Blood Sugar/Glucose Metabolism

Fructose and Diabetes: Drinking Sweetened Beverages Increases Risk

Glucose, or sugar, is the body’s primary source of fuel. Insulin is responsible for moving this sugar into your cells so it can be used as energy. Not only do people with type 2 diabetes have a limited ability to process glucose, they also often exhibit a resistance to insulin, exacerbating the problem and contributing to uncontrolled higher-than-normal blood sugar levels. Alternatively, their bodies may not produce enough insulin to properly maintain the necessary glucose levels in the cells.

Type 2 diabetes can affect anyone, though it most often manifests in adults and children suffering from obesity. While there’s no cure for the disease, it can be managed with diet and exercise. In more extreme cases, insulin therapy or medication may be needed to help maintain a healthy blood sugar balance. Keeping your body at a healthy weight can also help you control how your body processes glucose. New research has discovered that drinking beverages sweetened with fructose can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes.

Common Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes can take a long time to manifest, so it is important to know the symptoms. Even when these symptoms do begin to appear, they can be so minimal that they may not be noticed. If you experience any of these symptoms regularly, you should consult your doctor:

Excessive thirst and urination: The buildup of unused sugar in your blood supply will force your system to pull fluids from the body’s tissues. As a result, you’ll feel thirsty and will drink more frequently. The extra intake of fluids will also create an increase in the need to urinate.
Excessive hunger: If you are suffering from type 2 diabetes, you will feel hungrier, because the cells in your organs and muscles aren’t getting the energy they need. As a result, you’ll need more nourishment.
Weight loss: With type 2 diabetes, since your cells can’t metabolize the glucose in your body, it will have to look for alternative sources of energy. This means burning the fat that has already been stored in your body, which often leads to unexplained weight loss.
Fatigue: Type 2 diabetes robs your cells of the glucose they need to function properly. Deprived of sugar, your body will have to work overtime to function. This can leave you feeling tired and irritable.
Vision problems: When a high blood sugar content forces fluid to be pulled from tissue in the body, this includes the tissue of the eye lenses. As a result, you may experience blurred vision.
Lower resistance to injuries and illness: Type 2 diabetes affects your immune system’s ability to function. This causes you to heal more slowly from injuries and you may contract illnesses more easily.
Darkened skin: A telltale sign of type 2 diabetes is a darkening of the skin around the neck and armpits.

What is Fructose?

It may be assumed that a high sugar intake is the cause of diabetes, simply because a high blood sugar level is present in people with type 2 diabetes. The truth is that type 2 diabetes is caused by a number of factors — not solely taking in too much sugar. Until recently, there hasn’t been any particular link suggesting that simply ingesting too much sugar might be a causal factor in the development of the illness.

With this in mind, a recent scientific review looked at a collection of studies to determine what role sugar actually plays in causing type 2 diabetes to manifest. Many of the studies examined the effects of the added sugar (fructose) found in soft drinks, and it was concluded that even two servings of a soft drink per week could considerably raise the risks of diabetes. In fact, the research established that soft drinks containing fructose were more dangerous in this regard than any other type of food containing fructose.

Why do soft drinks and other beverages contain fructose in the first place? It was once thought that fructose could be a healthier alternative to sugar because it’s found naturally in other foods; fruits, honey, and a selection of vegetables all carry the compound naturally. For this reason, manufacturers of soft drinks, baked desserts, and cereals started adding the compound to their products.

Is There a Link Between Fructose and Diabetes?

Fructose and Diabetes: Drinking Sweetened Beverages Increases Risk 2 — Horizontal In Text Image

This recent research found that the relationship between fructose and diabetes was further influenced by the calorie count of the food. When a food contained fructose and didn’t add calories, blood sugar levels were not negatively impacted. Furthermore, the researchers, who were led by Dr. John Sievenpiper, found that fructose might actually benefit blood sugar levels in certain conditions. One example outlined in the study is the consumption of fruits and fruit juices that contain fructose, but which have a low calorie count.

