Autumn is here with its lack of light and an increased risk of vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D comes mainly from the sun. But autumn has arrived and France is under the grayness. Weather conducive to vitamin D deficiency. This vitamin is essential and plays an essential role in our body, participating in particular in the assimilation and fixation of calcium and phosphorus at bone level, minerals essential for bone strength and growth.”It also stimulates the action of the cells involved in immune defenses. It helps reduce the inflammatory phenomena accompanying viral aggression of the respiratory tract, in particular by seasonal viruses. Its action on the prevention of certain cancers is however called into question in recent studies.“, explains Dr. Patrick Aubé, general practitioner. The blood level of vitamin D is considered normal when it is higher than 30 ng/ml. Between 20 and 30 ng/mL, it is considered insufficient and if it is below 20 ng/mL, the deficiency is proven. Supplementation is then justified.
In which month should I start taking vitamin D?
Since the sun is the main source of vitamin D, it is understandable that deficiencies are more frequent when there is little sunshine, as is the case in autumn and winter. The ideal is to start your treatment in October/November to benefit from the benefits of vitamin D supplementation. If you missed the boat, you can always supplement until February/early March so as not to end the winter deficient. In general, it is recommended to take vitamin D until the return of the beautiful days so if they are slow to arriveyou can still ask your doctor for a possible prescription of vitamin D. The dosage increases for people naturally exposed to a risk of deficiency, it is determined by the doctor. “Optimal health benefit is usually achieved with 800 International Units (IU) of Vitamin D per day. It is best to obtain this supplementation by a daily intakeits assimilation by the body is better and protects against the sometimes harmful effects of high intermittent doses. In general, it is recommended to take:
- 400 IU/day from 0 to 1 year
- 600 IU/day from 1 year to 70 years
- 800 IU/day from 70 years old
Should I take a dosage before taking vitamin D?
In winter, half of the population suffers from vitamin D deficiency
Only indications issued by the High Authority of Health may be subject to a dosage of vitamin D in the blood and its reimbursement by Health Insurance: suspicion of rickets or osteomalacia, elderly people with frequent fallskidney transplant recipients and people who have undergone obesity surgery. In other cases, the dosage is not recommended and therefore not covered (still expect to pay around twenty euros). And for good reason, in winter, it is estimated that at least half of the population suffers from a vitamin D deficiency. The risk of overdose is therefore almost zero. “It is important to know that the usual food intake only provides 20% of the daily needs, which is why many common foods are enriched with vitamin D: table oil, milk, cereals, cheeses, margarines“, the general practitioner is keen to add.
Who Should Take Vitamin D Supplements Right Now?
Some people are naturally predisposed to developing vitamin D deficiency. Supplementation is strongly recommended.
► Newborns and infants: vitamin D should be administered daily from birth until the child is 18 months old. Because babies should not be exposed to the sun before the age of 24 months, they are necessarily deficient in vitamin D. From 18 months to 5 years, supplementation continues during the winter season.
► Elderly people: They synthesize vitamin D less well and are particularly prone to the risk of falls and fractures.
► Pregnant women: During pregnancy, vitamin D deficiency leads to decreased fetal weight and poor bone mineralization. Supplementation is therefore essential.
► Post-menopausal women: Hormonal upheaval causes bone demineralization, increasing the risk of fractures.
► Individuals with dark or olive skin: they synthesize vitamin D less well.
Thanks to Doctor Patrick Aubé, general practitioner, to follow on Phytosociety (Instagram and Facebook). Work to be published: Digestion Facile by Éditions Marie-Claire