How to Maintain Healthy Vitamin D Levels During Winter
November 08, 2024 | Tags:
What is Vitamin D?
If you’ve ever been through an Ohio winter, you know how rare sunny days can be! Less sun exposure can leave your vitamin D levels in need of a boost.
Vitamin D supports your body’s ability to absorb calcium, which builds and maintains strong bone health. While found in some foods, vitamin D is nicknamed the “sunshine vitamin” because its primary source comes from ultraviolet rays from the sun. Because winter weather limits skin exposure and shortens daylight hours, absorbing healthy levels of vitamin D can be a challenge. But maintaining sufficient levels can help you avoid a vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D Deficiency
Think of getting enough vitamin D like a plant needing sunlight to thrive. Similarly, if your body has low levels of vitamin D, health issues can occur.
Adults with vitamin D deficiency can experience soft, thin or brittle bones, putting them at risk for bone fractures. In children, a severe deficiency of vitamin D can lead to rickets, a rare condition where bones soften and weaken, which can cause delays in growth and development. Other symptoms like muscle pain, weakness and cramps, mood changes and fatigue can also be attributed to vitamin D deficiency.
“This condition is very common, affecting about one billion people worldwide,” said Dr. Olapeju Olasokan, Assistant Medical Director at Medical Mutual.
How to Get Enough Vitamin D
Talk with your primary care provider (PCP) about checking and maintaining healthy vitamin D levels. Your PCP may suggest adjusting your nutrition habits to include more vitamin D-rich foods, such as egg yolks, fatty fish like salmon, trout or tuna, and fortified foods with added vitamin D like orange juice, some dairy products and breakfast cereals.
You can also ensure adequate vitamin D levels by taking supplements. While these are available over the counter, extremely high doses can lead to toxic levels and serious health problems. Consult your PCP before taking supplements. “It is possible to take too much vitamin D supplementation,” Dr. Olasokan said, listing side effects like nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, dehydration and even kidney stones.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends children nine years and older, and adults over 18, should not exceed a daily upper limit of 4,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D.
Need Help Finding a PCP?
Medical Mutual can help you find a PCP. Use our provider search tool at MedMutual.com/FindAProvider or call the Customer Care phone number listed on your member ID card to speak to a representative