These findings may have something to do with the fact that fruits also deliver a high concentration of fiber to the body. Increased fiber helps the body regulate the release of glucose, so it’s delivered more slowly into the bloodstream. This suggests that fructose may be permissible for type 2 diabetics when derived from a nutritional source.

Dr. Sievenpiper said the findings provide hope that dietary recommendations may change for diabetics in the near future. Although more studies are needed, the researcher suggested that people with type 2 diabetes may be able to eat foods that fall within a specific fructose-versus-calorie ratio.

As of this time, people with type 2 diabetes are forced to follow a much more restrictive diet. They’re advised to avoid all sugars as much as possible. Men are advised to limit sugar intake to nine teaspoons per day, while women are limited to six teaspoons daily. These recommendations may be adjusted, once additional research takes a closer look at how fructose from different sources affects blood sugars levels. Supplements containing certain natural ingredients may also help the body to maintain healthy blood sugar levels already within normal ranges.

Exercise Affects Gut Bacteria, Regardless of Diet

Nov 14 by Ewcopywriting

In the past year, scientists have examined how exercise alone has the power to alter the bacterial balance of the gut. Now, a group of researchers taking a poke at further unpacking the mechanisms behind how exercise affects gut bacteria have focused their research efforts on endurance exercise in particular. According to a new study, irrespective of changes to one’s diet, endurance training increases the production of metabolism-boosting microbes while decreasing the presence of those known to cause inflammation. The new study has been published and is now available in the scientific journal Frontiers in Microbiology.

Exercise Changes the Microbial Composition of the Gut

In late 2017, researchers from the University of Illinois conducted a pair of studies that were designed to help isolate changes in gut bacteria that were caused by exercise as opposed to other factors like antibiotic consumption or dietary intake. The two studies provided first-time evidence of exercise’s ability to change the microbial composition of the gut on its own accord. Their research successfully demonstrated in both mouse and human trials that exercise alone was enough to alter the types of bacteria present within the gut in a beneficial manner.

The team’s research shown exercise to increase the number of microbes that produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). In particular, it created a significant increase in a particular SCFA — butyrate — that is known to boost energy, encourage the health of intestinal cells and reduce inflammation. According to their data, exercise may also increase the body’s resistance to inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis. The levels again declined when the subjects returned to sedentary lifestyles.

One interesting observation was that the lean subjects were found to have the largest increase in their SCFA levels, likely because their levels were significantly lower at the start of the study. The ratios of microbes present in the guts of obese participants and lean participants differed throughout the entire duration of the study, a clear demonstration that the gut microbiota of a lean person versus an obese person will respond very differently to exercise.

Narrowing in on Endurance Exercise’s Effects on Gut Bacteria

In a collaborative effort among institutions, scientists from the University of Jyväskylä, the University of Turku and nonprofit research organization FISABIO came together to delve deeper into how exercise affects the gut microbiota. In order to conduct their experiments, the team of researchers developed a six-week exercise program for overweight women who were previously sedentary but otherwise healthy. Over the six-week window, the participants took part in three separate endurance training sessions each week utilizing a bicycle ergometer. The researchers controlled the endurance training intensity by monitoring the heart rates of the participants. The women were asked not to make any lifestyle changes — such as dietary intake or alcohol consumption — during the study in order to zero in on the effects of exercise.

Throughout the study, the researchers analyzed gut composition and changes in gene activity utilizing 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing technology. The team observed that overall, after only six weeks of endurance training, there was a notable decrease in microbes known to cause inflammation (Proteobacteria) and an increase in those known to boost metabolism (Akkermansia).

In regards to gene functionality, there was little change observed over the course of the study. Pekkala commented, “The abundance of the functional genes did not change much, which was perhaps to be expected because the diet did not change during training. If the training period had been longer, greater effects probably would have been seen.”

The Cardiometabolic Benefits of Endurance Exercise: Could Akkermansia Microbes Be the Driving Force?

