Artificial intake can cause massive harm to the body

Vitamin D deficiency can be prevented with dietary supplements. But be warned: this too can be harmful.

Frankfurt – Especially in the dark season when the weather is cold and uncomfortable, only a few people are taken out. The home office in times of the corona pandemic also means that fewer and fewer people go outdoors. This is particularly problematic for health. Because the human body needs sunlight, among other things, to produce an important vitamin: vitamin D.

It is extremely important for humans because it regulates the metabolism of phosphate and calcium and thus contributes to the hardening of the bones. Vitamin D also promotes a functioning immune system and has an impact on muscle strength.

A vitamin D deficiency can therefore be harmful to health. As the Ärztezeitung summarizes, the list of diseases that could be related to the deficiency is getting longer and longer. It includes diseases such as susceptibility to infection, muscle weakness, heart attack, diabetes, rheumatism, depression, Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. But when is there a shortage and what should be done about it?

Health: Preventing vitamin D deficiency – this is how it works without pills and co.

According to the “German Society for Nutrition” (DGE), there is a deficiency if the serum concentration of the marker 25-hydroxyvitamin D is less than 30 nanomols per liter of serum. This kind of shortage is not the case for the majority of the population in Germany. However, almost 60 percent of Germans do not reach the best possible blood concentration of 50 nanomols per liter of serum, the specialist company points out.

As a result, more than half don’t use the full health potential of vitamin D. But according to experts, pills and dietary supplements aren’t necessarily recommended for healthy people. Because the formation of the vitamin can be favored by an adequate lifestyle and targeted nutrition.

Vitamin D: How much sunlight is needed?

Sunlight on the skin can be enough for the body to produce the required amount of vitamin D. However, how much of this important vitamin is actually produced depends on factors such as season, climate, clothing and skin type. Therefore, the suggestions of the DGE are to be understood as guideline values ​​only. Between March and May in Germany, 10 to 25 minutes of sun exposure is enough, depending on your skin type. About a quarter of the body surface should be exposed to the sun, such as part of the arms and legs, hands and face.

The skin type mentioned in the table refers to “light to very light skin color, light red or blond hair, and blue or green eyes” for skin types one and two. Skin type three is “medium complexion, dark hair, and brown eyes.” For other skin types, the German Society for Nutrition no data on.

Prevent Vitamin D Deficiency: These foods have a high concentration of the vitamin

However, these orientation values ​​only refer to the period between March and October. But what’s the best way to behave in the dark season? Of course, it also helps to sit in the sun in winter, but since the angle of incidence of the sun’s rays is very flat, there is not necessarily a significant production of the vitamin, as reported by the “Ärztezeitung”. The good thing about vitamin D is that it can be stored in the body. So if you build up a supply of the vitamin in the summer, you can draw on it in the colder, less sunny months.

But the right diet can also help increase vitamin D levels. The concentration of this important vitamin is highest in fatty fish such as herring and salmon. Eggs also have a significant concentration. Various mushrooms and liver are also recommended. However, the “Federal Institute for Risk Assessment” (BfR), for example, points out that the intake of vitamin D through nutrition only plays a subordinate role. The focus is still on the formation of the body through sunlight.

Too much vitamin D: Overdose can be harmful to your health

There are not only vitamin D pills and supplements, some foods are now also fortified with vitamin D. However, the BfR points out that taking such supplements is only recommended if there is a proven vitamin D deficiency and the level cannot be enhanced through food or sun exposure. And this for one simple reason.

An excess of vitamin D can have a negative impact on health. The “Federal Institute for Risk Assessment” warns: “With a regular daily intake of more than 100 micrograms of vitamin D, which with normal dietary habits is currently only possible through an excessive intake of vitamin D preparations , side effects such as kidney stones or kidney calcification may occur.For medical reasons, however, higher levels of vitamin D intake may be medically indicated.

Vitamin D deficiency in risk groups: when experts recommend pills and the like

However, some groups of people belong to the risk groups for vitamin D deficiency. This includes, for example, people who can only spend a short time outdoors for health or other reasons (e.g. due to an illness ). According to the BfR, people who only leave the house fully covered by clothing for cultural or religious reasons, or people with dark skin.

Elderly people also belong to the risk group, because the formation of vitamin D in the body decreases with age. In addition to the elderly, the risk group also includes the very young. Because babies receive only a very small amount of the vitamin through their mother’s milk and should be spared as much as possible from direct sunlight.

For these risk groups, taking a vitamin D supplement is recommended. However, only if a deficiency has been determined and the doctor recommends it to improve the vitamin level. (Sophia Lother)