performed by measuring the concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] in the blood. It is a simple analysis, which does not require strict fasting and whose reference ranges tend to be placed in:
- Deficiency: below 10 ng/mL
- Failure: between 10 and 30 ng/mL
- Sufficiency: 30-100 ng/mL
- Toxicity: <100 ng/ml.
After knowing the results, the specialist may recommend adjustments in the exposure to sunlight, changes in diet or supplementation controlled if necessary.
Vitamin D in women: increased risk in different life stages
Throughout his life, women go through stages in which the risk of developing vitamin D low increases significantly.
During the pregnancymaintain adequate levels is essential not only to the bone development of the baby, but also to reduce the likelihood of complications such as gestational diabetes or preeclampsia.
In the breastfeedingthe balance returns to be important: breast milk provides a limited amount of this vitamin, so the mother needs to maintain adequate levels to cover its own needs and to ensure that the baby receives the necessary amount.
Later, in perimenopause and menopausevitamin D plays a crucial role to curb the bone deterioration, and maintain muscle strength. From the age of 50, the skin's capacity to synthesize vitamin D decreases, and if in addition there is a family history of osteoporosis, the risk is multiplied.
Therefore, specific studies are particularly useful to assess the vitamin D from a holistic perspective, taking into account the hormonal changes and the general state of women's health.
If you want to assess your vitamin D levels within a complete evaluation-oriented women, you can do so by using the Women's Health Test.
*This article is revised by experts, but not a substitute for a medical evaluation.