While there was no significant weight loss from the endurance training alone, there were other notable health benefits of the activity. According to research fellow Satu Pekkala from the University of Jyväskylä, “We found that phospholipids and cholesterol in VLDL particles decreased in response to exercise.” She explains, “These changes are beneficial for cardiometabolic health because VLDL transports lipids from the liver to peripheral tissues, converts into ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol in the circulation, and thus has detrimental cardiovascular effects.”

The endurance training regimen also decreased the activity of what is referred to as “vascular adhesion protein-1”, a molecule whose presence is associated with increased inflammation, though the authors report they were unable to determine the underlying mechanism for this in their study.

Other studies have observed a higher prevalence of Akkermansia bacteria in people who are more physically active, with some researchers looking to prove how Akkermansia may be a viable preventative against diabetes and obesity. But whether the alteration in gut microbes is the force behind all the beneficial changes observed here is a matter for future investigations. As Pekkala notes, “[More] studies are needed to prove that Akkermansia might mediate some of the health benefits of exercise.”

Increasing Prebiotics in Your Diet Improves Digestive Health, Sleep and More

Oct 22 by Ewcopywriting

Confused about the difference between probiotics and prebiotics and how they work together? Here, we will take a brief look at what probiotics and prebiotics are, break down the differences between these important digestive helpers and learn how increasing the prebiotics in your diet not only improves digestion but also supports immune function, promotes sleep, lowers stress and provides many other benefits.

What Are Prebiotics?

Prebiotics are types of nondigestible fibers and sugars found in certain foods. Because your body can’t break them down completely, these substances pass undigested through the upper parts of the gastrointestinal tract. Once the prebiotic compounds reach the colon, they’re fermented by the bacteria residing in the gut. There, they feed the communities of bacteria that make up the gut’s microbiota.

So, what exactly is the difference then between prebiotics and probiotics? The term “probiotics” typically refers to foods and supplements that contain live microorganisms known to be beneficial to gut health. Conversely, “prebiotics” are compounds that serve as food for the microorganisms that live in the gut. The also-related but less well-known “postbiotics” are the byproduct that occurs as a result of gut bacteria fermenting the prebiotic compounds. Individually, each of these components possesses a number of health benefits while also working together to improve digestive health and overall well-being.

Why Are Prebiotics Important?

The human body is a host to trillions of bacteria, the vast majority of which live within our large intestines. Many of these bacteria are critical to bodily functions. The bacteria in our guts not only aid in the digestion of food and absorption of nutrients but also help to regulate hormone production and neurotransmitter release, with a direct effect on the immune system and the body’s ability to cope with stress.

Because our guts are so integral to many bodily functions, the abundance and diversity of the good bacteria in our guts is important to our overall health. Prebiotics act as a food source for these bacterial colonies that reside within our GI tracts. Working together, prebiotics and probiotics have been shown to significantly improve health outcomes.

What Are the Benefits of Prebiotics?

Prebiotics improve digestion and promote a healthy gut. Acting as food for good bacteria, prebiotics encourage the growth of the beneficial microbes residing in our guts. When these otherwise nondigestible fibers are metabolized by friendly gut bacteria, the byproduct is another group of beneficial compounds known as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs strengthen the intestinal lining, aid digestion, improve the symptoms of inflammatory bowel conditions and may even lower the chances of developing colorectal cancer.

Prebiotics reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease. Studies have shown that combining prebiotics and probiotics helps to regulate insulin signaling, lower “bad” cholesterol, balance electrolyte levels and reduce blood pressure, all factors that greatly reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular problems.

Prebiotics aid weight loss and the chances of obesity. Numerous studies have indicated that gut dysbiosis can be a contributing factor to weight gain and obesity-related disorders. Increased fiber intake is known to help curb weight gain. Researchers have found that prebiotic fiber regulates the stimulation and suppression of gastrointestinal hormones that control the feelings of hunger and satiation and is associated with a lowered BMI.

