Vitamin D, also known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’, is produced in your body as a result of exposure to the sun. Other sources include fatty fish, fish oil, and egg yolk.

Vitamin D helps in maintaining strong bones, boosting your immune system, and protecting you from various diseases. A deficiency of this vitamin can result in various health issues. 

5 Health Conditions Linked to Vitamin D Deficiency

1. Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis is a condition where your bones become weak and brittle. Vitamin D deficiency can affect the absorption of calcium in your body, which is an essential nutrient for healthy bones. 

2. Depression: Vitamin D deficiency is linked to a high risk of depression. It plays an important role in boosting your mental health by releasing feel-good hormones such as serotonin and dopamine, which helps in uplifting your mood.

3. Heart Diseases: Vitamin D helps prevent heart diseases by lowering blood pressure. The deficiency of vitamin D can cause stiffness of the blood vessels, affecting the blood flow and increasing your risk of heart diseases.

4. Diabetes: Vitamin D plays helps in the synthesis and secretion of insulin (a hormone that helps in maintaining blood sugar levels) in your body. Its deficiency can affect the production of insulin, thus, increasing your risk of diabetes.

5. Cancer: The deficiency of vitamin D is linked to the incidence of cancers. Breast cancer, colorectal cancer (bowel cancer), and prostate cancer [cancer affecting the gland (in males) that produces seminal fluid] are linked to low levels of vitamin D in your body.

Vitamin D is an important nutrient that your body needs for its normal functioning. Common symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include pain in your joints, muscle weakness, fatigue, and mood changes. If your vitamin D levels are low, check in with your doctor for further investigations and treatment. 


References:

1. Topics, H., 2021. Vitamin D Deficiency: MedlinePlus. [online] Medlineplus.gov. Available at: <https://medlineplus.gov/vitaminddeficiency.html> [Accessed 11 May 2021].

2. Cleveland Clinic. 2021. Vitamin D Deficiency: Symptoms & Treatment. [online] Available at: <https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15050-vitamin-d--vitamin-d-deficiency> [Accessed 11 May 2021].

3. Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. 2021. Home - PMC - NCBI. [online] Available at: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/> [Accessed 11 May 2021].


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