Vitamin D Deficiency Spreading Around the World: Here’s What We Can Do About It

What is Vitamin D? 

Not only is vitamin D a nutrient that we eat, it’s also a hormone that our bodies make. Without a sufficient amount of vitamin D, bones can become soft, thin and brittle, which is why making sure you consume an ample amount of vitamin D – either through sunlight, food or supplements – is of the utmost importance. The Mayo Clinic recommends foods such as fatty fish like salmon, tuna and halibut, as well as fortified foods like milk and yogurt, all of which have high amounts of vitamin D.

What are common symptoms of a deficiency?

Anyone from infants to children and adults can have a vitamin D deficiency. Common symptoms include fatigue, bone pain, depression, not sleeping well, hair loss, loss of appetite, muscle weakness and more. 

Why does this deficiency happen? 

There are a wide range of reasons why a vitamin D deficiency can occur. For instance, sunlight is one source of vitamin D, so if you spend a lot of time indoors or if you live somewhere where sunlight is absent at certain times of the year, then your vitamin D production may decrease. On the contrary, for those who spend time outdoors in the sunlight, while sunscreen is an important tool to protect your skin, it can also decrease vitamin D production.  

A vitamin D deficiency can also occur if you aren’t getting enough vitamin D in your diet or if your body isn’t properly absorbing or using vitamin D. Other medical conditions, including obesity, kidney disease, liver disease, celiac disease and more can all play a role when it comes to vitamin D deficiency. 

Vitamin D and Vitamin K: 

Interestingly, recent research suggests that vitamin D and vitamin K should be taken together in order to promote healthy bones. Vitamin K – which often occurs in leafy greens such as spinach and kale – works in tandem with vitamin D to promote bone health and protect your heart.  

Overcoming a vitamin D deficiency: 

Thankfully, increasing your vitamin D is possible through sun exposure, food and nutritional supplements. Knowing if you are deficient in vitamin D is the first step to making lifestyle changes that can help, which is why testing is so valuable. At Cue, we’re working to reinvent how we interact with our health, which is why we’re bringing at-home testing solutions – such as vitamin D – to people across the United States. As vitamin D deficiency continues to be an issue for many, real time and accurate testing has never been more important.