Prebiotics can help to reduce inflammation. Inflammation is believed to be a contributing factor for chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and even some cancers. Studies have demonstrated that increased intake of prebiotic fiber lowers systemic inflammation. Research indicates that this association may be due to the production of SCFAs that occurs during prebiotic fermentation.

Prebiotics improve the body’s immune system response. A healthy gut is key to a strong immune system.Recent findings have shown that adding more prebiotics into your diet elevates SCFA levels and increases the expression of antibodies and antioxiants, important for helping the body to fight off illness and disease.

Prebiotics promote healthier, stronger bones. Imbalances to the gut microbiota have been tied to cases of disease and loss of density within bones. According to research, upping intake of prebiotics improves bone strength by increasing calcium absorption and bone density.

Prebiotics may improve sleep quality. Every cell in the human body responds to circadian rhythms, and this includes the microbial life within us. Under normal circumstances, subjects with a higher intake of prebiotics tend to spend more time in the restorative sleep phase, except for after stressful events, which observed longer periods of REM sleep, the phase of sleep thought to help recover from stress. This suggests that prebiotics encourage better, more restful sleep and help to ease stress. Prebiotics also alter the release of hormones such as melatonin and serotonin that are known to play a role in or have an effect on sleep and sleep quality.

Prebiotics help to regulate moods and hormone levels. As our knowledge of the gut-brain connection grows, it’s becoming more and more clear that many conditions, including mental health issues, are affected by gut health. Not only does our gut flora affect bodily function, but studies suggest that our gut’s microbial makeup may even be responsible for how bodily systems, such as our stress response system, are actually developed. Increased consumption of prebiotics has been shown to improve stress responses, reduce cortisol levels and alleviate feelings of depression and anxiety.

How to Incorporate More Prebiotics Into Your Diet

Want to know how you can increase your daily intake of prebiotics? There are a handful of prebiotic-rich foods that you can add to your diet. Remember that, as with most foods, cooking changes the nutritional makeup. For the most benefit, try to consume foods that are raw and unprocessed. Here are a few food choices that are packed with health-promoting prebiotics:

asparagus
chicory root
dandelion greens
garlic
jicama
leeks
onions
under-ripened bananas

Dietary supplements are also available for those unable to fit enough prebiotics into their diet. Look for supplements that combine both prebiotics and probiotics for the greatest impact.

Beyond Bone Health: Researchers Uncover New Vitamin D Benefits

Aug 30 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

With old research under fire and new research turning up previously unknown vitamin D benefits, the “sunshine vitamin,” has been an increasingly hot topic among the research community. As the summer draws to a close and the days begin to once again shorten, it’s a good time to take a look back at some of this year’s vitamin D research highlights and evaluate if you should be adding more vitamin D to your diet.

Vitamin D: What is It and What Does It Do?

Vitamin D is both a hormone that our bodies naturally synthesize as well as an essential nutrient that can be found in foods such as beef liver, eggs, mushrooms and certain fatty fish. It is nicknamed the “sunshine vitamin” because our bodies are able to produce vitamin D through cholesterol when exposed to sunlight. Because few food sources exist that naturally contain high amounts of vitamin D, the best dietary sources of vitamin D are dietary supplements and fortified foods such as breakfast cereals and dairy products.

A critical component in the building of bone, vitamin D helps the body to absorb and hold on to calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D’s role in the body, however, goes far beyond our bones and calcium regulation. Many of the organs and tissues in the body have receptors specifically for vitamin D. Aside from bone health, we know that vitamin D is also important to immune function and helping to control infections. Studies have shown that vitamin D may affect the body’s inflammatory response as well. Researchers continue to study vitamin D in an effort to glean its other potential functions.

Research Roundup: Vitamin D Benefits Beyond Bone Health

Vitamin D and Cancer

Because of vitamin D’s role in cell growth and regulation, there’s been increasing research into the link between vitamin D levels and cancer. One study conducted by scientists at UC San Diego and published in the journal PLOS ONE found that postmenopausal women with high levels of vitamin D were one-fifth less likely to develop breast cancer when compared to those who had lower levels of the vitamin.

