Are You Vitamin D Deficient Even in the Sunshine State?

BAY COUNTY, FL - Many people may not know they are. People tend to think, what is the big deal? I live in Florida. I get plenty of sun. Even Floridians can be vitamin D deficient. In fact, anyone can be; about 1 billion people worldwide have vitamin D deficiency according to the Cleveland Clinic in August 2022. Vitamin D is produced when your body is exposed to direct sunlight or consumed through various foods and supplements. Some experts have suggested that a few minutes of sunlight directly on the skin of your face, arms, back, or legs (without sunscreen) every day can produce the body's requirement of vitamin D, but this varies from person to person because people with more melanin have a more challenging time creating vitamin D from the sun. Foods with plenty of vitamin D are fatty fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, dairy products, non-dairy milk, whole grain cereal, beef liver, and egg yolks. Lastly, Medical News Today noted in December 2023 that vitamin D in supplements comes in two forms: D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol) and on average, vitamin D levels in the blood are 20 ng/ml or above for adults. People aged 1–70 should aim to get at least 15 mcg or 600 IU of vitamin D daily. However, it is best to first speak with your primary care physician to receive blood testing and determine how much your body needs daily. A vitamin D deficiency means one does not have enough of this vitamin in their body. Without vitamin D, our bodies cannot function properly. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in disease prevention, bone development, and maintenance of one's nervous, musculoskeletal, and immune systems as studied by the Cleveland Clinic Medical. When people are not getting enough of this vitamin, they can start experiencing various symptoms such as fatigue, cognitive impairment, bone pain, mood changes like anxiety or depression, as well as muscle weakness or cramps. Children who are vitamin D deficient can also have joint deformities, incorrect growth patterns, and severe asthma joint deformities. Disorders and Disease from Vitamin D Deficiencies: Seasonal depression and COVID-19 (viruses) can be tied to low levels of vitamin D. The Nation Institute of Health defines seasonal affective disorder (SAD) as a type of depression with a recurring seasonal pattern, with symptoms most often starting in the late fall and early winter and going away in the spring and summer. Most people with SAD have low levels of vitamin D. In the late fall and winter, the sun sets by 5 pm, and most workers do not get the sunlight they need because they are indoors for most of the day. According to University of Florida Health, patients with a vitamin D deficiency were four times more likely to be COVID-19 positive than those with a sufficient amount of the crucial vitamin. This happens to patients because when someone has lower vitamin D levels, they are more susceptible to respiratory infections, which COVID-19 thrives on. Vitamin D treatment has been shown to improve patients' symptoms with COVID-19. Taking care of your Vitamin D levels can help you maintain a healthy mind and body. So, whether you're living in the Sunshine State or not, make sure that you're getting enough of this essential vitamin. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15050-vitamin-d-vitamin-d-deficiency https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/normal-vitamin-d-levels https://shorturl.at/kmCOT https://shorturl.at/jnGOY