Vitamin D Deficiency Can Lead To Complicated Autoimmune Diseases

Fall has arrived colors are changing, and temperatures are dropping. In some places, these changes signal that it is time to brace yourself for winter. During winter the sun’s angle is too low to produce vitamin D in the skin, and this affects our levels of this essential nutrient and can lead to a vitamin D deficiency. This has been given the nickname “vitamin D winter”.

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that has been established to help the body absorb calcium to promote strong bones, it helps to strengthen the immune system, plays an important role in cardiovascular health, helps to build and maintain muscle mass, helps to regulate blood pressure by helping the kidneys manage salt, plays roles in brain and cognitive function, and promotes health hair growth among other roles. 

More recent research published in Science Advances has discovered another important role of vitamin D, in which it helps to regulate the immune system. As children develop the thymus helps to train immune cells to distinguish between body tissues and invaders. This new research suggests that a vitamin D deficiency during this crucial stage of life causes the thymus to age more quickly, finding a vitamin D deficiency early in life is associated with a higher risk of autoimmune diseases.

Impacts Of Vitamin D Deficiency

“An aging thymus leads to a ‘leaky’ immune system,” said lead author John White, a Professor in and Chair of McGill’s Department of Physiology. “This means the thymus becomes less effective at filtering out immune cells that could mistakenly attack healthy tissues, increasing the risk of autoimmune diseases like Type 1 diabetes.”

“Our findings bring new clarity to this connection and could lead to new strategies for preventing autoimmune diseases,” said White.

“In places like Montreal, where we stop making the vitamin from sunlight between late fall and early spring, supplementation is key,” said White. “If you have a young child, it’s important to consult with your healthcare provider to ensure they’re getting enough.”

This breakthrough study builds on previous research following over 10,000 Finnish children, finding that those given dietary supplements early in life containing vitamin D to avoid developing a vitamin D deficiency had a five-fold decrease in the risk of developing Type 1 diabetes later in life. Finland has a long period of “vitamin D winter” thus serving as an ideal case study to learn more about the roles that vitamin D may play.

The researchers noted that although this study was conducted with mice, the findings are still relevant as the thymus functions similarly in both species. For this study, the mice were not able to produce vitamin D to investigate how the thymus was affected by a vitamin D deficiency, using cell analysis and gene sequencing to examine the impacts on the immune system. 

Moving forward White hopes to further explore how vitamin D impacts the thymus and hopes to conduct future studies involving the human thymus which was noted to have never been done before. 

Tips

Even though it’s harder to get vitamin D from the sun in the winter, you can still try to get outside for 20 minutes a few times a week to help mitigate the seasonal drop in vitamin D levels. To make sure that you are getting enough vitamin D and avoid developing a vitamin D deficiency during the upcoming long winter months, food sources such as fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines, as well as cod liver oil, beef liver, egg yolks, and some types of mushrooms, are all good sources of vitamin D. 

As with anything you read on the internet, this article should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness routine. WHN does not agree or disagree with any of the materials posted. This article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, recommendation, treatment, or endorsement. Additionally, it is not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

 

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Vitamin D deficiency: here's how to fix it

A new study suggests that majority of senior citizens, particularly above 60 years, in India suffer from Vitamin D deficiency. The survey  showed that prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was high among women and elderly people. Vitamin D that helps the body absorb calcium from the diet is essential for strong bones. Vitamin D also has a role in the nervous, muscle, and immune systems. A lack of Vitamin D can lead to a number of health conditions, such as bone pain, muscle weakness, increased blood pressure, depression, and heart issues. In children, it can cause rickets - a rare disease that causes the bones to become soft and bent.

The study published  showed that prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was high among the elderly population in a city. For the study, the researchers randomly selected 298 people aged over 60 and collected blood samples to assess concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in the serum. The mean level in the study population was 19.3 nanogram per millilitre. Universally, a vitamin D level of 20 ng/mL or higher was adequate for good bone health, whereas a level below 20 was considered a vitamin D deficiency.

The researchers found that nearly 56% of the study participants had vitamin D deficiency.

Also, another study carried out found that about 70% of the women had a vitamin deficiency or insufficiency.Doctors blame non-exposure or insufficient exposure to sunlight, staying in air-conditioned rooms and vehicles for long hours during the day for the insufficiency of vitamin D.

How to get enough Vitamin D

Vitamin D is an extremely important vitamin that has powerful effects on the body. A lack of this nutrient can lead to a loss of bone density, which can contribute to osteoporosis and fractures. But, fortunately, a vitamin D deficiency is easy to fix. You can either increase your sun exposure, eat more foods that are naturally rich in vitamin D, or simply take a supplement. Foods that naturally contain some vitamin D are:

• Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel
• Beef Liver
• Cheese
• Mushrooms
• Egg yolks

Consuming supplements can be beneficial for people suffering from vitamin D deficiency. However, one should always check with their doctor or healthcare provider about how much they need to take, or how long they require to take it.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.    

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LACK OF VITAMIN B 12 AND ITS EFFECTS

FATIGUE EVEN AFTER GOOD REST MEANS IT COULD BE FROM A LACK OF IRON FOUND IN   LEAN MEATS, BEANS, AND FORTIFIED CEREALS OR VITAMIN B 12 IN BEEF LIVER AND CLAMS. THEY'RE BOTH IMPORTANT FOR HEALTHY RED BLOOD CELLS, WHICH GET OXYGEN TO YOUR BODY'S TISSUES. MILK, YOGURT, CHEESE  ARE THE ONLY VEGETARIAN FOODS THAT NATURALLY CONTAIN SIGNIFICANT LEVELS OF VITAMIN B 12.

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