In another study, which was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, scientists found that individuals with higher concentrations of vitamin D were 22 percent less likely to develop colorectal cancer, while those deficient in the vitamin were 31 percent more at risk. While research may yield mixed results, overwhelmingly, the evidence seems to suggest that higher vitamin D levels could decrease the risk of developing certain cancers.

Vitamin D and Diabetes

A study conducted by researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus (CU Anschutz) and published earlier this year in the journal Diabetes found a link between appropriate levels of vitamin D in infancy and childhood and a decreased likelihood of islet autoimmunity in children who are genetically at risk for Type 1 diabetes.

In a decade-long epidemiological study, which was published in PLOS ONE, researchers from Seoul National University and the UC San Diego School of Medicine determined that deficient levels of vitamin D can increase the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by five-fold.

According to a paper published in the journal Cell, scientists from the Salk Institute found that activating pancreatic vitamin D receptors had the potential to repair and protect beta cells, the cells in the pancreas that synthesize, store, and dispense the insulin hormone, posing a potential new method of treatment for diabetics.

Vitamin D and Heart Disease

Clinical studies have associated vitamin D deficiency with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Heart-related diseases such as atherosclerosis, diabetes and hypertension can cause significant damage to the cardiovascular system. In findings that were published in the International Journal of Nanomedicine, a team of researchers from Ohio University investigated the effects of vitamin D on heart health and found that vitamin D3 reduces oxidative stress to the cardiovascular system and “significantly” restores the cardiovascular damage caused by such diseases.

Arterial stiffness is an early indicator of cardiovascular disease. In a study conducted by researchers at Georgia’s Augusta University and published in the journal PLOS ONE, researchers found that supplementing with vitamin D improved symptoms of rigid arteries.

In findings that were published earlier this year in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, a team of Norwegian researchers from the University of Bergen revealed that vitamin D reduced the risk of death by 30 percent in patients who are suffering from cardiovascular disease. Supporting research from the Westmead Institute for Medical research and published in the journal Heart, Lung and Circulation found that vitamin D protects heart tissues and decreases the likelihood of heart failure after a heart attack.

Vitamin D and Obesity

According to data presented by the Netherland’s VU University Medical Center and Leiden University Medical Center at this year’s annual meeting European Society of Endocrinology, low vitamin D levels are strongly related to an increased accumulation of belly fat.

Researchers from the University of Southern California reported in Pediatric Obesity that children born to vitamin D-deficient mothers were more likely to be overweight when compared to the children of mothers who had plenty of vitamin D throughout their pregnancies, suggesting that a deficiency of vitamin D during pregnancy “pre-programs” children for obesity.

How Much Vitamin D Do You Need?

The amount of vitamin D needed depends mostly on the individual’s age. According to the National Institutes of Health recommendations, persons between the ages 1-70, including women who are pregnant or nursing, are encouraged to consume 400 IUs of vitamin D daily. It is recommended that individuals over the age of 71 consume 800 IUs of vitamin D daily.

However, many experts agree that a higher intake should be observed. A report issued in The Journal Of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism by the Endocrine Society suggests a significantly higher intake is needed to raise the amount of vitamin D in the blood to therapeutic levels.

Belly Fat and Vitamin D Levels Linked

May 24 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Thanks to increased research attention in recent years, we are beginning to form a better understanding of how vitamin D — an essential nutrient long associated with bone health — impacts not only our musculoskeletal system but also other critical aspects of our health. Naturally produced by our skin when exposed to sunlight, vitamin D is also present in food sources like cod liver oil, beef liver, eggs, certain oily fish such as mackerel, herring, tuna and in fortified products such as milk and cereal. Certain supplements also provide vitamin D. Vitamin D is vital to our body’s ability to absorb calcium and also directly impacts blood pressure levels, brain function, lung function, immunity and even mood regulation.

