Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D? Why It Matters for Your Bones, Mood, and More

Vitamin D is extremely critical. Without it, you can face a wide range of physical and emotional health challenges. That might make the situation feel dire.

There’s some good news about this nutrient, though. Vitamin D is somewhat easy to get. In fact, your body can make it on its own. The only problem is that it needs a special ingredient to do that: sunlight.

That makes the winter months or bouts of gray weather an obstacle. It’s not that surprising, then, that vitamin D deficiency is a pretty common problem across the country. And that can be an issue for your bones, mood, and more.

A look at vitamin D deficiency across the U.S.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) routinely conduct the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). This marks an intensive effort to look at the health of the American population. The NHANES revealed that vitamin D deficiency is a fairly widespread problem.

It ranks third — coming in only behind vitamin B6 and anemia — as the most common nutrient deficiency across the country. More than 8% of Americans don’t get enough of this key nutrient.

Another study reveals some additional interesting data. First, vitamin D deficiency often peaks between the ages of 20 and 39. Secondly, taking vitamin D supplements was directly linked to a lowered risk of deficiency.

That second bit is good news because not getting enough of this nutrient can really take a toll. Common symptoms of vitamin D deficiency in adults include fatigue, low mood, and muscle weakness.

Why vitamin D is so important

Vitamin D, also called calciferol, does a lot in your body. It:

• Enables your body to absorb calcium, supporting bone health and preventing osteoporosis
• Supports your immune response
• Fights inflammation
• Helps your body preserve muscle fibers, keeping your muscles strong
• Lowers your risk for multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes
• What’s more, lower levels of vitamin D might explain wintertime illnesses.

As it gets harder to get sun — and, as a result, for the body to make vitamin D — colds and the flu more frequently circulate. Researchers have theorized that this is directly linked to lower vitamin D levels. This nutrient has antimicrobial properties and the body struggles to fend off illness without it.

Vitamin D also plays a role in your mental wellness. It helps brain cells function and supports cognitive health as you age. It also impacts your mood. Low levels of vitamin D are linked to depression and seasonal affective disorder.

In short, you want to be sure you’re getting the vitamin D your body needs.

Getting enough vitamin D

Your body’s ability to make vitamin D hinges on you being able to get sufficient sunlight. During the long winter nights or a particularly cloudy season, this gets tricky.

That’s made doubly true by the fact that there aren’t many foods that naturally contain vitamin D. In fact, one of your best bets for getting it from your diet is to look for options that have been specifically fortified with this nutrient, like milk or cereal.

Fortunately, sunlight and food aren’t your only options to increase your vitamin D intake. Supplementation can help. And that doesn’t have to mean taking a daily pill.

With strips that dissolve in your mouth and taste like oranges, you can get more vitamin D and support your immune health, mood, bones, and more. Stay protected and feeling your best with Nutrics Immune Support strips.

Sources:

• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-d/art-20363792
• https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15050-vitamin-d-vitamin-d-deficiency
• https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/vitamin-d/
• https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/resources/2020-2025-dietary-guidelines-online-materials/food-sources-select-nutrients/food-sources-vitamin-d
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31076739/
• https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/seasonal-affective-disorder
• https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/epidemiology-and-infection/article/epidemic-influenza-and-vitamin-d/C4D90C6E7CB127E6DF7A52D3A9EE2974