Despite the abundance of sunshine in Australia, Vitamin D deficiency (a common condition worldwide) is affecting a large part of the australian population! How bizarre… Because Vitamin D is essential for strong bones, muscles and overall health, I decided to write on the subject! What was supposed to be a two liner advice on how to prevent vitamin D deficiency has taken slightly bigger proportions. As often, nothing is that simple when you start digging into online resources, but I have done all the hard work and complied a “little” vitamin D cheat sheet for you! :-)

Health Effects of  Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D is crucial for bone and muscle development, and in preventing osteoporosis. Now researchers are increasingly studying links between vitamin D and other conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and some cancers including colorectal, breast and pancreatic. Much of the research around these associations is still very new and, in some cases, tenuous, and not everyone in the medical fraternity is convinced. But that hasn’t stopped an explosion of interest in vitamin D and a parallel increase in testing.

Signs & Symptoms
Vitamin D deficiency is usually asymptomatic, but signs and symptoms can include muscle aches and particularly weakness (proximal limb girdle). It is often seen in older people with osteoporosis (also known as osteomalacia or steopenia).

Who Is Most at Risk?
* Women are more likely to be affected than men.
* People with naturally very dark skin – the pigment in skin (melanin) acts as a filter to UVB (ultraviolet B) radiation and reduces the amount of vitamin D that the body makes (synthesises) in the skin.
* People with little or no sun exposure – older people, people who wear covering clothing, people hospitalised or institutionalised for long periods, people working indoors, etc…
* Breastfed babies with other risk factors for low vitamin D – although breastmilk is the best food for babies, it does not contain much vitamin D. Babies get their initial store of vitamin D from their mothers, so they are at risk of low vitamin D if their mother has low vitamin D.
* People with medical conditions or medications affecting vitamin D metabolism include obesity, end-stage liver disease, kidney disease, conditions that cause fat malabsorption (such as cystic fibrosis, coeliac disease and inflammatory bowel disease) and use of some drugs that increase the breakdown of vitamin D (such as rifampicin and some anticonvulsants).

Maintaining Your Vitamin D Levels
* Vitamin D is better absorbed by the skin through ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun, hence there is considerable seasonal variation with concentrations higher at the end of summer compared to other seasons.
* There are small amounts of vitamin D in some foods (meat, fish, eggs and UV-irradiated mushrooms) but it is difficult to obtain enough vitamin D from dietary sources alone.
* Daily exercise also assists with the body’s production of vitamin D.
* As well as maintaining vitamin D levels, you need adequate calcium in your diet.

Safe Sun Exposure & Vitamin D
Guidelines on sun exposure must be tempered by the high prevalence of skin cancers in Australia. Much controversy has surrounded the topic of how much sunshine is enough and how much is too much. Guidelines also need to be tailored to the individual − one size does not fit all, many factors need to be considered including geographical location such as latitude, season, time of day, skin colour, age and particularly clothing. Professor Rebecca Mason, head of physiology at the University of Sydney recommends 6 to 8 minutes of sun exposure to the arms or legs mid-morning or mid-afternoon most summer days, and 20 to 40 minutes around noon in winter in colder regions. If you live in Vitcoria, refer to the “Safe sun exposure in Victoria to reduce the risk of low vitamin D” table on the Better Health Channel website. Solariums should never be used to boost vitamin D as they emit dangerous levels of UV that increase the risk of skin cancer!

“We need to get out more. We need more sun at the end of winter and early spring and less time in the peak of summer. But, we also need to address our sedentary lifestyles and our diets. The increases of such problems are telling us something about how we live our lives. We need to find the right balance and look at ourselves.” says Professor Steven Boyages from the University of Sydney.

If you are concerned you may have symptoms of vitamin D deficiency or you have risk factors, speak to your GP about the best course of action, which may include testing, and treatment with vitamin D supplements and/or recommendations of sunlight exposure. If you need to reestablish balance in your lifestyle and in your diet, START A REGULAR YOGA PRACTICE (with me of course! ;-) ) and all the rest will follow!

References:
Vitamin D – Better Health Channel
Vitamin D: how do you know if you are getting enough? – Pamela Wilson for ABC Health & Wellbeing
Vitamin D deficiency in adults – Australian Prescriber
The great Aussie paradox: vitamin D deficiency rates soar – Sarah Berry for The Sydney Morning Herald