Vitamin D Deficiency: A Widely Overlooked Epidemic

By the Institute of Medicine’s standards, over a quarter of the U.S. suffers from either low or inadequate levels of vitamin D. What’s more, many experts believe that recommended levels of vitamin D should be two to three times higher than those recommended by the IOM — which would make more than 95 percent of the U.S. population either deficient or at risk of deficiency. Vitamin D deficiencies have been linked to diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and multiple sclerosis. Previous research has suggested that there may exist a link between vitamin D deficiency and obesity.

A global epidemic, obesity contributes to the death of some 2.8 million people worldwide each year. In the United States alone, more than 78 million adults are considered obese. That means that over one-third of adults in the United States are at risk for easily preventable but potentially life-threatening conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer. A proven link between obesity and vitamin D levels could very well have wide-reaching implications for a vast majority of the population.

Researchers Discover Significant Link Between Belly Fat and Vitamin D

A group of researchers from the Netherland’s VU University Medical Center and Leiden University Medical Center sought to better understand the link between obesity and vitamin D levels by observing the types and locations of fat that were associated.

Led by Rachida Rafiq, the team examined data from the Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity study, focusing specifically on the adipose (fat) tissues of participants in relation to their vitamin D levels. In particular, the researchers examined the participants’ total body fat, subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (belly fat), visceral adipose tissue (fat surrounding the organs) as well as their hepatic (liver) fats. The data were adjusted accordingly for potentially influential variables such as alcohol levels, chronic disease and physical activity and the results then examined.

The researchers found that in women, both total body fat and belly fat were linked with lower vitamin D levels, with the abdominal fat having a significantly greater impact. In men, abdominal fat and liver fat were found to hold higher associations with lower vitamin D levels. In every single case, however, it was obvious that the higher the amount of abdominal fat, the less vitamin D was detected, suggesting that those with larger bellies are more likely to experience a vitamin D deficiency and are therefore also at a greater risk of health complications that accompany lowered vitamin D levels.

According to Rafiq, “Although we did not measure vitamin D deficiency in our study, the strong relationship between increasing amounts of abdominal fat and lower levels of vitamin D suggests that individuals with larger waistlines are at a greater risk of developing deficiency, and should consider having their vitamin D levels checked.”

Understanding the Link Between Vitamin D Levels and Fat Tissue

While the direction or cause of this association is not yet understood, these findings provide a point of focus for future studies. The team hopes to further investigate the association between belly fat and vitamin D so they may shed more light on whether exactly a lack of vitamin D predisposes individuals to gain weight or if increased fat causes a decrease in vitamin D levels.

“Due to the observational nature of this study, we cannot draw a conclusion on the direction or cause of the association between obesity and vitamin D levels. However, this strong association may point to a possible role for vitamin D in abdominal fat storage and function,” Rafiq said.

New Research Suggests Connection Between Vitamin D and Diabetes

May 01 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Previous research has demonstrated that deficient levels of vitamin D may increase the risk of developing diabetes. The most recent study on the subject, which was published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE, offers support for this significant connection between vitamin D and diabetes.

Vitamin D Deficiency Poses a Greater Risk of Developing Diabetes

In a recent study carried out by a team of researchers from the University of California San Diego and Seoul National University involved 903 healthy adults with an average age of 74 who had no indications of either prediabetes or diabetes. Researchers followed the participants for 10 years, measuring their levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, along with fasting plasma glucose and oral glucose levels.

Among the participants, there were 47 new cases of Type 2 diabetes and 337 cases of prediabetes, which is when blood glucose levels are much higher than normal but not yet high enough to be considered Type 2 diabetes. Researchers noted the minimum healthy level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D as 30 nanograms per milliliter — 10 nanograms per milliliter above the level originally recommended in 2010 by the Institute of Medicine, which is now part of The National Academies, a health advisory group to the federal government.

