Ever wonder why people feel so fatigued during the winter? It turns out that it might not be from a lack of sleep. Vitamin D deficiency is a disease where muscles weaken. Low amounts of vitamin D have been associated with cancer, severe asthma and increased risk from cardiovascular diseases.
According to Mayoclinic, Vitamin D deficiencies are caused by a lack of exposure to the sun. During winter, because the sun goes down sooner than in the summer, people get less Vitamin D during these winter months
Why is Vitamin D essential to our health? Vitamin D helps regulate the amount of calcium in the body. Vitamin D is needed to keep bones, teeth, and muscles healthy.
The CDC’s recommended Supplement is Vitamin D3 also known as cholecalciferol. The supplements are actually made from fat of lamb’s wool. The recommended dosage is 400 to 800 IU per day which is 1 to 2 tablets a day. The best time to take the pill is in the morning because later at night your body can actually react very negatively.
“I learned about vitamin D deficiency a couple of years ago and I have been taking supplements ever since,” said Jack Corning, a junior.
People are not familiar with Vitamin D deficiency because it is a relatively new study and there are lots of different supplements. Some people are also against taking supplements because they do not want to run the risk of trying something new.
“I didn’t know about the deficiency and I don’t really take supplement pills so I don’t really care,” said Rico Lopez, a junior.
One side effect of the supplementation is Hypercalcemia, which is an exccess of calcium in the blood.
This directly relates to loss of appetite, diarrhea and consumption, as well as nausea and vomiting. A second and more severe side effect is Kidney damage. Kidney damage in some severe cases causes kidney failure which can sometimes even cause death.
Overall, Vitamin D deficiency supplements help more than they hurt but, it is always a good idea to take the side effects into consideration.