Exclusive
WHAT'S SUPP?
Feeling tired all the time? It could be a dangerous vitamin deficiency people mistake for other common conditions
Plus, what happens if you get too much of the vitamin
FEELING tired during the winter months can be blamed on a number of things.
The cold weather can make you feel drowsy due to reduced sunlight exposure and shorter winter days, which disrupts your body's natural sleep-wake cycle.
3
3
Winter illnesses like cold and flu can also make you feel tired as your body fights off the infection.
Or it could be that your tiredness is linked to common health issues, like insomnia and menopause.
But experts are urging Brits to be aware of another condition feeling running down could be linked to - vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D, nicknamed the 'sunshine vitamin' is vital for many aspects of our health.
Read more on vitamin D
It helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, nutrients needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy.
The body creates vitamin D from direct sunlight on the skin when outdoors.
But during autumn and winter you need to look to get the vitamin from your diet because the sun isn't strong enough - something experts say many Brits are still not aware of.
Being vitamin D deficiency can lead to a number of complications, including bone pain, muscle weakness, and fractures.
Most read in Health
In children, it can cause rickets, a disease that causes soft, bendable bones.
As well as making sure you get enough vitamin D, it's important to spot signs of a deficiency to help avoid these problems.
Top 5 Vitamins for Beautiful Hair
Dr Donald Grant, GP and Senior Clinical Advisor at , said there are three telltale signs someone isn't getting enough:
- Bone pain
- Weaker muscles
- Periods of increased fatigue
Dr Grant advised: "To anyone experiencing these symptoms, a visit to the doctor could lead to a clear diagnosis.
"Other common symptoms include; mood swings, changes in appetite, hair loss and skin complexion changes, where the skin can appear paler than usual."
Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency can be easily missed
The symptoms of vitamin D deficiency can easily be missed or mistaken for other common conditions.
Dr Grant added: "If a person leads an active lifestyle, they may believe their symptoms of muscle weakness and fatigue could be related to a fitness injury.
"Other signs such as hair loss and mood changes can also be easily missed or considered to be another common condition - such as menopause.
"In general, these three side effects can be hard to distinguish as vitamin D deficiency without the guidance of a qualified health professional, such as a GP."
Is catching some sun on your face enough vitamin D?
During the winter months, many people might mistake catching some sun on their face as getting enough vitamin D.
But Dr Eamon Laird, Assistant Lecturer Department of Nutrition Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Sligo, Ireland and cVisiting Adjunct Assistant Professor, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, warned even exposing just the skin on your face during the summer months might not be enough.
He explained: "During the summer months some vitamin D could be made on exposed skin on your face. However it is a small surface area so not much will be made."
And for people with 9-5 office jobs who are exposed to even less sunlight, you can't make up for your lack of vitamin D at the weekend.
Dr Laird added: "Unfortunately it does not work this way! Our skin has an in built safety mechanism where we can only make a certain amount after being exposed to sunshine and after that no more
is made.
";If someone is very low or deficient it will take some time to get blood levels back to normal.
3
"It also depends on the person - those who are overweight or obese may need more as vitamin D is taken up by fat cells.
"Those with darker skin may need more vitamin D as do
older adults."
From about late March or early April to the end of September, most Brits should be able to make all the vitamin D they need from sunlight.
How to get vitamin D into your diet
During the autumn and winter months it's advised you get your vitamin D from diet.
Sources include:
READ MORE SUN STORIES
- oily fish – such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel
- red meat
- liver (avoid liver if you are pregnant)
- egg yolks
- fortified foods – such as some fat spreads and breakfast cereals
But since it's difficult for people to get enough vitamin D from food alone, everyone (including pregnant and breastfeeding women) should take a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D during the autumn and winter, says the NHS.
What happens if you get too much vitamin D?
WHILE it's advised to take a vitamin D supplement during the autumn and winter months, you should make sure you take the recommended amount.
Taking too many vitamin D supplements over a long period of time can cause too much calcium to build up in the body (hypercalcaemia).
This can weaken the bones and damage the kidneys and the heart.
If you choose to take vitamin D supplements, 10 micrograms a day will be enough for most people.
You shouldn't take more than 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) of vitamin D a day as it could be harmful.
This applies to adults, including pregnant and breastfeeding women and the elderly, and children aged 11 to 17 years.
Children aged 1 to 10 years should not have more than 50 micrograms (2,000 IU) a day.
Infants under 12 months should not have more than 25 micrograms (1,000 IU) a day.
Some people have medical conditions that mean they may not be able to safely take as much. If you're in doubt, consult your doctor.
It's important to be aware you cannot overdose on vitamin D through exposure to sunlight.
But you should make sure to cover up or protect your skin if you're out in the sun along time to reduce the risk of skin damage and skin cancer.
Source: NHS
Topics