Vitamin D has received a lot of attention recently because it is believed to offer many benefits to human health. It is a fat-soluble vitamin and hormone that is made by the body from the skin's exposure to the sun. In addition, dietary sources of vitamin D include fatty fish, cheese, egg and fortified foods. Vitamin D insufficiency is a common concern among women, especially because of its role in bone and muscle health.
Vitamin D Insufficiency
Vitamin D insufficiency refers to levels of vitamin D that are low enough to warrant a health concern but not low enough to produce the typical deficiency symptoms of muscle pain, bone pain and fractures. In order to determine your vitamin D status, your doctor will measure your serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level, which is the partially water-soluble form that vitamin D takes after it has been processed in the liver. Insufficient 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels typically range from 10 to 30 ng per milliliter.
Risk of Insufficiency
Depending on your geographic location, health status and age, you may be at risk of vitamin D insufficiency. The vitamin D producing rays of the sun are strongest at the equator and become weaker at higher latitudes. If you use sunscreen, your ability to make vitamin D will be reduced significantly. In the late fall and winter, people in the northern U.S. will not be able to create this nutrient from the sun. Women with dark skin tones and the elderly may need to supplement as their skin has a reduced ability to generate this vitamin. In addition, health conditions such as obesity, Crohn's disease and celiac disease may interfere with vitamin D absorption leading to insufficiency.
Vitamin D and Bone and Muscle Health
Vitamin D's most widely known role is that of promoting bone growth and development. It assists in the absorption of calcium and maintains the proper calcium to phosphate ratios in the blood. Inadequate vitamin D levels may increase the risk of osteoporosis. In addition, vitamin D is known to reduce fractures and possibly increase muscle strength. Research conducted on elderly women found that vitamin D supplementation of over 800 International Units (IU) per day helped to prevent hip and non-spine fractures.
Other Potential Benefits of Vitamin D
Current and emerging research is suggesting that low vitamin D levels may contribute to cardiovascular disease, some cancers, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, the flu and the common cold. Some of these health conditions such as diabetes and multiple sclerosis have a higher prevalence in northern latitudes, where sun-derived vitamin D is chronically low. In addition colds and the flu tend to hit the hardest during winter months when vitamin D levels are also low. This has led researchers to hypothesize that low vitamin D levels may be a contributing factor to these health conditions. Although compelling, more evidence-based research is needed to confirm these beliefs.
Precautions
If you think you are at risk for a vitamin D deficiency, talk to your doctor. He will be able to determine your vitamin D status by testing your 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. If you are in need of supplementation, he will be able to recommend a dose that is right for you.
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