Dr. Greene adds that vitamin D is a co-factor in producing dopamine, meaning that in order for your body to produce the pleasure hormone (a common nickname for dopamine), vitamin D must be present.
4. Insomnia
Vitamin D stimulates the pineal gland to produce melatonin, says Dr. Greene. If you’re not getting enough vitamin Dâparticularly through sunlightâthis may lead to a lack of melatonin. Considering that melatonin is what stimulates our sleep behavior, a vitamin D deficiency can also cause insomnia.
5. Low immune function
âVitamin D helps your immune system to be strong enough to fight colds, flu, and even Covid,â says Dr. Sangwan.
Why is it bad to have a vitamin D deficiency?
Itâs bad to have a vitamin D deficiency because this can negatively affect your longevity, your bone and muscle strength, your oral and dental health, and even your heart health.
Though itâs rare, a severe vitamin D deficiency can lead to a disease called rickets, also known as osteomalacia. Typically, the disease affects childrenâmaking it hard for their bodies to absorb calcium, thus rendering their bones weak.
Luckily, itâs relatively simple to prevent a vitamin D deficiency in children and adults.
How can I prevent a vitamin D deficiency?
1. Spend time in the sun
According to the experts, this is one of the best ways to ensure that your body is getting enough vitamin D. However, itâs still important to wear your sunscreen when youâre out in the sun. Contrary to sunscreen conspiracy theories, there is no empirical evidence that applying sunscreen inhibits your skin from absorbing the UV rays that are necessary to produce vitamin D.
2. Eat foods with a high amount of vitamin D
As you may remember from those âGot milk?â ads, milk has tons of vitamin D. That said, you canât go for a milk alternative like soy, almond, or oat. In order to get the full serving of vitamin D, Dr. Paulvin says you need to reach for the dairy.
Other foods that are great for combating vitamin D deficiency? Bananas, beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and all types of nuts. Fatty fish that live in shallow waterâlike herring, sardines, and salmonâare also a great source of vitamin D.
A note here: Itâs unlikely that youâll reach the necessary levels of vitamin D just from eating foods that contain it. The experts we consulted also advocate taking a vitamin D supplement.
3. Take a supplement
One thing that Dr. Paulvin notes about vitamin D intake, however, is that you want to be sure youâre getting vitamin D3âas opposed to the other two types of vitamin D.
âD3 is more used by the body, which is why thatâs what you want to opt for,â Dr. Paulvin adds. If youâre taking a supplement, the type of vitamin D3 that it contains will be written directly on the label. Additionally, Dr. Sangwan says that youâd be wise to take a supplement that combines D3 with vitamin K2âa vitamin that helps to metabolize calcium.
âVitamin K2 helps your body transport the vitamin D into your bones and teeth, rather than letting it sit in your arteries and other soft tissues,â she says. âIt’s almost like vitamin K2 is the transport that gets the D3 to where it’s needed.â
Dr. Greene suggests supplements from Lifeforce or Thorne ($28) because theyâre high-quality sources that are approved by the National Sanitation Foundation, a public health and safety organization that tests, inspects, and certifies products. Moreover, they both offer vitamin D3 coupled with vitamin K2.
Regardless of how you choose to take your vitamin D, Dr. Sangwan suggests getting the 25-hydroxy vitamin D test to ensure that your body is getting as much as it needs.
