The National Diet and Nutrition Survey found that around one in six adults in the UK have low levels of vitamin D in their blood.
Signs you may be low in vitamin D include fatigue, bone pain, muscle weakness such as aches and cramps, and mood changes including depression.
Those most at risk of a vitamin D deficiency include infants and children aged less than five years, pregnant and breastfeeding women, people aged over 65 years, people who have limited exposure to sunshine, and people with darker skin.
Apart from the well known vitamin D deficiency symptoms, a new study warns that having severely low levels could be linked to a number of serious conditions including cancer, stroke and rheumatoid arthritis.
Vitamin D deficiency warning
The body needs inflammation to help with the healing process.
But having high levels of inflammation can contribute to a wide range of conditions, including diabetes, heart disease and autoimmune diseases.
In world-first genetic research, scientists have found a direct link between low levels of vitamin D and high levels of inflammation.
The researchers from the University of South Australia, who used genetic data of 294,970 participants from the UK Biobank, further warn of the dangers when it comes to lacking in the vitamin.
What is chronic inflammation?
The condition occurs when something damages the cells in the body.
This causes the body to release chemicals that trigger a response from the immune system.
This response includes the release of antibodies, proteins and blood flow to the damaged area.
Chronic inflammation happens when this response lingers in the body leaving it in a constant state of alert.
Over time, chronic inflammation has a negative impact on the tissues and organs further increasing the risk of conditions from cancer to stroke.
Having acute inflammation causes obvious symptoms such as pain, redness or swelling.
However, chronic inflammation symptoms are far more subtle.
Possible signs include:
- Fatigue
- Body pain
- Depression
- Diarrhoea or constipation
- Weight gain
- Persistent infections.
Lead researcher of the study Dr Ang Zhou says the findings suggest that by boosting your vitamin D intake, chronic inflammation in the body will be reduced.
“Inflammation is your body’s way of protecting your tissues if you’ve been injured or have an infection,” Dr Zhou explained.
He continued: “Boosting vitamin D in people with deficiencies may reduce chronic inflammation, helping them avoid a number of related diseases."
The study also further raises the possibility that having adequate vitamin D may also help lower complications from obesity, and reduce the risk or severity of chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.
Senior investigator and director of UniSA’s Australian Centre for Precision Health, Professor Elina Hyppönen, concluded: “These findings highlight the importance of avoiding clinical vitamin D deficiency and provide further evidence for the wide-ranging effects of hormonal vitamin D.”
