The risk of a vitamin D deficiency is particularly great in winter. The vitamin that the body can only produce under the sun’s rays often drops below the optimal values in winter. “Nevertheless, very few suffer from a real vitamin D deficiency,” says nutrition specialist Yvonne Mller from AOK Kronach. A vitamin D deficiency can have serious consequences. One study even concludes that it can increase the risk of death.
“Vitamin D supports the body in absorbing calcium from food and thus hardens bones and teeth,” adds Ulrike Umlauft, nutritionist at the AOK directorate in Coburg. It also has a positive effect on muscle strength and strengthens the immune system. A real lack of vitamin D can have serious consequences: bone softening can occur, called rickets in infants and young children, and osteomalacia in adults. “These diseases can actually be treated well with vitamin D tablets,” says Yvonne Mller. In addition, a vitamin D deficiency in older people is considered a risk factor for osteoporosis.
