Why is Vitamin D important?

Many Australians assume that their level of Vitamin D is not an issue, because we are lucky to have so much sunlight in the land down under. However, effective education of the risks of skin cancer has caused most Australians to properly cover their body and use sunscreen outdoors.

Though this is important to avoid skin cancer, it also prevents the body from being able to produce Vitamin D from sunlight.

This problem gets worse as we get older as older skin becomes naturally less effective at this conversion. This means that many Australians actually have low Vitamin D levels, especially in winter when there are less sunlight hours each day.

What does Vitamin D do?

The main effect of Vitamin D is to effectively absorb the calcium we consume, to help our muscles and bones develop and function. It has also recently been found to play an important role in our immune system and in the development of new blood cells (haematopoiesis).

Vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteoporosis, low immune system function, and many other effects throughout the entire body that we are still trying to understand.

When and how should I check my Vitamin D levels?

If you are finding yourself more easily tired and getting sick more frequently, and you do not get much sun exposure, talk to your doctor about getting your Vitamin D tested! Otherwise, it’s a good idea to get your Vitamin D level checked with your annual blood test.

Til next time,

Muneer