7 Dangerous Conditions Associated With Vitamin D deficiency

The human body naturally synthesizes vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, but in winter such production becomes impossible or insufficient to replenish it. Portal MedikForum.ru writes what dangerous conditions threaten a deficiency of this vitamin.

High blood pressure.

If the body lacks vitamin D, the risk of developing hypertension becomes 32% higher. Vitamin D controls inflammation in the body and its deficiency contributes to the development of chronic inflammatory processes affecting the vascular system.

Asthma.

Evidence suggests that a significant number of children with asthma also lack vitamin D. Getting enough vitamin d helps clear the Airways.

Tooth decay.

Vitamin D is essential for the absorption of calcium and phosphorus — nutrients needed for healthy bone and dental development. Consequently, vitamin d deficiency can lead to weakening of both joints and tooth enamel, and provoke the development of caries.

Cancer.

Many scientists believe that vitamin d deficiency increases the risk of developing malignant tumors, but filling this deficit can reduce the risk and improve the prognosis of the disease. Studies with the use of vitamin D in cancer patients have shown that it protects cells from unwanted mutations and prevents the reproduction of defective cells in the body — cancer patients with higher levels of vitamin d consumption remain in remission longer. Vitamin D is especially useful for patients suffering from colorectal and breast cancer.

Colds and flu.

Vitamin D is an extremely important element in the body’s defense system: it reduces inflammatory damage to white blood cells and boosts the production of immune cells, helping it fight colds, flu and other infections. When there is a deficiency of vitamin D, the immune resources weaken, and we begin to get sick more often.

Diabetes and obesity.

Obesity and related type 2 diabetes largely depend on the level of vitamin d in the body. It helps reduce parathyroid hormone, which in the long run helps weight loss, increases the level of leptin – a hormone that controls fat accumulation and is responsible for feeling full, and also keeps under control the stress hormone cortisol, whose constant activity also contributes to obesity.

When the body lacks vitamin D, it slows down the rate of chemical reactions of the metabolism. As a result, fat begins to accumulate, increasing the risk of inflammation and diabetes.

Rheumatoid arthritis.

Almost half of patients with rheumatoid arthritis suffer from vitamin d deficiency. Among patients with psoriatic arthritis, the level of those who lack this vitamin is even higher — 62 percent. Doctors believe that the anti-inflammatory properties of vitamin D help alleviate the symptoms of arthritis, and its lack, accordingly, exacerbates them.