Checking up your vitamin D levels is not a desirable, but one of the essential tests to run, as vitamin D deficiency can produce bad health effects. So, let us take a look at normal vs. low levels of vitamin D in blood and possible health consequences of both of them.
First of all, let us establish, what is considered to be low, normal or excessive level of vitamin D in blood. Presently, scientists have increased the norms for vitamin D level in blood and revised their former limits. Today, anywhere from 50 to 70 ng/ml is considered to be normal for healthy people. For those, battling cancer or heart diseases the normal level of vitamin D in blood should be raised to 70-100 ng/ml. Anything above 100 ml is considered to be excessive vitamin D level in blood.
So, what are some of the health consequences of low vitamin D levels in blood and how can they be avoided? Bone problem is one of the first, encountered vitamin D deficiency problems. Vitamin D takes active part in the process of calcinations. If case of low level of vitamin D in your body, it becomes unable to absorb calcium and maintain proper calcium and phosphorus balance. This may lead to rickets in young children and osteoporoses and other bone problems in adults.
However, bone problems are not the only health consequences of vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D has strong effect on our immune system. It strengthens the immune system and enhances its anti inflammatory functions. Besides, low levels of vitamin D may lead to various heart problems, cancer and other grave conditions. Studies show, that people with vitamin D deficiency are more prone to such developing such mental conditions, as depression.
So, how can one boost their level of vitamin D back to normal? There are two main ways our bodies get vitamin D. One of them is through natural synthesis of this vitamin in our skin. It happens, when our skin gets exposed to UV-B sun rays. In the countries of the world, where there is a sufficient amount of these rays, vitamin D deficiency is mainly caused by little time people spend outdoors, exposing their skin to sun light.
The second way to bring the level of vitamin D back to normal is to consume it in foods, rich with it or in food supplements. It is important to know, that vitamin D3 can be obtained only from animal foods or food supplements, made of animal products. It cannot be obtained from plant foods.
As you may see, maintaining proper vitamin D levels in blood is essential for our health and can preserve our bodies from developing many grave health conditions.