According to first author Sue Park, M.D. of Seoul National University College of Medicine in South Korea, “we found that participants with blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D that were above 30 ng/ml had one-third of the risk of diabetes and those with levels above 50 ng/ml had one-fifth of the risk of developing diabetes.”

Co-author Dr. Cedric Garland, of the University of California San Diego, noted that those with 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels below 30 nanograms per milliliter were considered to be vitamin D deficient.

The researchers found that people with a deficiency were up to five times more likely to develop diabetes than people with levels above 50 nanograms per milliliter. According to Dr. Garland, people would have to supplement with 3,000 to 5,000 international units of vitamin D every day in order to reach the minimum of 30 nanograms per milliliter.

Dr. Garland, who has led previous investigations regarding the connection between vitamin D levels and various cancers, noted that this study builds upon previous epidemiological research that links vitamin D deficiency to a higher risk of developing diabetes, but he cautions that epidemiological studies are not necessarily proof of causality.

“Further research is needed on whether high 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels might prevent Type 2 diabetes or the transition from prediabetes to diabetes, but this paper and past research indicate there is a strong association,” Dr. Garland concluded.

Causes and Common Symptoms of a Vitamin D Deficiency

Most people are likely aware of vitamin D’s essential role in the body’s ability to absorb calcium, but vitamin D is also critical to the body’s immune, musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Not getting enough vitamin D has the potential to affect the entire body and can possibly lead to the onset of certain diseases and illnesses.

Vitamin D deficiencies are extremely common. An estimated 1 billion people globally have low levels of vitamin D in their blood and around 42 percent of adults in the US are deficient. Most people don’t even realize that they are deficient because the symptoms are generally so subtle that they may not be recognizable even if they are having significant impacts on their quality of life.

Common Causes of a Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency is becoming increasingly common. There are a number of different reasons that you may become deficient in vitamin D, such as:

not getting enough exposure to natural sunlight
not consuming enough vitamin D through diet
malabsorption problems that prevent absorbing enough vitamin D from food
medicines that may interfere with the body’s ability to convert or absorb vitamin D
a liver or kidney problem that prevents the body from properly converting vitamin D to its active form

Certain Risk Factors Increase Chances of Vitamin D Deficiency

There are certain risk factors that may affect whether or not a person is more likely to develop a vitamin D deficiency:

Spending too much time indoors means that you’re not getting enough exposure to the sun’s beneficial ultraviolet-B (UVB) rays, which are necessary for the skin to convert cholesterol into vitamin D.
Wearing high-SPF sunscreen has the same effect as staying indoors since you are decreasing your exposure to UVB rays.
Living in a highly polluted area can also affect how much sun exposure you receive due to the air pollutants blocking out and absorbing sunlight.
Having darker skin increases the risk of deficiency due to darker skin needing more sun exposure to absorb adequate amounts of vitamin D.
Gut health may play a factor in deficiency, as disorders such as Crohn’s disease decrease the intestines’ ability to properly absorb nutrients such as vitamin D.
Being overweight is a leading risk factor for deficiency due to how excess body fat affects the absorption of vitamin D.
Chronic liver or kidney disease increases the risk of deficiency due to preventing the body from being able to convert vitamin D to its usable form.
Age is another factor in deficiency. As we get older, our ability to absorb and convert UVB into vitamin D declines.

Potential Signs and Symptoms of a Vitamin D Deficiency

Many people who are vitamin D deficiency may not experience any symptoms or may go on for years before experiencing symptoms. The signs of a vitamin D deficiency are similar to the symptoms of a wide range of other illnesses, therefore, rather than self-diagnosing, it’s critically important to visit a physician to be tested for a vitamin D deficiency. Speak with your doctor if you experience any of the following:

frequent sickness or infections
a noticeably slower healing of wounds
constant feelings of fatigue, even with adequate sleep
bone loss, osteoporosis or frequent fractures
a sudden loss of hair
pain in the bones and back
feelings of depression or malaise