Lack of this vitamin greatly increases the risk of developing a severe form of the virus – the doctor has identified who is most at risk

Importance of vitamin D: from the pancreas or muscle to depression or cancer

According to N. Šertvytienė, vitamin D affects many systems in our body: the immune system, inflammatory processes, it is also associated with the activity of hormones that regulate metabolism:
“It is believed that vitamin D can trigger the expression of more than 200 different genes. Research shows that this vitamin inhibits the inflammatory function of the immune system, which is important in the case of autoimmune diseases, especially such as psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease. A link has been found between low vitamin D levels and depression, ”says the doctor.

In addition, according to the interlocutor, this vitamin is a good preventive measure to protect against colds, osteoporosis, it helps to effectively absorb calcium, which is necessary for bones and teeth.
“Vitamin D helps improve the condition of the brain, heart, pancreas, muscles, eyes, nerves and skin. A sufficient amount of vitamin D in the blood also contributes positively to the protection against oncological diseases and mental illnesses ”, says the doctor about the extremely wide range of effects of the vitamin.

Vitamin deficiency in the body: symptoms that are not noticed at first may appear later in full force.

N. Šertvytienė says that this vitamin is especially necessary for people who spend little time in the sun, children under 2 years of age, postmenopausal women and pregnant or lactating women. No less important is for patients with overweight and inflammatory bowel disease, malabsorption syndrome.

How to understand that vitamin D is deficient? Your doctor will recommend that you have a blood test to determine the level of vitamin D in your blood. The test result must be evaluated by a doctor. In the absence of this vitamin, the correct dose will be administered. A vitamin D test is recommended for the elderly because aging reduces the skin’s ability to synthesize it.

However, there are signs that may indicate a deficiency of this vitamin: “These may include fatigue, mood disorders, irritability, depression, bone pain, joint stiffness, muscle weakness, cramps, hair loss”, signs that may indicate a deficiency of vitamin D. in the body, name the doctor.

Until the symptoms are less noticeable in the initial stage of vitamin deficiency, later, according to N. Šertvydienė, the situation can worsen significantly: gradual decrease in bone density, fragility, fractures even after minor injuries due to osteoporosis . Insufficient vitamin D also increases the risk of cancer, diabetes, colds, and autoimmune diseases.

“Lack of this vitamin increases the risk of heart failure, sudden cardiac arrest, stroke and cardiovascular disease and death in general. Vitamin D is important to control blood pressure and prevent arterial damage ”, says the interlocutor.

Vitamin deficiency is also associated with male hypogonadism and polycystic ovary syndrome in women. In men, it refers to a pathological condition that manifests itself in underdeveloped genitalia and secondary sexual characteristics. Meanwhile, polycystic ovary syndrome is one of the endocrine metabolic diseases of women of childbearing age, leading to excess androgens, menstrual disorders, infertility and other changes in the body.

The doctor also says that for children under 2 years of age, the consequences of a lack of vitamin D are not much milder: rickets can develop, manifested in bone deformities, decreased muscle tone.

Vitamin D and Covid-19: Significant associations have been identified

Because vitamin D participates in immune processes, it helps maintain a healthy immune system, its deficiency increases the risk of colds. Therefore, according to N. Šertvytienė, in the cold season, even in the absence of vitamin D deficiency, it is recommended to use prophylactic maintenance doses of vitamin D.

The importance of vitamin D in protection against Covid-19 is also increasingly being discussed. How much truth is there in these languages? The doctor says that there is much research on vitamin D and COVID-19, and that vitamin D can stop the multiplication of the virus in the body and the so-called ‘cytokine storm’, a cellular release of biologically active substances that help the cells to develop immune responses:
“Patients who were treated in the hospital for the severe illness of COVID-19 were found to have lower levels of vitamin D. Low levels of vitamin D in the blood have also been shown to be associated with increased episodes. thrombotic due to increased blood clotting. And pulmonary thromboembolism is one of the complications of COVID disease, ”says the doctor.

In addition, according to the interlocutor, in the past research has been carried out in Lithuania, which found that the majority of Lithuanians lack vitamin D, and due to the epidemic situation many worked remotely from home, they could not go to sunny lands, for which did not accumulate enough vitamin in summer. in case of COPID-19 and in contact with COVID-19, doctors recommend the use of vitamin D.

Sources of vitamin D: only a small portion can be obtained from food

According to N. Šertvytienė, most of the necessary amount of vitamin D is produced by exposing the skin to sunlight. This vitamin is formed due to the effects of ultraviolet B radiation from the sun: “Yes, when we have enough time in the sun, our body produces about 85 percent. required vitamin D “.

However, the interlocutor reminds that there are not enough sunny days in the Nordic countries, including Lithuania. Also, during winter, the sun does not rise high enough to ensure vitamin D production. Vitamins are commonly obtained from food, but only about 15 percent, according to the doctor. the need for vitamin D is provided by nutrition. Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) is absorbed from the intestine with foods of plant origin and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) with foods of animal origin.

“Fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna, mackerel and fish liver oil, have the most vitamin D. There is slightly less of this vitamin in beef liver, cheese, and egg yolk , cereals ”, says the doctor about the most valuable products to obtain vitamin D with food.

The doctor says that the amount of vitamin D you need to consume depends on the level of this vitamin in your blood, which can be determined from the test: Meanwhile, in the case of established vitamin D deficiency, therapeutic doses of vitamin D, which are superior to prophylaxis. It is safe to take 800 to 4000 IU of vitamin D per day.