When, if not in the summer, is it time to replenish your vitamin D stores? Your whole body will thank you for this. However, in this article, I would like to tell you about the link between vitamin D and brain health.
Difficulty concentrating, memory loss, difficulty reasoning, drawing conclusions, learning new information… These are processes that can be affected by vitamin D deficiency. These are neurological symptoms that are often ignored.
Many people suffer from hypovitaminosis D without realizing it. In fact, it is estimated that nearly 60% of people between the ages of 50 and 60 are deficient in this type of steroid. The oldest population, for its part, suffers 80%. And this is due to two very specific reasons.
First, as we get older, we stop synthesizing it so easily. Secondly, it is mainly because of our lifestyle. Vitamin D is synthesized through the skin and exposure to sunlight. We can also get it through diet, especially dairy products.
The connection between the brain and vitamin D has been known for several decades, when, for example, a large amount of the process that regulates this element, which is so necessary for our well-being, was discovered.
- For example, vitamin D is known to activate and deactivate enzymes in the brain and cerebrospinal fluid that are involved in neurotransmitter synthesis and nerve development.
- In addition, this vitamin protects neurons and reduces inflammation.
- A study by neuroscientist David Llewellyn of the University of Cambridge found that people with lower levels of vitamin D had worse scores on tests of agility and mental stress.
- The ability to process information is getting slower and more complex.
As you can see, something as simple as suffering from a vitamin deficiency can have a direct impact on our brain health.
If we are deficient in vitamin D, then most likely we do not think about the symptoms. Moreover, the lack of this vitamin is sometimes associated with other disorders and conditions, or even with aging. One of your personal goals should be to focus on good aging, on a good quality of life that will allow you to take care of your cognitive processes, the health of the brain, which, like a fabulous muscle, can live to old age in very good shape.
Let's see what symptoms can be associated with hypovitaminosis D:
- fatigue;
- muscle weakness;
- pain in the hips and back;
- concentration problems;
- memory loss;
- problems with learning new information.
How can you fill a vitamin D deficiency?
At first glance, it seems that there is nothing difficult to get vitamin D – the sun is absolutely free. In practice, everything is different: there should be a lot of ultraviolet radiation. Going on vacation to the sea, people take sunscreen with them. This is important for the skin, but they block the production of vitamin D. It is even more difficult for people with dark skin: due to pigmentation, the vitamin is produced longer.
Can food help make up for the lack of sun?
In general, there are few foods that contain D3. First of all, it is fatty fish: tuna, cod, salmon and sardines. You can include egg yolk in your diet. In addition, milk, yoghurts, and juices enriched with D are produced today. However, it is impossible to cover the body's need for a vitamin only through food. If you set such a goal, you will have to eat about one kilogram of cod every day.
Taking vitamin D as a medication can be an effective solution. But what is the correct dosing for vitamin D?
However, taking vitamin D on its own is a bad idea. With uncontrolled intake, you can raise the level of calcium and, in particular, earn heart problems: excess calcium clogs blood vessels, which increases the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes. The second risk area is the kidneys, for example, the risk of kidney failure is higher.
To understand if you need to take additional vitamin D, take a test for its content in the blood serum. If there are deviations, it is better to consult a doctor.