During the summer season our need for Vitamin D decreases since a lot of our need is fulfilled by natural sunlight. This is the reason Vitamin D is also referred to as Sunshine Vitamin. So how does Sunlight meet our Vitamin D requirements? Let us dig into this in detail.
Sufficient exposure to sunlight enables our skin to convert cholesterol molecule 7-dehydrocholesterol to cholecalciferol (vitamin D’s pre vitamin form). This is then metabolised by liver & kidneys to convert it to the active form of Vitamin-D. However, it is important to note that this process is triggered only when our skin is exposed to ultraviolet(UV) radiation of 3+ on UV index. Due to the sunlight exposure requirements, our risk of low vitamin D levels increases during winters when there are few daylight hours. However, it is very important to consider that if we are stay indoor for our work /leisure as we are currently experiencing during Pandemic, we are at high risk of Vitamin-D deficiency.
Besides Sunlight, our diet also provides us Vitamin-D. It is found in Eggs & Fish & some fortified dairy products however it is difficult to get Vitamin-D from food alone. Majority of food containing Vitamin-D are animal products. Therefore folks who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet are at high risk of Vitamin-D deficiency & should consider having supplementation.
Vitamin-D plays a very important role in our nutrient absorption since it is used to absorb calcium & phosphorus from foods( these are critical for bone health). Low levels of Vitamin-D can lead to bone deterioration & increases risk of fractures. This becomes all the more important as we age.
Consumption of Vitamin-D is linked to various health benefits such as improved immune health & mood, reduction in risk of muscle weakness, certain types of cancer, heart disease & diabetes. It is also linked to high testosterone levels in men. So if our genetic report & insights indicate that you are at a high genetic risk of low testosterone levels, increasing your intake of Vitamin-D should be your best bet.
Given the above-mentioned discussion, Vitamin-D supplementation during colder months is of vital importance- more so if you are a vegan or vegetarian or are not exposed to sunlight for the majority of your time. Your skin tone will determine how much Vitamin-D your body can make. The melanin in darker skin that protects against UV light also acts as a barrier to our skin’s ability to synthesize Vitamin-D. If you have darker skin, you need to be exposed to sunlight for a significantly longer period of time as compared to those with light skin in order to make the same amount of Vitamin-D.
We have discussed genetic impact on Vitamin-D through our earlier blog .We analyse genetic variants that influence Vitamin-D production & circulation to personalise a nutrition plan that may include modification of vitamin-D rich foods as well including schedule of workout that may include more exposure to sunlight.
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