Already at the elementary school, the child at school is required to learn that vitamin D. it is necessary for the healthy development of bones, but that is why its importance somehow ends. Recently, however, a number of interesting discoveries have been made in the field of human health research, in which vitamin D plays a central role.
What will we learn in today's article?
.What diseases does vitamin D protect us from.
.What can cause vitamin D deficiency.
.Whether vitamin D can be beneficial to cognitive functions.
.How to supplement vitamin D.
What diseases can enough vitamin D protect us from?
1.Adequate vitamin D levels are associated with a lower risk of colon or breast cancer, which is among the most commonly diagnosed tumors in the Czech Republic and in the world.
2.Adequate vitamin D levels have a positive effect on children 's immune systems and reduce the risk of seasonal flu.
3.Vitamin D supplementation improves treatment parameters in individuals with type 2 diabetes.
How else can an aging population benefit from vitamin D?
.Trends in demographic curves in the developed western world are relentless. Our population is aging. With this, the number of people at risk of various forms of dementia and other mental illnesses that lead to a loss of cognitive abilities, such as memory, cognitive abilities, concentration, attention, or speed of thinking.
.Hypovitaminosis (vitamin deficiency) in people over 65 years of age affects up to 50% of the population. Can there be a connection between vitamin D levels in the blood and cognitive abilities in the elderly? It was this research question that was asked by a team of researchers, whose results, after their publication in the prestigious scientific journal JAMA Neurology, aroused a well-deserved response.
Can vitamin D help our cognitive functions?
.The study included 318 subjects with a mean age of 75 years. They were continuously tested for vitamin D levels in the blood and a whole set of tests that assessed selected cognitive abilities. Researchers were interested not only in the level of cognitive abilities but also in their rate of decline.
.The mean follow-up time in the study was 4.8 years for their participants, which is long enough for people of that age to show cognitive decline.
.The results of the study were clear. Individuals with lower levels of vitamin D. were more likely to have poorer cognitive abilities than people with sufficient levels. Studies show that vitamin D deficiency occurs in people with the reduced cogs. able. appears in up to 70% of them.
.Sufficient vitamin D levels were associated with a slower loss of cognitive abilities during follow-up than at low levels. The strength of the study results is also based on the fact that the researchers included in their analysis other factors that could also have some effect on cognitive functions (age, gender, race, BMI, education).
.The results of this study thus fit beautifully into the mosaic of results of previous studies, which concluded that reduced levels of vitamin D is associated with an increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
.However, vitamin D is not only important for mental health in the elderly population. Lower levels are often seen in younger individuals in conditions such as depression or anxiety.
Maintaining cognitive functions in old age can also be supported by an overall active lifestyle.
.The importance of maintaining cognitive functions in old age will become more important in terms of population aging, and it is far from just about vitamin D.Medical authorities should place more emphasis on the impact of overall lifestyle on cognitive status in people of retirement age. Staying active both physically and mentally is a proven way to slow down these changes.
Sufficient vitamin D levels are associated with a reduced risk of certain diseases, as we mentioned at the beginning of the article. However, they also contribute to the proper function of immunity, muscle function, and proper cell division.
.Vitamin D deficiency does not only affect older individuals or those with cognitive problems. The incidence of vitamin D deficiency in the European population is up to 40%.
.Therefore, we should not forget about a quality a balanced diet with enough vitamin D. The recommended daily dose of vitamin D is 20 ug (800 IU), but higher doses are needed to compensate for its deficiency (your doctor's D level can be tested).
.Its source in our diet is mainly fatty sea fish. Vitamin D. they naturally form thanks to the sunlight in our skin. If we do not regularly eat fish or are not sufficiently exposed to sunlight (which is typical for the autumn and winter months), we should consider its supplementation in the form of a dietary supplement.
.It is ideal to use a form of dietary supplement with vitamin D3 which increases its blood levels most effectively. It is best to take vitamin D with food that also contains a certain amount of fat, which will help absorb the vitamin.
What to take from it?
Adequate levels of vitamin D in the blood are crucial for our health at any age. That is why we should give it the attention it deserves. Fat sea fish in the diet, as much movement in the sun as possible, and supplementation (which is practically a necessity from autumn to spring) a quality food supplement. There are ways to ensure adequate amounts of vitamin D for our body. You can have your vitamin D levels measured (for a fee) at your GP. An amount below 50 nmol / l is considered an insufficient level.
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